We’re looking forward to introducing you to Neal Hamilton. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Neal, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Hello out there! Hope everyone is doing well! My first 90 minutes are the same most days, I wake up, God willing, then
I do a big stretch to get the kinks out then head for the kitchen to make my Ryze coffee, water my plants, then head back
to my bedroom and put on some soothing music and create my to do list, or check list!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, my name is Neal Hamilton and I have been an illustrator, designer, photographer, and painter for over 50 years.
My brand is Paint Out Loud LLC started back in 2005. What makes what I currently do interesting is my continued love
for music and art. For the last 20 years I have been in a since the Keeper of the Flame in keeping our beloved musical
icons alive through my contemporary approach and my artistic style of painting. After serving as the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame and Museums photographer for 10 years It was obvious to me to keep that experience going from another angle
such as painting. The true story of it was I have always been an artist from the time my grandmother noticed I had a higher
skill set at the age of three for drawing. She then enrolled me into the Cleveland Museum of Art classes at the age of 10
where I started receiving a strong foundation in the arts. I wasn’t so happy at the time because art classes were on
Saturday mornings when all favorite cartoons were on lol! But I’m glad I cooperated and moved forward down this path.
So fast forward after many years working in the arts I took a detour and landed the job of photographer at the new Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland Ohio. It was an incredible time of photographing all my favorite music stars and
being up close and personal with all these legends. So 10 years later I had the misfortune of experiencing a house fire
that destroyed my home and all my art equipment and just about everything else, and thank God no one was hurt.
But little did I know that this moment would be a major turning point in my life. While waiting for insurance companies
to do what they do We had taken up temporary residence at my parents country home that we had kept after their passing
that would be the begining of a new chapter. Since all my art supplies were destroyed this had forced me to approach
painting in a completely new way. I totally had to think outside the box and I started creating these works of art with the most
unlikely tools. From here the company was born, Paint Out Loud!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
As I earlier stated it was my Grandmother who had been my biggest influence after my mother had died when I was 11,
and it was her recognizing my early ability for art. S he then took me to all the museums every weekend so I could
immerse myself in all the culture. We lived right around the corner from all the big museums in Cleveland so it was
easy to spend my time there. This is where I learned so much about the history and the stories behind the worlds
greatest artist.
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
I do remember that when I was sad or scared I always went to my art. After my mother passed away I remember
having to take care of my younger sister and when we got home from school we had a few hours before my father
got home and I would just go to my room and build model cars, airplanes, ships, and lots of drawing to keep my mind
off of anything that wasn’t happy. It definitely worked for me, because I was able to get so much done lol.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
It’s the old starving artist line we have all heard over and over again lol. The whole world wants us to believe that it’s so
hard to make it as an artist, you’ll starve being an artist, why don’t you get a real job, and on and on. it’s so funny to me
when I discuss this with young people I say look around you, everything you see was the work of an artist! every part of the visual world was created by a designer or artist, so why has the world made art so impossible to obtain as a career. Great food for thought!
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing?
The next painting of-course! My mind is always painting or creating all hours of the day and night.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nealhamilton.com
- Instagram: @paintoutloud @paintoutloud_art
- Linkedin: Paint Out Loud! LLC
- Facebook: Neal Hamilton
Image Credits
All images by Neal Hamilton
