Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Hawkinson.
Hi Rachel, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I think the desire to create sprang from one of my fondest memories as a child, watching my dad weld in the driveway. Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money. When the oilfield would bust, my dad was home more and he would build bird perches, bicycle racks, window-well covers and other odd projects to make ends meet and he would let me help. My jobs weren’t too exciting. I got to hand him tools, help him with the tape measure, mark things, but my favorite job was starting the welder. Once I hit the squishy button, the welding machine would rumble into life. I would watch regular sheet and tubing turn into functional items and it changed the way I saw raw materials.
While I was earning my bachelors in Fine Art, I started taking a metal smithing class, and that was that. I slowly started buying tools and building my studio one piece at a time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Working in a creative field is definitely not always easy. I had both of my kids by the time I was 20. When you are a mom, you wear so many different hats and it’s hard to find the time to focus on your own goals. I started college when they both started school, and there was always a lot going on and my creativity seemed to get put on the back burner.
Once my boys were a bit older, I had more time and started T. Hawk Studio. It’s still a work in progress. The time it takes to grow a shop into a working studio can be overwhelming. There were days I would think to myself, “Do I even have the skills, time, money or knowledge to do this?” Self doubt is real and it can make or break you. Art is subjective and when you are creating unusual things, you have to know that not everyone is going to “get it” and that’s okay. Thankfully, I had so many amazing mentors, friends and family members that kept reminding me that my view of the world was important and that it was a gift to be able to tell stories through visual art.
Money was a huge obstacle when I first started. It still sometimes is. There are always more tools to buy, workshops to take, materials ruined from making mistakes. I’d be lying if I said I had never completely pulverized an expensive stone just at the very last second of setting it or burned through a piece of metal because I took it a little too far. It’s easy to get frustrated and give up. Realizing that costly mistakes help us grow is something that took me a long time to surrender to, but it’s hard to succeed if you stay in your comfort zone.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The way I look at it, I tell stories. I just happen to tell them visually. When a client brings me a broken arrowhead, their first fake eye, a special rock they found with their dad or an elk ivory, I love to listen to the stories about the objects and then find a way to weave that story into the piece. The customs I make are memories, emotions, hardships and talismans of lives lived.
I also enjoy pushing jewelry to something beyond personal adornment. In my free time, I fabricate sculptural brooches, rings, bolo ties, epaulettes and other pieces that are paired with displays to create 3D sculptures that can hang on a wall or be a tabletop center piece while the work isn’t being worn. I want the pieces I make to be more than simple accessories. They are little pieces of art.
I feel like I have just begun to find my voice in metal smithing, but I am really proud that while I have been learning I have stayed true to who I want to be. Hard work, curiosity and a never quit attitude can go a long way. I want to make quality pieces that are truly one-of-a-kind and hold more than just monetary value to the clients that purchase them. I don’t want to make trinkets, I want to make treasures. I want to bring stories of individual experiences to life through my work.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes. How important the Internet is! As someone who works in a physical space, spending time on social media and doing computer work is something I dread. Up until the last few years I sold the majority of my work locally and in person. Covid pushed me to find different avenues to make important connections with like-minded people all over the world. There’s always a silver lining if you look for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thawkstudio.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/t.hawkstudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/t.hawkstudio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6UHtoxLlvYP-cgW8ZF8Iw
- Other: https://goo.gl/maps/hFJbyc2STby51jf6A
Image Credits
Cathryn Becker
