HELLO!
My name is Mia Hawk. I am a painter and artist.
I love painting. Paintings expressing the rawness of a moment.
Moments filled with life defining choices, rare intimacy and dynamic emotion.
Paintings that move and engage people.
I want to create a series of 5-8 paintings over two months that explore the theme of Transformation and Transcendence through a female inspired perspective and the female form.
HOW THE PROJECT WILL WORK
The inspiration for the paintings will come from the theme of Extraordinary Women: Transformation and Transcendence.
Inspiration will come from several sources, personal experience and narratives of others: I will be reaching out the the general public and people that inspire me to tell me their stories.
I will work with actors/models/dancers to create reference images for the paintings, and to explore the material.
My model(s) and I will choose from these narratives, selecting the material we find most exciting to work with. The images will be created through exploration of poses, movement, lighting and clothing.
The reference photos will then reworked and reinterpreted into creating a stylised image, this will involve the addition of symbolic elements helping to tell the story and underscore the emotion.
Each painting will take from 1-3 weeks to complete. The end result will be an exhibition at Kings Cross Canopy market first weekend of September.
You'll be able to follow much of the progress through my social media channels.
Extraordinary Women: Transformation and Transcendence
I love women and I love painting them. I love the softness and the strength in femininity. I love all the different expressions of what it is to be female.
I love hearing peoples stories, stories that are central in a persons life and that also inspires other people.
The idea of transformation has long fascinated me. I want to explore what it means in the context of internal transformation, focusing it around women’s stories.
Transcendence for me is taking transformation one step further. The definition of Transcendent is "extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience”.
I’d like to find stories of women who has perhaps experienced raising to extraordinary circumstances, or having experiences of going beyond who they thought they where.
ABOUT THE PAINTINGS & INSPIRATION
(Metamorphosis into an Unknown Being, oil on canvas 2019)
I often describe my paintings as inspired by fairy tales and mythology, I aim to take the composition out of the 'realistic world' into a more surreal and dream like space, to explore heightened emotions and themes.
("The Hunt" oil on canvas 90 x 70 cm)
The language of fairy tales and mythology is often symbolic, and speaks in metaphors and archetypes. I like to think as a type of dream language. It converts an individual experience into something universal, to focus on commonalities between humans.
My aim is to create a body of work that embodies the essence of the theme (Extraordinary Women: Transformation and Transcendence), centring around the defining characteristic or essence of each individual story.
The expression in the paintings will be influenced by movement, musicality and emotion, and will be also be reflective of each narrative.
The style of the painting will contain a juxtaposition of figurative and abstract elements. (Like the image underneath, "Wanting to fly", oil on board).
The aim of this way of working is to create dynamic imagery generate emotional responses as well as being open to interpretation and personal narrative; to provoke questions rather than providing answers. Creating intriguing imagery for contemplation.
WHY THIS PROJECT NOW
Across January and February 2019 I set myself a goal to paint 4 new paintings in 6 weeks (two of which you can watch a time lapse of!) that held the artistic integrity of previous work, but a freer and more expressive style. The result of the new work was immensely positive, both in terms of my own experience making it and the amazing feedback and emotional response the work got from viewers.
I found it profoundly moving to see and hear how people connected with the images. I now want to expand upon this, and create a series. I have dreamed about creating a series of painting for years! I have now perfected my working process, have a wealth of material, and just need the basic means to make it happen.
The main reason for wanting to do this is that is just fills me with fire. The painting process for me is nothing short of an incredible, humbling, inspiring and magical journey. Watching how people react and connect to the paintings is an incredibly moving experience.
It is my hope to create paintings that capture peoples imaginations, that engage people in conversation surrounding the theme of transformation.
This is 100% what I want my artistry to be about; to create stunning images that buts a little fire in peoples bellies.
WHAT THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT ON
£3500 will be spent on materials, prints, and is the minimum amount that I need to buy myself enough time to spend the greater part of two months to focus on working the material and creating the paintings. What ever money is left over will be put towards art fair fees or more stock for the art business.
HOW CAN I HELP?
Even £3 is helping! If for what ever reasons you can't back it financially, please help me spread the word! Share on your social media, tweet, insta or facebook it. There will be lots of updates, pictures and videos of the paintings and the process.
I am also still looking for stories from women about inner transformation! READ MORE HERE
As they say in Norway many small streams makes a big river!
CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS
Some paintings will be produced, regardless of the outcome of the funding.
If, per-say, 50% of the goal is met, I will produce as much as I can during the time that buys me (i.e. half the time).
The goal will still be to show some original work in the first week of September in Kings Cross Canopy Market.
If the project meets more than it's goal, it buys me more time to produce more work, extra funding also goes straight back into the business, and allows me to create more opportunities to show work (i.e. apply for and pay for more art fairs and exhibitions).
All rewards purchased will still be fulfilled, regardless.
PERKS
I have designed a t-shirt especially inspired by the themes of the series!
Inspired by the idea of being devoted to your own path, and returning to that which comes natural to you (Wild Women; returning to the wild, where things grow naturally). (The Kanji signs says Warrior Women).
Available either as a unisex t shirt with front and back print, or a unisex vest in slate grey. (Please note the images are mock ups only, to give an idea of how the t shirt will look! The actual t shirt may look a little different). I may be able to accommodate different colours, but please send me a message before you buy.
ART & PRINTS
You can also grab a print and/or art bargain, as I have been digging out some originals and prints I have been saving for a special occasion!
You can also pre order prints of the artwork to be created at a discounted rate!
Please message me if you have questions regarding the items and/or shipping etc.
STUDIO VISIT
You are invited to come and spend an afternoon in my studio and have a look at the work in progress, have a van tour of my self-converted camper van and have a coffee with me in my local hidden gem of a coffee shop with me!
VIDEO-DIARY
Get exclusive insight into the progress of the paintings and my thoughts around the process!
I will create a 5-15 minute video - diary type update at the end of every week during the two month project. Only the people who purchase this perk will have access to the videos during this time! (They may be used for promotional purposes once the project is over).
If you have any other questions regarding the perks, please don't hesitate to contact me!
PLEASE KEEP CHECKING BACK! I will be adding more perks as the campaign evolves!
...... and lastly
THANK YOU.
Thank you for taking the time to check out my project.