Chris Hawkins
The immediacy of the raku copper fuming process influences how I work; striving to create a balance between tightly thrown form and the unpredictability & vibrancy of the fumed copper surface.
I work from my studio which is set in 6 acres of woodland, it is an artist’s paradise having been largely left untouched with water meadows and ponds creating a haven for wildlife and is one of the inspirations for my creativity. The land runs along the banks of the river Tamar, a steep sided valley which serves as a border between Devon & Cornwall in the Southwest UK.
The Tamar Valley has a long mining history and is well known for its industrial heritage, parts of the valley are designated as a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’, it also sits in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. The area has also been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape. My studio sits within 100m of a deep adit for ‘Ding Dong’ mine that was once mined for the same sort of minerals that I use in my glazes today.
GALLERIES
Jarva Gallery - Whaley Bridge, High Peak
Jarva Fine Art - Buxton, Derbyshire
Northern Lights - Keswick, Cumbria
OCG Arts - Ambleside, Cumbria
Galleria Luti - Callander, Scotland
Serena Hall Gallery - Southwold
Hackney Muse - London E8 3RL
Leaping Hare Gallery - Easingwold, York
SHOWS 2024
23 - 26 August - Contemporary Craft Show, RHS Hyde Hall, Essex - www.craftinfocus.com
Hand thrown raku fired large white bottle by Chris Hawkins
Size: 24.5 High x 15cm Wide
Raku fired in a clear glaze over white clay, this pot is raku fired in a small gas fired kiln to temperatures around 1,000 degrees centigrade. it's then taken from the kiln whilst still glowing and placed in sawdust: the sawdust instantly combusts and the flames lick around the pot whilst I give the pot time to cool until I hear the glaze start to ping and craze, I bury the pot totally and uncover and re-cover to encourage crazing before leaving the pot buried in sawdust to fully cool. When the pot has cooled it is taken from the sawdust and needs to be scrubbed clean of the carbon deposits to reveal the crazing patterns