Bio/Statements As a former K-8, High School and College instructor in digital technology, humanities and the visual arts for well over a two decades, I more recently served as a designer and fabricator for installations and large scale signage for the last 10+ years.  My studio work is now (mostly) relegated to working outdoors or En Plein Air and primarily in watercolor when the weather permits.  My knowledge and time is generously shared with various organizations to develop their own Plein Air (outdoor painting) events in order to promote ‘on location’ painting opportunities for local artists to find the benefits in supplementing their ‘in studio’ work.  Along with recently celebrating my eleventh year as Director of Brush Creek Art Walk (BCAW2025) I additionally work to promote and sell my late father, JR ‘Jim’ Hamil’s (1937-2022) works both online and in gallery shows throughout the region (jrhamil.com).

While completing a BFA at KU (Visual Communications ’92) the teaching bug bit while working as an art instructor with elementary and middle school students in the Shawnee Mission School District during their ‘Summer Enrichment’ program.  Once on my financial feet courtesy of a full-time position in television (news graphics) and print promotions, I decided to further my collegiate studies and focus on art education (K-12) by way of Park University.  Choosing to leave corporate art in 1999 allowed me to double down on my teaching practice starting as an (evening) adjunct instructor in Design at Penn Valley Community College while serving as a full-time technology instructor at St. Elizabeth (Waldo/K-8).  Within those five years I worked to complete a Master’s in Humanities (M.Ed.) from Rockhurst College.  By 2003, while developing my thesis on media literacy and critical thinking in the classroom, I was able to begin applying this coursework specific to middle school students and later when I was hired as an adjunct Philosophy and Behavioral Studies instructor at the collegiate level.

In 2006 I started my three year stint as an admissions coordinator at KCAI (Kansas City Art Institute).  Here I became aware of the need to work within KCAI’s Continuing Education program with a goal to develop classes primarily focused on a student’s high school portfolio development in order to better prepare them for the collegiate experience.  I remained with the CE program at KCAI, often at a significant compromise to income, for an additional three years to follow with the goal to further a curriculum that provided for a similar understanding of materials through summer programs for elementary and middle school students.  NOTE: There is a complete copy of my 2018 CV in the links below.  This of course is highly dated, but please contact me for possible application opportunities for your curriculum in the realms of visual art, design and critical thinking.

As a practicing studio artist for well over the last two decades, I am also a visual arts cheerleader and encourage my fellow artists to take their studio work En Plein Air or outside with landscape painting.  For the last twelve years I have served as the Director for Brush Creek Art Walk (BCAW Foundation) which is one of Kansas City’s largest annual outdoor painting competitions held annually in mid-September.  I have also Directed for the last 3 years Kanas City’s Historic West Bottoms Plein Air.  The opportunity to work and compete with regional fellow artists enhances networking potentials for those individuals or simply to commiserate when the weather isn’t conducive. 

(50 word Statement) “I tend to define my studio work as both traditional and experimental often incorporating new approaches using familiar media. Though seldom satisfied with the results, I leave subjective judging of my art to the public and continue to challenge both the materials and myself in the process.” – ACH 2025

(Additional Statement) One benefit to art is its subjectivity.  What the artist may see as a failure may be seen as worthy by audience standards. ‘Failures’ are to be embraced as mistakes worthy of correction. As a former designer and fabricator (over the last decade) in the commercial sign industry, I recognize concept and action as two mutually exclusive provisions. Moving from the two-dimensional to the more ever present three-dimensional realm provided both benefits and setbacks, but certainly a formal understanding.  And, though I try, I have yet to fully apply this new degree of awareness on a consistent basis in my current studio practice. I see my studio work as a source of daily inspiration even though I am not always practicing – I’m always thinking “what’s next”?

Since retiring from the corporate sector in April of 2024, my goals have included participating (more) and helping others to develop more outdoor painting (en plein air) events.  What I know to be a rich source of subject matter here in the Midwest continues to show me those horizons that I would hope to eventually put on paper.

Plein Air Shows and Honors (limiting to most recent):

• “Walktober” with KCParks (Purchase Award) – October 2025
• Parkville, MO (Purchase Award) – October 2025
• Liberty, MO (3rd Place/Overall) – October 2025
• Excelsior Springs, MO (3rd Place/Overall) – September 2025
• Marceline, MO Plein Air (Honorable Mention) – August 2025
• “Party on the Prairie” Bridging the Gap (Purchase Award) – June 2025
• Summit Arts Plein Air (3rd Place/Overall) – June 2025
• STEMS Plein Air/Overland Park, KS (HM) – June 2025
• Augusta, MO (3rd Place in Watercolor/Overall) – May 2025
• Georgetown, CO (2nd Place/Overall) – July 2024
• STEMS Plein Air/Overland Park, KS (HM / Purchase Award) – June 2024
• Excelsior Springs, MO (1st Place/Overall / Purchase Award) – June 2024
• Summit Arts Plein Air (3rd Place/Overall) – June 2024
• Augusta, MO (2rd Place in Watercolor / Judges Award) – May 2024
• Marceline, MO (2nd Place/Overall / Purchase Award) – August 2023

Works and Gallery Shows (pre-fabrication 2018): https://docs.google.com/document/d/12UDpohn_BYZMibX6d7JXDcyroJKSDWDsDZkAjvacuUg/edit?usp=sharing