Black Artists You Should Know: Aramis Hamer
Aramis Hamer
By Takiyah Ward
This week we get to feature none other than Aramis Hamer. This woman comes to Seattle by way of Chicago, and you feel that when you're in her presence. The light shines very bright with this one.
I remember the first time I encountered Ms. Aramis. She was moderating a talk about artists knowing their worth at the old Black Dot offices in the Central District. It was an evening with about 20 or so folks but she clearly stood out. For one her command of the room was undeniable, for two it was clear she wasn't from here. I learned later that she had actually just moved to Seattle and this was one of her first introductions to our art scene. Her comfort in that space and leading that conversation was incredibly endearing and I knew our paths would cross again soon.
Fast forward to June 2020 when I put out an ask for Black artists to participate in the painting of Seattle’s Black Lives Matter street mural, she responded and we made herstory, together.
In episode 10 of Art Of The Matter we sat down with Aramis at her studio in Ballard to dive deeper into her practice and what drives her to create in the ways that she does. Aramis has become known for her ethereal feminine figure works, but the messages behind each piece is what really keep people glued to all that she has to offer. If a picture is worth a thousand words, an art piece by Aramis Hamer is worth ten thousand. Sis gets deep and it shows. In her episode she was preparing for one of her biggest exhibitions to date, The Zodiac Show, which featured 12 large scale paintings representing the 12 signs of the zodiac. Between the sheer scale, vibrant palette and beautiful subject matter, it's hard as a viewer to not literally fall into each piece. Lucky for you Aramis is also number one when it comes to showing gratitude for her supporters. I joke during our conversation that ‘her patrons have got to be the most taken care of group of folks in art’, as she is always inventing new ways to show them how much they are appreciated. And not one to shy away from reality, Aramis explains how the time and energy spent to show that gratitude can affect your work.
Since The Zodiac Show, Aramis is taking much needed time to refocus her energy on home and recharging for her next works. You can always catch her through her Patreon, YouTube and Instagram page where she is putting the rest of us artists to shame with her frequent posts, candor and openness about her journey and what you can expect when you become a part of her “GramFam” which is what she calls her Instagram followers. Aramis is an artist I truly admire for how she manages to balance putting herself and her community first. I learned from her all those years ago, and continue to. I think we all can.
Instagram @aohamer
Website http://www.aohamer.com
