Artist Statement & Portfolio

I embrace chaos by lighting my artwork on fire. By allowing fire to move and blend alcohol inks in unexpected ways, I give my artwork over to the whim of the flames. This process is freeing to me, as I spent decades making tightly controlled paintings and drawings. I knew exactly what the piece would look like when I started. My new process is much more exciting. The unpredictability of the fire forces me to be more spontaneous.

I take inspiration from science, nature, and the universe. I enjoy the constant push and pull of order and chaos found in nature—the opposing forces that make our existence on Earth possible. Our sun is an example of perfectly balanced order and chaos—it would explode without its intense gravity, and it would become a black hole if its gravity went unchecked by its explosive nature. My artwork expresses my fascination with the endless tango of chaos and order.

-Julia Hamilton

Anxiety

2018, 36 x 36 Inches
Mixed Media: Alcohol Ink, Fire, Acrylics, Felt Pen, and Airbrush
Muse: When anxiety takes over, sometimes the world turns red.

Born to Be Wild

2017; Alcohol Ink, Fire, and Felt Pen; 16 x 20 Inches
Muse: My synesthetic interpretation of Born to Be Wild by Steppenwolf

Unforgettable

2019; Mixed media: Alcohol ink, fire, and felt pen; 60 x 48 Inches
Muse: Inspired by a red and blue, romantic song by Thomas Rhett. These are the colors I see when I listen to this song.

The Sound of Silence

2017; Alcohol Ink, Fire, Pencil, and Oil Pastels
36 x 36 Inches
Muse: Inspired by The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel.
This piece is part of my "In Loving Color" collection, which will be featured at the Franklin Park Conservatory during their 2018 Orchids exhibit.

Disintegration

2017; Medium: Alcohol Ink, Fire, Pencil, and Air Brush; 24 x 24 Inches

Muse: Sometimes it feels like the world as we know it is falling apart.

McKinley Murmuration

2017; Medium: Mixed Media: Alcohol Ink, Fire, Oil Pastels, & Pen; Size: 36 x 36 Inches

Muse: A murmuration of starlings graces a grungy part of town.

Honors:

• An enlarged mural of piece is installed at the corner of High and Starr in the Short North district of Columbus, Ohio. It is part of the 2017 Short North Temporary Mural exhibit, sponsored by Sean Christopher Gallery. Click here for a map of the murals.

Madness

2017; Medium: Mixed Media: Alcohol Ink, Fire, Oil Pastels, & Pen; Size: 36 x 36 Inches

Muse: This is my interpretation of the colors and shapes I see when I listen to the song "Madness" by Muse.

This piece is part of my "In Loving Color" collection, which will be featured at the Franklin Park Conservatory during their 2018 Orchids exhibit.

Honors:
• Accepted in the 2017 Ohio State Fair, Professional Division

Too Much Light

Digital: Hand-drawn on tablet
Limited Edition (Max 95), Giclée Prints
Size: 24 x 24 Inches.
Muse: Sometimes a quiet place with soft light is just the thing.

Bittersweet Symphony

2016; Medium: Mixed Media: Alcohol Ink, Fire, Oil Pastels, & Pen; Size: 24 x 24 Inches

Muse: This is my interpretation of the colors and shapes I see when I listen to "Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve.

This piece is part of my "In Loving Color" collection, which will be featured at the Franklin Park Conservatory during their 2018 Orchids exhibit.

Volcano Nouveau

2016; Medium: Alcohol Ink, Fire, Felt Pen, & Oil Pastels; Size: 12 x12 Inches

Muse: One of Earth's reminders that we are guests on her surface.

Honors:

• Awarded 2nd place in Fusion Art's 2nd Annual Artist's Choice Online Exhibit, 2016.

Zydeco

2015; Medium: Alcohol Ink, Fire, and Felt Pen Drawing; Size: 30 x 30 Inches

Muse: When I listen to music, I see colors and moving shapes. I was listening to zydeco music on the radio one day, and I decided I needed to capture the image.

Honors:

• Included in 2016 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibit, Professional Division 2016 in Columbus, Ohio

The Invention of Sky

2015; Medium: Alcohol Ink, Fire, Watercolors, and Pastels; Size: 6 x 6 Inches

Muse: Before the invention of sky there was no blue.

Honors: Included in “Elements” exhibit (by invitation) at Schumacher Gallery, Columbus Ohio, 2016

Transition

2015; Medium: Felt Pen Drawing and Alcohol Ink Painting; Size: 30 x 30 Inches

Muse: The universe is expanding, but for how long? Astronomers predict that we may enter a contraction phase in the distant future. This image depicts this spectacular phase transition.

Honors:

• Included in juried exhibit titled “In Transformation” at Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, Ohio, 2017

Inner Strength

2015; Medium: Felt Pen; Size: 36 x 24

Muse: It is our inner strength that allows us to defy the weight of the world.

Honors: Included in Ohio Governor's Office and Residence Artwork Loan Program 2017-2018

Origin

2015; Medium: Felt Pen Drawing; Size: 30 x 30 Inches

Muse: This is the beginning, the first light that started everything.

Legacy

2014; Medium: Felt Pen Drawing; Size: 30 x 30 Inches

Muse: I created this piece because I was recently reminded of how powerful one's legacy can be. A promising young life is headed for greatness as a result of a tragedy in the distant past.

Honors:

• Included in juried competition, “New Directions 2014” at The Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY. Juror was Lynne Warren, Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago, IL.

• Included in 2016 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibit, Professional Division 2016 in Columbus, Ohio

Awakening

2014; Medium: Felt Pen Drawing; Size: 24 X 24 Inches

Muse: I created this piece because I wanted to capture those brief seconds between being asleep and being fully awake, the mingling of consciousness and dreams, and the precarious nature of the memory of a dream.

Honors:

• Received honorable mention in Exhibeo “Renewal” Competition 2015

• Included in “Elements” exhibit (by invitation) at Schumacher Gallery, Columbus Ohio, 2016

New Waters

2014; Medium: Digital, drawn with finger on iPad®; Size: 28 x 28 Inches @ 300 DPI;

Muse: I created this piece because I wanted to capture the mesmerizing experience of watching new waters flowing to shore, the ancient rhythm of the sea. To quote Heraclitus (535 BC - 475 BC), "You can never step twice in the same stream, for new waters are ever flowing in upon you." It seems incredible that someone who lived so long ago could say something that resonates with people today.

Where the Woodbine Twineth

2013; Medium: Felt Pen Drawing; Size: 24 x 24 Inches

Muse: When something is hopelessly lost, it has gone “where the woodbine twineth." Whatever it is that you're looking for, perhaps you'll find it hiding in this piece.

Honors:

• Included in Ohio Governor's Office and Residence Artwork Loan Program 2017-2018

• Included in “Elements” exhibit (by invitation) at Schumacher Gallery, Columbus Ohio, 2016

• Included in 2015 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibit, Professional Division in Columbus, OH

• Included in 2015 Ohio Art League Spring Juried Exhibition at the Schnormeier Gallery at Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio. Juror: Richard Petry, Director of Graduate Studies at CCAD.

Quantum Flux

2012; Medium: Felt Pen Drawing; Size: 30 x 30 Inches

Muse: Within a tiny sliver of time (10^-43 seconds) after the big bang, the universe was born. The technical term for the creation of something from nothing is "Quantum Fluctuation." I created this piece because I wanted to try to visualize this incredible phenomenon.

Honors:

• Included in “2015 Annual Arts in Harmony” International Juried Art Show in Elk River, MN; awarded third place in drawing competition.

Art byJulia Hamilton

Artist Statement & Portfolio

Anxiety

Born to Be Wild

Unforgettable

The Sound of Silence

Disintegration

McKinley Murmuration

Madness

Too Much Light

Bittersweet Symphony

Volcano Nouveau

Zydeco

The Invention of Sky

Transition

Inner Strength

Origin

Legacy

Awakening

New Waters

Where the Woodbine Twineth

Quantum Flux