Meet Branches intern Mitch Hawk

I am the middle child of three, attending Strongsville High School in my last year before college. I’ve seemed to have a real talent for the arts ever since middle school. Since the beginning of high school, I’ve been working to develop my talents and take them seriously to grow as an artist. Recently I was accepted to the Columbus College of Art and Design, and I’m ecstatic about what my future holds. 

I’ve been branching away from my usual pencil pieces and have begun working with watercolor paints as well as other types of media like polymer clay sculpture and stencil printmaking. My mind works from the ground up, trying to understand every little detail of a piece before the pigment hits the paper, planning out each element of the composition to achieve maximum results and a professional look.

Science, philosophy, and sociology inspire me to create more and more by the day, as do other works of art. Being able to tell a story or get a point across in a piece makes it all the more appealing to have the opportunity to display my art. I put forth my best effort every day, confronting an intellectually starved, consumerist society, trying to make people think.

This is my first time putting my artwork up in a gallery and so far it’s been a rather pleasant and educational experience. I’ve learned a lot just from listening to Jerry take care of everyday things and even more from inputting my own ideas for improvement. I’m working with Branches as a part of my high school’s Senior Project program, allowing me to shadow a profession that I find relevant to what I want to do after school. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to get out and see what the local art scene is all about --it’s bound to come in handy when I arrive in Columbus.