British artist Paul Ian Hamilton is a painter of urban landscapes, architectural cityscapes, and romantic seascapes. Influenced by his extensive travels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and India, his paintings burst into life.
Specifically, his canvases feature brilliant skies, architectonic buildings, and busy harbors. Furthermore, they depict people involved in the many activities of daily life. While some paintings are bright and cheerful, others feature dark dramatic skies and post-industrial visages. Thus, the work reveals the mind and many moods of the artist.
From Brighton to Global Travels
Paul’s love of long vistas developed during his childhood in the English seaside town of Brighton. With sketchbook in hand, he hiked the White Cliffs of Dover and gazed across the Channel. Recognizing his artistic skills early, he attended the Worthing College of Art. There, he apprenticed to James Monroe, a set designer and muralist.
As a young man, Paul Ian Hamilton packed his paints and headed to London. He made his living selling miniature paintings and elaborately decorated ostrich eggs. Because of his charisma, he became a favorite at London street markets like Camden and Portobello Road.
Later, his sense of adventure led him to Amsterdam. There, he spent six years living on a houseboat. Eventually, he crisscrossed India by train with a pet monkey in tow before landing in Florida.
Murals, Vistas, and Inspiration
Since his move to the Orlando area in 2001, Paul has become a favorite of architects and interior designers. Many multi-million dollar homes showcase Hamilton murals and ceiling cloudscapes.
Recently, he began to spend summers in the Hudson Valley. He is enthralled by the same dramatic views that inspired the 19th-century Hudson River School painters.
Currently, those living in Palm Beach may see him making his daily hike. Huge coffee mug in hand, he walks from the Villas on Antique Row to the Breakers. This is his quiet time to think and observe. He finds inspiration in the South Florida skies, gorgeous homes, and exotic flora.
Imagination and Hidden Details
Paul paints quickly, often from imagination and remembered images. Paintings appear onto the canvas overnight, as if by magic. In reality, intense concentration and decades of studied skills make the complicated compositions emerge.
Small mischievous characters often appear in windows and on streets. Like “Where’s Waldo”, Paul Ian Hamilton invites the viewer to find these impish personalities. Sometimes, one can see small daily dramas in house windows. For example, cats snooze on sills, lovers argue, and children play in the streets.
One collector noted: “Paul’s paintings make me happy. If I come home in a bad mood, sit with a drink, and look at his work, I forget what I was upset about.”
New Dimensions in Art
In 2017, Paul moved to West Palm Beach. There, he shares a home studio with artist Suzi K. Edwards. They inspire each other and often offer kindly critiques.
He is excited about his new work. Specifically, it will become more dimensional. He plans to include figures sculpted out of porcelain and buildings that pop out from the background.
Today, the work of Paul Ian Hamilton resides in private collections in France, England, the Netherlands, the United States, and China.
