We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachel Hawkinson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

When picking out electives for the first time in junior high school, I realized art was a subject that you could participate in everyday, not just once every few weeks. I would sign up for as many art classes as the school would allow. I had so many incredible art teachers over the years. They all put their own spin on what art was, and how to make it your own. In 11th grade I was really into drawing with permanent markers and would make linear optical illusions on old matt boards. I had just finished a pretty complicated one and my art teacher, Mrs. Thayer offered me $10 for it. It took a little convincing on her end for me to part with it, but I did and that is the first piece of work I ever sold. It was also the first important lesson in letting something go that I was proud of.

Rachel, 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?

T. Hawk Studio started out of a garage with a little money and a whole lot of curiosity and passion. Metal-smithing is just a small part of the bigger picture. Telling stories visually is at the heart of what I do. I hand-pick stones that speak to me, use traditional bench techniques that allow the process to be slow and thoughtful and I take the time to invest in myself. In my shop each piece is made by me and is truly a one-of-a-kind work of wearable art. My focus is to take objects and transform them into tangible memories with a T. Hawk twist.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Making creative work is really challenging. You are constantly putting a piece of yourself out into the world and facing judgement on incredibly intimate memories and outlooks on life. Something I have found is the more simple a piece looks when it’s finished, the harder it is to make. It takes more focus, skills, time and knowledge. You have to constantly be investing in your business and in yourself. This takes resources.

There will always be people who don’t see the value in your work. “Art is so easy.”, “Why does it cost that much?”, “I could do that.” are all things that have been said to almost every artist I know. Thing is, it’s not that easy. Artists invest so much into learning, buying tools, experimenting with materials to figure them out and failing a lot. That’s what makes each artist unique. And eventually, that’s what the clients who do value your work will understand. Your art won’t be for everyone, but it will connect with someone.

For a lot of artists, myself included, it can be challenging to fight your way through the doubts of others. Creative work is mentally exhausting at times, but once you start to connect with those who understand it, it becomes the most rewarding experience to put yourself out there. We all have to learn how to navigate the bad and celebrate the victories. The trick is to keep working and never give up.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

From a young age, I feel like we are taught that inspiration just strikes like a bolt of lightning and then you are off to the races creating interesting work. As I started getting more into metal-smithing, I realized that is not usually the case. Sitting around waiting for inspiration is the fastest way to get stuck.

Like writers block, artists block is real. We all have moments where manifesting interesting ideas feels burdensome. I have had lulls in the creative process many times. It can sometimes make you wonder if you have anything left to give or anything new to say. When I get into ruts, I have found that taking a step back always helps. Re-organizing my space, taking a trip to the local hardware store, reading books, participating in our art community and spending time outside are all good ways to reset.

Along with inspiration, I’ve found that you can’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Consistently push yourself past your comfort zone, try something new, fail a few times. Once I break through the failures I know I’m on the edge of making interesting work. Usually thats when ideas start forming and I am inspired by new discoveries to expand on complex concepts and techniques.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thawkstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t.hawkstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/t.hawkstudio/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@t.hawkstudio
• Other: Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/MyCjwSptzqBbfGsN6?coh=178573&entry=tt

Image Credits
Cathryn Becker Adam McClure Shawn Rivett