Granville painter Hamilton has large Columbus exhibition of nearly 50 new works

Craig McDonald   | Newark Advocate

Granville painter Paul Hamilton recently debuted nearly 50 new works in a solo exhibition currently on display in Columbus.

Describing his first show in three years, Hamilton said the new collection of approximately four-dozen paintings represent “a super diverse” body of work spanning his efforts over the past three years. “It’s intense,” he said. “It’s a pretty intense show.”

“Paul Hamilton: People, Places & Things” is showcased at the Hammond Harkins Galleries at 641 N. High St. in the Short North, through Nov. 15.

While COVID-19 prohibited an official opening or reception, on the flip side, Hamilton said the new exhibition has come as a welcome offering to art appreciators during a strange time when so much comes to us through our phones and similar screens.

“The COVID thing, it encouraged people to get out and come look at art in real life,” Hamilton said.

“That, I think, is a big deal,” he said, “because we haven’t had live music. We haven’t had really anything for so long. When this show opened, people were just really jacked to be out of their house and seeing super quality artwork and diversity. Everything’s new, it’s all brand new. A lot of new directions, a lot of explorations, a lot of things I haven’t shown before. It’s a very exploratory body of work.”

The gallery’s official site states, “In addition to Ohio landscapes, the artist’s most sought-after subject matter, there will be other nature-inspired genres, still-lifes, and contemporary mixed-media works. Also included will be the artist’s first public display of portrait paintings. Stop in, consider a commission by one of today’s best realist painters, and expect the unexpected.”

Hamilton said this collection’s diversity “is kind of a welcoming thing for everyone. It encompasses sculptures, ceramics, portraiture work…everything across the board, and then landscapes, obviously. It’s been a very exciting and new approach for me. It’s getting great reviews because of the diversity of the work. It’s been highly anticipated. Without being too much of a braggart, it really came out well.”

“Paul Hamilton: People, Places & Things” will run through Nov. 15 at Hammond Harkins Galleries, 641 N. High St. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, call 614-238-3000 or visit www.hammondharkins.com.