Rebecca Hamilton Stockdill - Maker Mondays March 2023

Rebecca Hamilton Stockdill

​Rebecca is a relatively new member here, but she and her art are becoming familiar to those who frequent our gallery. Most of her work is done in oils or mixed media. Rebecca is an important part of the local art community, being the former President and current Treasurer of the Board of Directors at Warwick Center for the Arts. 

​Where are you from, and what do you make?

I currently live in East Greenwich, RI. I've been in Rhode Island since 2008, but before that I've lived in (reverse chronological order) New York, Michigan, New Orleans, California and Massachusetts.

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​How long have you been seriously pursuing art?

I took my first real art class at the Art Students League of New York, probably in 2002 or 2003. It was a portrait painting class with live models, so I certainly jumped right into the deep end! However, I didn't get serious about creating art until about 5 years ago. I exhibited in my first show in 2019 which was a Member Show at the Warwick Center for the Arts.

Breathe, Mixed Media 8x10in

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​What inspires you to create?

What inspires me to create? Wow! This is a difficult one to answer, because, I guess everything inspires me to create! I'm not sure if this answers the question, but I was thinking about how I don't really enjoy playing competitive games, but I really enjoy creating things. Rather than being part of a zero sum game where there are winners and losers, and everyone is fighting over the same resources, art is additive and infinite. It produces joy, wonder, excitement, or even revulsion -- which can be experienced by its creator and viewers, over and over again, without taking anything away.

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​Which artist outside of your chosen medium has had the most impact on your art? What do they do and in what way do they influence you?

I am a huge fan of the fashion designer Betsey Johnson. I love her bold use of color and fun textural fabrics. I adore her juxtaposition of incongruous images in her work, such as pink skulls and roses, or flowers printed on combat boots. These are all styles of expression that I try to incorporate into my own work. Also, she was rocking technicolor hair long before it was trendy!

Summer in New York, Mixed Media, 36x48in

The Mask We Made mixed media 11x14in

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​As a member of SCAA, what do you like most about us?

 My two favorite things about SCAA are the wonderful staff and the stunning exhibits. Every time I visit SCAA, there is someone on staff to greet me, chat for a bit and make me feel welcome in the space. And, I am consistently blown away by the quality of artwork at the exhibits -- I love that such a wide variety of styles and media are always exhibited. SCAA truly showcases Rhode Island's artistic talents.

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Tell us a joke.

What kind of shoes do artists wear? Sketchers!

​View more of Rebecca work on
​her website or
Instagram @rebecca_art_and_stuff.

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