Artist Statement | Bio

Rebecca King Hawkinson (born 1980) is a prominent artist from Black Mountain, North Carolina. Since an early age, her paintings have been acquired by private collectors both in the U.S. and abroad. As a lifelong resident of the Swannanoa Valley, she is inspired by its rich artistic legacy, notably the historical Black Mountain College, which hosted influential artists such as Ruth Asawa, Jacob Lawrence, and Josef Albers from 1933 to 1957.

In 1998, Rebecca left high school early to attend Montreat College in her hometown. That same year, American Artist and Fresco Master Benjamin Long IV completed his renowned fresco, "The Prodigal Son," on the college campus. This event marked the beginning of Rebecca's significant period of mentorship under Long, starting in 1999. She immersed herself in the art of fresco, serving as a studio assistant, fresco apprentice, and color assistant to Long. Her artistic skills further developed during a five-week period in 1999 at Long’s studio in the South of France, where she began her practice in landscape painting.

Throughout her career, Hawkinson has traveled extensively across Europe and other regions, creating a substantial body of work that has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions. One of her recent notable pieces, a figurative painting titled "Eulogy of the Besieged," was displayed in "Bullets and Bandaids: A Veteran Anthology." This exhibition, which included venues like the Columbia Museum of Art, underscored her significant contributions to contemporary American art.