Fine Art Photography – “Three Collaborate”

The Intersection of Sculpture, Performance Art, and Photography

Three Collaborate is an ongoing fine art photography project that brings together the creative talents of sculptor Anna Gillespie, performance artist Niki Jewett, and myself, Colin Hawkins. This collaborative project spanned over three years, starting as an experiment in my studio, where we explored how our diverse artistic disciplines could intersect and complement one another.

Capturing the Essence of “Play” with Natural Materials

The initial idea was simple: to see if we could work together, blending photography, sculpture, and performance art into a unified artistic vision. As the project progressed, it naturally evolved into something much more expansive. We ventured beyond the confines of the studio, shooting in various outdoor locations around Bath and Somerset. These settings provided an ideal backdrop for our exploration of the theme of “play,” where we utilised natural materials such as wood, leaves, and clay to create organic, spontaneous, and imaginative compositions.

The Role of Photography in Documenting Creative Collaborations

While Three Collaborate remains an unfinished work in progress, my role as the photographer was to document each stage of our artistic journey. I kept the lighting very simple so that it would allow Niki to do whatever , often using flash to freeze action or using daylight & allowing action blur to occur to give the sense of movement. The photographs included in this blog represent just a small selection of the images I captured during the project, highlighting the blend of sculpture, movement, and nature that defined our exploration.

Ongoing Artistic Exploration: The Three Collaborate Project

The project has been a deeply rewarding experience, offering me new insights into the possibilities of fine art photography and collaboration. It pushed the boundaries of traditional photography and opened up new avenues for creative expression.  I am always keen on engaging in such experimental projects, as they provide the space to innovate and explore new artistic techniques, whether in the studio or out in the scenic landscapes of Bath and Somerset.

The photographs not only document the artistic process but also stand as art pieces in their own right. As we continue to work together, I look forward to seeing how Three Collaborate will evolve and what new ideas will emerge from this unique partnership.

This project has also been a testament to how art can thrive through collaboration, as each artist brings their own perspective and creativity to the table, ultimately creating something much larger and more meaningful than any of us could have achieved alone.

Ongoing Artistic Exploration: The Three Collaborate Project

Please follow our instagram feed for more images @threecollaborate

We have produced two books, the first “Midsummers Day” which is a document of the initial session & the second book covering 3 years of work.

The triptych “Paper”  was selected & on show at the Royal West Academy Photo Open Exhibition in 2023

Categorised in: Art Photography, Fine Art

This post was written by Colin

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“ Colin was absolutely superb to work with, was really understanding and flexible, and the quality of his shots is excellent.  Couldn’t have asked for better and we’re so grateful you were able to help with  at such short notice too!”

HfH

Creative Director

"We have solely used Colin's services for the past 18 years for our company's website and it's always been such a delight to deal with him. His professionalism, enthusiasm, flair and creativity make him a real gem to work with. Tried others but kept going back to Colin. We'll always use him first.”

B Bm

"Colin is a phenomenal photographer….he could not have made me feel more comfortable. Throughout the shoot, he remained conscious of my artistic visions and captured them perfectly, whilst gently directing me throughout the process.“

E. Scrivens

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