I am Sam Hingston, and I was born in London, England. At a very early age, my family moved from the UK to Adelaide, Australia. Then, when I was six we moved again and settled in picturesque Arrowtown in the mountains of the South Island of New Zealand. It was there that I first discovered the joy in sculpting. When I was about eight years old, a friend gave me a small piece of soapstone to carve and in doing so sparked my interest in three dimensional design. Although it was a simple carving, I remember very clearly rotating it in my hands and noticing how the lines and shapes changed with my viewpoint. I made adjustments where it didn't look right and in this way made the whole thing feel balanced from all sides. It gave me such a sense of satisfaction, like I had brought this random collection of shapes and lines into some sort of harmony. I loved it. In one way or another, I have been making things ever since and even after all these years, the experience is still essentially the same.

I now live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and have done for over 20 years. My studio is in Beaverton, Oregon where I live with my wife Chandra. 

Statement

My sculptures are created with mixed media but consist primarily of wood. In addition to a variety of wood types, some pieces also contain glass, resin or metal. My designs are inspired by nature and biology and focus on form and structure. Included in my body of work are ocean-inspired pieces like shells, sea stars, and jellyfish; a number of abstract pieces; and most recently, my series “Bloom” which consists of imagined flowers made of wood.

Each of my pieces begins with a design phase, and I find this part of the experience particularly exhilarating. It challenges my imagination and allows me to come up with new forms that will also challenge me technically. I don’t make a detailed drawing for any of my work but will sometimes do a very rough sketch to remind me of the picture I have in my head. Color is not usually a part of my initial design phase. At this point I’m more focused on the form and on figuring out how best to build what I have in my mind’s eye. The tints I use are usually chosen as a sculpture comes together and the wood types are selected. I use a variety of woods in each piece and choose the types to incorporate based on workability, natural color, and grain. Saws and grinders are used to get the basic shapes for all the individual parts, and then fine details are perfected using a rotary tool and sand paper. Much of the process is laborious and somewhat monotonous, but it’s worth it for the regular moments of great satisfaction I feel as the piece comes together the way I’ve envisioned it.

I find sea life and flowers to be particularly fascinating subjects. They embody what I love about nature – its absolute perfection. To me, form in artwork is fundamentally important. Whether I’m trying to capture fluid movement in my jellyfish series or I’m creating fantastical flowers, I can find seemingly endless possibilities and challenges for experimentation with form. Artwork that I truly enjoy, in any medium, is engaging in some way that makes me want to really look at it and study it. When people see my sculptures, I want them to marvel at them, study them, and wonder how they were made. I want people to see my artwork as unique, and I want it to surprise them. I hope that my pieces will remind viewers of the complexity in nature that has given me the inspiration to challenge my abilities and my imagination.

I am currently in school studying for a degree in mechanical engineering. Unfortunately this has shifted my focus a bit, and it means less time in the studio. I expect that in the future however, my education will provide me with new perspectives and will open doors to new creative possibilities.

Resume

CURRENTLY SHOWING:

Art on Broadway, Beaverton, Oregon.

Freed Gallery, Lincoln City, Oregon.

Riversea Gallery, Astoria, Oregon.

Art In The Village, Multnomah Village (Portland), Oregon

PAST EXHIBITIONS/SHOWS:

2018 Art on Broadway Gallery - Group show, "Change". Jan 3 - March 3

2017 Portland Open Studios. Oct 14, 15 and 21, 22. Merit Award.

2017 BAM - Beaverton Arts Mix. Annual visual arts showcase. Oct 5 - 8. Best in Show (Bloom #22).

2017 Bellevue Arts Museum Arts Fair, Bellevue Washington. July 28 - 30.

2017 3rd Annual ISDay PDX. Exhibitor and presenter. Portland Oregon April 21-22.

2017 39th Celebration of Creativity, Beaverton Oregon, March 2-5

2016 Holiday Gallery at 510 Museum Artspace, Lake Oswego Oregon. Nov 22 - Dec 23

2016 Local 14 - Left Bank Annex, Portland Oregon. Sept.29 - Oct 2

2016 Bellevue Arts Museum Arts Fair, Bellevue Washington. July 29 - 31.

2016 Art on Broadway - "Bloom" - March featured artist. March 1 - April 2.

2015 Portland Open Studios. Oct 10, 11 and 17, 18

2015  Bellevue Arts Museum Arts Fair, Bellevue Washington. July 24 - 26

2014 - 2015 Exhibiting artist - Bush Barn Art Center, Salem Oregon. June - June.

2014  Portland Open Studios. Oct 11, 12 and 18, 19.

2014  BAM - Beaverton Arts Mix. Annual visual arts showcase. Oct 4 - 12.

2014   Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, June 20 – 22.

2014   Art on Broadway – “Discoveries” – Juried guest artist show for February/March.

2014   Guardino Gallery, January 4th – 28th.  Sam Hingston and Shannon Passon.

2013   Center on Contemporary Art Seattle – CoCACollisions – Past, Present, Future – Members Show 2013.

2013   Art on Broadway – “Temperature Changes” – Juried guest artist show for March/April.

2013   Art on Broadway – “Beginnings” – Juried guest artist show for January/February.

Related Experience:

Board member and member - Pacific Northwest Sculptors Association, 2013 - Present.

Publications:

Beaverton Valley Times - January 10th 2018

Beaverton Valley Times -  April 6th 2017

Beaverton Resource Guide - March 2016

Beaverton Valley Times - Living Here section. Feb 25th 2016

Pacific Northwest Sculptors Newsletter - Feb/March 2016. 

2013 CoCA Collision: Past, Present, & Future members show.

Awards:

2017 Portland Open Studios - Merit Award.

2017 BAM - Beaverton Arts Mix. Annual visual arts showcase. Best in Show - Bloom #22.