Jennifer Hamilton

Jennifer Kirk Hamilton

Jennifer's work is expressionistic, with clean, vibrant colors and a combination of mediums. She not only conveys a personal, daily routine - she suggests a state of mind. "Every Day, I pull inspiration from my daily walks with my dogs. I do not focus on their form, but rather what they experience, and every memory we create together. The memories add up as layers of paint, and each layer represents a journey of its own… I believe that you should not just look at a painting, but you should become a part of it."

Jennifer was born in 1950 in Southern California. Her parents moved to Napa Valley when she was ten. The family lived on a mountain overlooking the valley. "I loved to draw as a child. It was rather lonely living so far from town, TV was not really an option then, but there were a lot of animals around and I drew them to pass the time." At 18 she was ready to leave the nest and traveled in Europe for a year where she met her future husband who was a southerner. She and her new family eventually settled in Rock Hill, SC in 1975. At age 30 she realized she really wanted to learn more about art and was able to enroll at Winthrop College for a few semesters. "I couldn't continue my education because our family just didn't have the funds. It was heartbreaking to have to drop out. But, mother always said, when one really wants something, there is always a way. Just a few years after I dropped out of College I was offered a chance to continue my education at art workshops just starting up in Myrtle Beach, SC. It was only for one of two weeks at a time, but I was able to go, and continue to go and worked as a monitor so I could defer the costs. I am still going today and have had the privilege of studying with some of the most renowned artists in the United States.

Jennifer's work has been shown and exhibited state wide in South Carolina for the past 15 years. Her work has recently been profiled in "Watercolor Magic" - "Ones to Watch" section (December 2005 Issue) She was also profiled in "YC-York County Magazine" in October of 2005. In 2006 her work was featured in "Watercolor Magazine" - Twenty Emerging Artists. She has won numerous awards for her work in statewide competitions.