Featured Artist Jacqui Hawk creates mixed-media works, including found objects. She is passionate about art and building her career.
When I was a little girl I’d take a red ball of wool and disappear into the forest on my Grandfather’s farm, tying the wool from tree to tree, disappearing into a childhood world of magic and fantasy.
I would look at a tree and see a castle, never settled at what was, rather what could be, my mind crowded with beautiful colorful visions which I now recollect as an adult and which have found their way into my paintings.
I love to paint, everyday, it allows me to process and connect my heart, mind and soul and wrap them all up harmoniously in a way that helps make them understood and validated. I want my art to connect with the viewer in the same way and help unravel within them some of the forgotten memories of the past. I communicate this through the use of mixed media, oil and acrylic paints, glass, textured gesso, found objects from the beach. I am passionate about texture, almost wanting the viewer to imagine him/herself sitting in one of my paintings to understand its vision and message.
“Childhood Illusions” was one of my earlier collections. As a child I would look up at the sun and then close my eyes tightly; these paintings show the beauty of pattern and color in my innocent, childlike mind and symbolize the innocence of childhood.
My work is intuitive in nature and very spontaneous and always reflects what is going on inside of me. During my life I have travelled the world, seen some amazing places, gone through loss, death, divorce, love, hope, promise and each of these chapters finds itself immortalized on canvas. I am still unraveling my red ball of wool.
As an adult now I am relishing in my new ‘space’ in life. My latest collection is called “Holding On and Letting Go” which I began during a week’s vacation on Skaket Beach, Cape Cod, this past Summer. This was my first vacation without my children in 19 years and I enjoyed reflecting on the many changes in my life.
A recent ‘empty nester’ this collection uses the power and beauty of the ocean to symbolize how we hold on to love, memories, respect, principles and boundaries and “Let Go” of outcomes and attitudes which hold us back from becoming our personal best.
My paintings show the energy and beauty of the sea… as it ebbs and flows….as it delivers, cleanses, enriches, and takes away…. and reminds me how each day of our lives are different, each with their own degree of sadness and happiness and how we must learn to give and take…. some days are peaceful… the gentle sea laps gracefully at the shoreline… some days it roars… crashing cruelly, clawing away the foundations of so many…. it is a circle… a circle we must learn to accept with grace and understanding of the values and treasures to be found in both stormy and calm waters.
I was recently told that my art makes people ‘happy’… there is no greater reward!
Great choice for featured artist. I’ve watched her work grow and change over the last year and a half and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it!