Don Hamilton

 A Colorado native, Don’s paintings evoke a strong emotion, the sense of “being there.” Don has traveled extensively throughout Colorado and the west, painting and sharing his personal vision that draws people to his work. “If someone can view my work and sense the cold, smell the dampness or feel the sun beating down, then I have been successful.”
From as early age Don loved to draw. He would spend hours watching his grandfather, a master stone cutter, work at his craft. Later Don would bring his drawings to his grandfather to be critiqued. It was not until he was older that Don realized the lessons he was learning about design, layout and just plain hard work. He also recognizes the strong work ethic instilled in him by his father, who taught Don the importance of commitment to excellence.
As a young adult Don studied privately with Joe Brand, a respected wildlife artist and instructor at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. During this 4 year period Don focused exclusively on wildlife, learning structure, anatomy and strong fundamentals in working with oils.
Don’s desire to work from life and to vary his subject matter led him to branch out into other areas and, most importantly, to begin painting outside, “en plein air.“
The exhilaration of standing face to face with the subject, challenged by the changing light,
unpredictable weather and the need to distill the scene down to it’s essence continue to be the motivation that drives him to venture out in all types of weather.
“Painting from life, especially outside on location, is critical in learning to see colors, understand value relationships and capture the unique feel of the subject that photographs cannot.”
An award winning artist Don has exhibited in various galleries and shows throughout Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. He is a member of the Oil Painters of America and the Denver Arts Student League.
Don continues the pursuit of hard work,
commitment and the magic that comes from capturing a fleeting moment in nature.