Gilbert Hawkins is a Leonia resident and has exhibited extensively in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and the Connecticut area. He has taught in several Universities and schools, notably PACE and New York University. His work has clean lines that encourage the viewer to look beyond the space and incorporate the sculpture in its environment. The edited form and well crafted metal have a strong presence that impacts its surroundings in surprising ways. “Waldorf A”, in blue [powder colored steel, graces the front of the Annex Building.
Luther Hill 2
Luther Hill 2 is an aluminum construction evoking the landscape of rural agrarian Sussex County, New Jersey. Luther Hill of Andover developed an early sweet eating corn relished by my father. Sadly, that farm and so many other farms have passed by the wayside.
Gilbert H. Hawkins is a sculptor, poet and environmental activist. His work is in many prominent collections including Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, NY. His poetry reflects nature and is influenced by his boyhood summers in Sussex County, NJ. He is a tirelesss advocate for the Hudson River and founded the Overpeck Preserve, an 85 acre wildlife preserve in Bergen County, New Jersey.
For more information, visit gilhawkins.com
Past Works
WALDORF A
The title “Waldorf A” relates to the social genre of New York City in the late fifties. I recall the uniformed doormen of the hotels and posh apartment houses on Manhattan’s east side, polishing the brass door decorations while patrons passed unnoticing. The search for a literal name is quite inadequate nomenclature for the sculptural expression. “Waldorf A’ is a constructivist sculpture composed of shapes and forms found in architecture or industry. The individual pieces are bolted together, rather than welded, because a union created by bolting is both difficult and expressive. In ‘Waldorf A’ the viewer’s eye is drawn to the bisected strong circle at the top of the monolithic construction with each individual piece adding it’s own character to the overall composition.
Though my work has changed from that 1980 purely constructivist period to a search for landscapes, it still remains minimalistic. No one element can be considered decoration or flourish. The only elements in the sculpture are the ones needed for structural composition or expression.
Bear Mountain Bridge
Long Walk Home
These sculptures were installed outside the new wing of Leonia High School in August of 2018.