We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Patricia A. Hawkenson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Patricia A., thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Taking a Risk

For many years I was like many artists. I got excited about every new art technique I saw and wanted to try them all and prove to myself that I could do it. Watercolor, acrylic, textiles, you name it, I jumped into it with both feet and in the process filled up an entire room in my home with various art supplies. I joined local art groups and went to galleries and art events to be inspired.

One group I joined was a local sketching group. We took notebooks and pencils and tried to capture the architecture, scenery, and people that we encountered in our neighborhood. After a few months I had acquired quite a collection of sketches, and I started to post them online. A few caught the eye of a new restaurant owner, and he asked if he could have larger colorful versions of them to decorate his business. After providing them, it occurred to me that there might be more money to be made if I offered my sketches to a larger audience.

I put together a collection of forty sketches and published them as an adult coloring book, ‘Color Eau Claire.’ This was a huge risk because the market niche was so local, regular publishers were not interested in the project, so I had to put up all the funds and self-publish. I had faith in my idea, and to date, I have sold over 3,000 copies.

Since then, I have also co-illustrated ‘Color the Chequamegon Bay’ with my brother, Jeffrey Holvick. That book also has forty images. I also illustrated a children’s edition with wider and simpler lines in eighty drawings for ‘Color the Chippewa Valley.’

I assumed that due to the very fine detail, most people who purchased the books would be using colored pencil. I didn’t want anyone to use excuses to say, “I don’t think I can stay in the lines, or I don’t want to color it ‘wrong.’” So, to set an example, I set aside two years to enlarge and color every one of the adult coloring book’s eighty images. I purposefully colored them in every different way that I could imagine. I made unusual color choices like have the sky be green or the water orange. I added texture and extra doodling lines with patterns and scribbled right over some lines. People loved it!

My efforts to let people do whatever they wanted evolved into my now recognizable colored pencil style that is filled with intense and unusual coloring choices that are deeply layered and often mistaken for painting. Each artwork takes approximately three weeks to complete. I enjoy creating images that stretch realism with whimsy. Would an octopus ride a hot air ballon while roasting a hot dog? Of course. And if a rabbit wants to ride a Vespa, I’ll let him.

My work has been published in national artists’ magazines and has been displayed in regional galleries. My work is now consistently 24” X 36” in size and sells for over $1,000 each. I accept commissions, and I have collectors that have purchased more than one. I have been offered the opportunity to show my work overseas.

I tell the students that I mentor that they need to give themselves the freedom to experiment to find their own style. There shouldn’t be a right or wrong way to use any art supply. Taking risks allows artists to create something new that will interest viewers. By taking risks, there is surprise and fun in the act of creation, and I’m interested in creating more.

Patricia A., before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a 67-year-old female who retired from teaching middle school twelve years ago. In retirement, I developed my artistic interests. As my stash of art supplies was overtaking our home, I rented a studio space to create and sell my artwork. My first products were coloring books and mugs, pillows, puzzles and more with my artwork on them. I teach
sketching, painting, and crafting classes, but focus on color pencil techniques. I create 24” x 36” whimsical colored pencil images.

Clients reach out to me to create images of their buildings, pets, or family in my colorful style. Commissions take approximately one month to complete as there are many consultations to ensure the client is satisfied. My work is recognizable by the bold choice of color and elements of whimsy, and most clients offer me the freedom to surprise them.

I am proud that people can recognize my work, and that although I don’t complete my colored pencil work in the traditional methods, it is gaining appreciation for its unique approach.

After working in one location for many years, I joined with a group of other artists and together we opened Decadent Gifts and Gallery in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Here, I am one of the seven In-House Artists that help to support the space. We provide a professional gallery and gift shop location where their work is shown and offered for sale. The gallery is building a reputation for nurturing artists and developing community connections. Our guiding principle is ‘Art is a Gift for Everyone.’ We work every day to create a welcoming, inspiring space to showcase the talents of our local artists.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

For years, I enjoyed dabbling in many different art experiences, such as creating hats, handbags, and jewelry. But I eventually realized that those items were ‘one and done,’ and when those items were sold, that was it. My illustrations have more value and potentially could leave a legacy for my daughter as she can sell my images as prints or put them on a variety of sublimation products, and they could provide her with income even after I can no longer create.

The biggest pivot in my art journey occurred when the studio space that I and a group of other artists rented was sold. The new owner had a different vision for the use of the space, and all of the artists were asked to leave our studios and the gallery we all used was closed. With the help of my daughter who has experience in running a gift shop, together we opened Decadent Gifts and Gallery. Currently, we have six other artists that joined with us to operate the gallery and have over sixty-five consignment artists that showcase their artwork. We love our new location and are proud of the art community we are building.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.decadentgift.com/
• Instagram: @DecadentGifts_EC
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DecadentGifts
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-a-hawkenson-1b404414
• Twitter: @treadlepainter