Mark Jenkins, POSE, HENSE, Elkamino, HAM?, and Nicholas Kuszyk. photographs from the VMFA’s Street Art Fest forum and Q&A. (sorry for the crappy quality…no flash and from my cell phone)
The City of Richmond has decided to take down this beautiful mural done by the local street artist known as Hamilton. Please see it by Thursday July 28th before they remove it from Adams and Broad. It saddens me to know that the city has requested to eliminate two of his pieces. I hope this doesn’t stop him from showing his work in this city.
Please take the time to visit his website: Hamilton Glass a.k.a. HAM?
My first encounter with the great HAM? was when I stumbled upon him painting a free hand mural on a local Richmond business building. I was amazed by this mural mostly from the skill involved to create this piece. Free hand seems like a simple way to go about painting only the difference was with this fellow was that he was using spray paint. Never had I seen a painting scale the side of a building and resemble that of a stencil done without a stencil. It blew my mind!
A few months later I found myself doing a graffiti (street art) exhibition at ArtSpace Gallery in July 2010. This was to be my first exhibition ever and yes, I was scared shitless. The day I had to start of my 9x12 foot piece I found out that I was do be doing this show along side with this amazing guy that I had seen a few months prior. I felt I was out of my league!
After finding myself nervous and slightly insecure, I soon realized these feelings were unnecessary. I found out that HAM? was actually one of the most genuinely nice dudes I had ever met. He helped me feel like I was supposed to be participating in this exhibition as well as in the art world. I found that HAM? was also very dedicated and modest which is why I feel the need to share him and his art.
His portfolio along with a lot of other information can be found at his site:
http://www.WhosHam.com/
If you ever find yourself visiting places such as Crossroads Coffee Shop on Morris St, take a look at the building to the left of the entrance door and you will see one of his beautiful works.
HAM? is among one of the best.