Art Grads Work Invokes…
Art Grads Work Invokes…
By Dan Silvia, Communications Manager
What kind of feelings does walking into Phil Hawkins’ art studio below 16th Street in the Old Market invoke? That’s pretty much up to you.
“I want the viewer to experience feelings they have never felt before and a moment they'll never forget,” said Hawkins, who earned his Bachelor of Arts in Art Management from the University in 2012.
Hawkins will have a solo exhibition at the Lux Center for the Arts in Lincoln on February 2 where he will “exhibit an art installation that will transform the space.”
Hawkins works in a variety of different mediums depending on the goals of the piece he is creating.
“I appreciate certain mediums for different purposes. Like, for instance, cardboard, which is a lightweight, easy to acquire, and can easily absorb any type of application,” he said. “Metal happens to be the most durable and permanent which I appreciate, but it’s heavy and more difficult to apply paints, etc. PVC plastics are lighter weight than metal, but receive paint well with a consistent smooth surface. I tend to find different purposes for these materials based on my vision and the possibilities, so when choosing a favorite it all depends on the art project.”
A favorable credit transfer policy was one of the key factors that attracted Hawkins to Bellevue University.
“I was looking for local collage art programs that award you a degree rather than a certificate,” he said. “The deciding factor was that Bellevue was able to transfer most my Metro credit hours.”
Egyptian Tombs and Treasures was among the standout courses for Hawkins during his time at the University, while Ceramics was another favorite.
“Ceramics gave me the chance to realize how therapeutic clay is while sculpting,” he said. “That’s how I met my professor Les Bruning, an exceptional teacher and friend, and eventually started working with him on public art projects.”
Hawkins, a 2001 graduate of Westside High School in Omaha, credits Bruning with supporting him during his college career and beyond.
“He has been an extremely good mentor to me and let me work on several large scale public art projects with him in the community,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins work is getting noticed outside of the local area as well.
“I also have a few friends from Los Angeles who discovered me and have introduced and shared my art and jewelry with many great people from the west coast,” he said. “It has led to some great ongoing relationships that continue to grow and opened the door for my jewelry to go international and make it into the Vogue Spain magazine November 2016 issue.”