CRAIG HAWKINS

American, b. 1978

Marbles & Candy, oil on panel, 48 x 60 inches, 2020

Box No. 12, oil on canvas, 42 x 45 inches

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Definition is central to my work

Of his work Hawkins says, “My studio practice is a sacred space where definition, applicability, and metaphor push against disorder, randomness, and unpredictability. Definition is central to my work; both the intentional choice of a subject and the degree of distinctness while developing an image with charcoal or paint. Crossing parameters through the bridge of metaphor develops clarity while simultaneously widening applicability and becomes a catalyst for my imagination.

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Craig Hawkins received his Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree from Valdosta State University in 2001 and his MFA for the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art in 2011. His work consists of collected moments of revelation visually given away as a drawing or a painting with the hope of motivating the viewer to reassess things typically taken for granted. Craig currently lives and works in Valdosta, Georgia.

Hawkins’ work enhances the beauty of the world around us through the expression of a rich and deeply spiritual faith. Mediating on the word of God, Hawkins hones in on elemental truths of the Bible. The artist creates vivid imagery through transcendental compositions, high contrast narratives, and expressive mark making. The result is an intriguingly unique perspective on religious themes. Hawkins describes his work as, “the evidence of taking truth and imagining it”. Of his work Hawkins says, “My studio practice is a sacred space where definition, applicability, and metaphor push against disorder, randomness, and unpredictability. Definition is central to my work; both the intentional choice of a subject and the degree of distinctness while developing an image with charcoal or paint. Crossing parameters through the bridge of metaphor develops clarity while simultaneously widening applicability and becomes a catalyst for my imagination.”. Brilliantly honest, his work moves beyond the confines of the canvas to provoke vivacity, challenging the viewer to see with new eyes.
The artist uses paint and charcoal to illustrate and unite the dynamic nature of the world around us with specific scriptural references. Using media as a form of conversation, the canvas becomes an open journal to actively demonstrate the work of his hands. Each mark is wholly significant, a means used to thrust the viewer into a matrix of emotion. Through Hawkins’ integrity in creation, the viewer moves closer to the truth, feelings, and experiences of the body.