Mia Hocking's creative process literally and figuratively begins with a 'blank canvas'’ Each piece of art represents a journey from start to finish. Mia typically has no preconceived idea of what the work should or could be. The process does not allow for the constraints of expectations. Mia's pieces are created by following a series of relationships caught at the right moment the story needs to be told. Some parts take a few weeks, and some take a year or more to complete, as dictated by Mia's relationship with the work.

Composition and color are always playmates in Mia Hocking's art. All we see can be broken down into geometric and organic shapes and shadows. The journey of a piece begins with Mia laying down the first of many layers. Each layer triggers the following reaction, then the next, and the next until the story starts to reveal itself. The shapes of paper and the objects come alive to tell the evolving story until the account is complete.

Many of Mia Hocking's pieces have additions or modifications to their substrate. She likes to challenge the working surfaces, looking beyond the 'front,' 'back,' 'top,' or 'bottom' of a piece. Some may have openings.

Paper and natural fibers are the primary medium in Mia's pieces, applied in a wet-on-wet method. The wet application encourages dyes to blend, creating the most impressive and unpredictable results. A favorite part of her creative process is the waiting part as layers are left to dry, and upon returning, a new chapter is revealed, inspiring the next move—a chapter that could only have been told after waiting. It's exciting!

Color and color play have always been a passion of Mia Hocking. Her pieces are open with color. She wants to feel the shade as much as she sees it.

Mia is always looking to repurpose excellent materials! Cardboard, boxes, rusted bits of metals, old letters, and photos. She has always been intrigued by objects with a history. Old, discarded objects that are otherwise unglamorous and unseen often find their way into a piece. Mia is a joyful scavenger of rusty, crusty, torn, and stained. These objects become part of her odd inventory for use when the moment presents itself. There is much beauty to be discovered and released in old things, and she thinks about the stories these items already hold within.

In many ways, these pieces are Mia Hocking's companions. They talk and listen to one another; they share emotions and find that distance can help with frustration; they share energy and anticipation, and it is sometimes difficult to let go. Mia hopes her pieces intrigue audiences to look and feel more profound than the surface. There are so many layers—keep looking. Find the story or find the story that speaks to you.