Issue 006 featured artist Will Hamilton talks about what its like to be an artist in Birmingham
ACM: Can you explain briefly who you are and what you do for our readers?
Will: I am a mostly lifestyle and portrait photographer born, raised and based in Birmingham, AL.
ACM: How did you first get into creating art?
Will: The way I got into photography is actually pretty funny to me. When I was in high school, there was a big group of kids from my school and another school that made a habit of exploring abandoned buildings and facilities around Central Alabama and Birmingham. There were quite a few of us who carried cameras with us to document what we saw and for alibi reasons. That was almost 7 years ago and I still haven’t put the camera down!
ACM: How does living in Birmingham shape your art if it does at all?
Will: There’s a lot of natural beauty that you wouldn’t expect if you weren’t familiar with the area, and I think that really informs the choices I make in terms of settings and locations.
ACM: What is the art community like in Birmingham?
Will: Very active! There are so many incredible artists in town. You can find something or someone you love in any medium.
ACM: Do you feel like the art community is growing in Birmingham? and what do you think it will add to the city?
Will: It’s definitely growing. I’ve only been actively involved in the scene here for a couple of years and it has grown massively in that time alone! The addition and inclusion of new artists brings fresh perspectives and continually reinvigorates the life of the community.
ACM: There are many events old and new for artists in Birmingham, are there any that you particularly enjoy or are a part of?
Will: The Bham Loft Show is my favorite regular event here in town. They showcase different visual and musical artists at every event, and oftentimes will include stand-up acts, culinary artists, and pop-up shops for local small businesses.
ACM: What do you feel like Birmingham lacks, in terms of spaces/opportunities for artists?
Will: I don’t think there’s enough open communication between the people who can provide worthwhile opportunities and the artists who would benefit from them. It’s still very much a game of who you know or who can put a good word in for you, instead of being based in merit or ability. I’ve also found that a lot of the available opportunities are gatekept by the older generation of career artists in Birmingham that have control over certain galleries or magazine opportunities who have the ability to bar newer artists from entry.
ACM: Can you talk a bit about your photography style?
Will: My style is very dark, moody and cool-toned usually. I tend to stick to headshot proportions, though I occasionally veer towards wider, more environmental looking shots.
ACM: Let’s also talk about your Ghosts series, how did they come about?
Will: The Ghosts came from a loose idea I had in 2016 that was mostly just a fun thing for me to experiment with, but this last year I really dove into what it meant for me to create and what that project meant for myself and what I had to say.
"I want that connection between art and viewer to be severed in order to force the viewer to reexamine within themselves what it means to view and relate to the art that they see."
ACM: Do the ghosts represent anything specific or are they purely aesthetic?
Will: The ghost character represents my ability to prohibit the audience from connecting to a portrait. I want that connection between art and viewer to be severed in order to force the viewer to reexamine within themselves what it means to view and relate to the art that they see.
ACM: How has being a part of the art community in Birmingham influence you? if it does at all.
Will: I’m constantly impressed and inspired by the artists I surround myself with. There are so many incredible people doing the most amazing, unique work that is so unlike anything else that I’ve found anywhere else.
ACM: Do you think you will continue making series like the Ghosts one, or continue to do more portrait photography?
Will: I think both are certainly viable. I love showcasing people’s natural beauty in soft portraits, but it’s also a lot of fun to throw a sheet over someone in public and see what you can get away with!
ACM: How has showing your work to others in spaces like Yellow House, helped you as an artist?
Will: It was incredible to interact with people who I wouldn’t have otherwise and receive critiques and compliments that I had never gotten before. I also got to meet and interact with many artists that I probably would have been too intimidated to approach had we not been in a show together.