Fashions & Haircuts: Interview - Artist Walter Hamilton

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Interview - Artist Walter Hamilton

Q: I love your art work. Where do you get your inspiration from?

A: Inspiration came from a leg injury. This made it impossible for me to stand and dj. A lot of my investment was wasted and all the time and energy put into learning my craft at that moment was lost. I became upset and began to break up records. Came back down to the basement some time later and had the idea to start doing the art you now see.

Q: Did you go to school to study art? Or are you a self taught artist?

A: Other than the art classes that everyone takes in elementary, middle, and high school, no. I did take a beginning painting class and beginning drawing class once at Herron Art School, but those courses were quite basic. I have always been great at pencil and portraits; however the rate in which I finish a piece is quite slow and so I don't draw very often.

Q: How long have you been a creative person? At what point in your life did you consider yourself to be an artist?

A: I’ve always been an artist. From drawing afro black guys with shades to shoes onto cartoons and portraits. Even style wise and other aspects of life and seeing things, to my cooking and food prep, to costume making, and on and on... I have the "eye of the art".

Q: What part of your art career has been your proudest moment?

A: When I sold a piece for my brother. It was First Friday at 45 Degrees on Mass Ave, Indianapolis, last April. I told my younger brother Gabriel, who is a great artist himself, to do a vinyl record piece of Bob Marley. It sold that night and the feeling that I had I have never had before and haven't had since. It was such a good feeling.

Q: What types of mediums and materials do you like to work with? Do you have goals of learning how to incorporate new material that you have not used before into your creative work?

A: Vinyl Records is the medium of choice at the moment. Vinyl seems to be the oldest musical listening medium that has stood the test of time. Vinyl owners have this bond with vinyl, people will keep vinyl for years never play them, yet never throw them away. From cleaning the vinyl to setting the needle properly in the groove, playing vinyl is a ritualistic act. I am not quite certain what medium I will explore next, since I feel I have not fully exhausted this medium yet. With that said I would like to explore stained glass and stand alone sculptures. I would like something that will stay around and be a functional or at least stationary either indoors or out in the elements. Art is problem solving and getting to how I will make it happen, I have not solved yet.

Q: What advice would you give someone that wants to get into art? Or someone like me that loves to create art, but is feeling like they are is not progressing?

A: Hard question... Well I would say #1 everyone can do art. It is important very early to understand your style and even more important not to compare what you do to others. If you are not always looking for acceptance in your work and in this crazed journey to become better, you will enjoy all that you do. Do whatever comes natural, and then try to build on it. Learn from others, copy, reproduce, and don’t get too hung up on being revolutionary or original. All these may come to you but with time, practice, with knowledge of self and style. You can’t always draw and create the way you want to- that’s because your desire, dreams, and goals always surpass what you can actually produce.