This new collection of work by Pam Hawkes is an absolute treat for her many fans. Let's call it classic Hawkes. Why? Because it dials up all the elements that make Pam one of the most beloved artists in the UK. Here is a series of paintings that focuses on women wearing halos of flowers, and shrouded in outrageously colourful wraps. They are placed in front of glittering gold-flecked walls, and they frequently stare at the viewer with inscrutable expressions.
These are the elements that make Pam's work – frequently called ‘modern gothic’ – immediately identifiable. They have sustained a career that began at art school in Birmingham in the 70s before family commitments took priority. In her thirties, Pam resumed her studies, got an MA and began lecturing at schools and universities across the Midlands.
As a full-time painter, Pam developed a style that combines the majesty of Byzantine icons with the mystery of the modern. Yet for all the fantasy, the work is always beautifully composed and technically immaculate. Pam says: ”The characters in my paintings don't readily give away their stories..It is a seductive world that they seem to hint at, a place of myth-making and mystery. They invite us in at some level to speculate on the idealised memories of their lives and to give a second thought to the half forgotten fables we each collect and carry through our own world."
