Colleen Hammond

Colleen Hammond
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

STATEMENT

The dictionary defines “ah” as “an expression used to describe many emotions–delight, relief, regret or contempt”. Our everyday world is filled to the brim with objects, people, and places that demand nothing more from us other than the acknowledgment of their existence. In my work, I am trying to show all the “ah” that I see. While my affinity with art started with drawing and oil painting, I have added the medium of collage which has taken me on a meditative and playful path serving as a way to set free my anxiety and cope with the world’s current events. The thread that runs through all my work is a process based in my classical artistic training filtered through my own subconscious spirit and imagination.

The collage process is more spontaneous and meditative compared to how I paint. Sometimes with collage I will make a social or political statement whereas my path with painting is an emphasis on atmosphere and emotion from a more personal, inner source.

This is why I make art–to cope, look inside myself and create a language that will make sense of living in this world.

BIO

Colleen Hammond was born in the month of March 1957 and raised in a small New Jersey town. After high school, between 1975-1979, she attended and graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts where she began her artistic journey following the principles of classical style; centered on notions of elegance, harmony and proportion based on the human figure. She also went on to receive a BFA with a major in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania. In recent years her oil paintings have moved toward abstract realism where mood is the underlying key element. In addition to working in her studio, Colleen was welcomed into the collective art group, Artessa Alliance, an award-winning Philadelphia area association of women visual artists. Adding collage to her artistic practice has taken her on a journey of healing and experimentation and has forged new communities and connections. She joined Philadelphia CollageWorks (PCW) in 2019, a group of artists that practice and promote the art of collage through education, exhibition and community outreach. Her paintings and collages have been included in many exhibitions in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, both in solo and group shows. She has won awards for her work that include the Cadwalider Award, Caroline Gibbons Granger Award and the Berthe M. Goldberg Award of Excellence. Colleen currently resides in South Philadelphia with her supportive husband and Max, the cat. Her son Noah lives nearby and carries on the family tradition of embracing the inherent creative spirit.

ARTIST CONTACT

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colleenhammondart.com

IMAGES