I was born on March 5th, 1954, in Eastern Washington State in the small farming and university town of Pullman. Pullman sits in the beautiful Palouse region, which is the subject of much of my paintings and photography.
My father, Eugene (Pat), was the first Alumni Director of Washington State University here in Pullman for 25 years. He served in the Washington House of Representatives from 1973 to 1978 for District 9, and in the Senate from 1981 to 1993. After a storied career, which began with five years as an Army officer during World War II, serving in the battles of Guadalcanal and New Georgia in the South Pacific Theater, where he was wounded and received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, he retired in 1994. He passed in 2004 at age 85.
My mother, Maxine, was a Homemaker and an artist as well. She was mother to 7 of us, all of whom are artists in some form. My mom had a group for over 40 years of painters who would get together on Thursdays and work on their art. They fittingly called themselves 'The Thursday Painters'. A few in the group would go on to become well-known in the art field: Emily Silvers, and Nicole Taflinger. My mom and Nicole Taflinger are the ones who I credit with teaching me how to paint. She died peacefully in 2020 at the ripe old age of 101.
I was introduced to art at an early age. My mom would paint watercolor pictures of nursery rhymes for our playhouse that Dad built for us, and she painted beautiful Christmas murals on our living room front window during the Holiday Season for the whole neighborhood to enjoy. I was also inspired by an art teacher, Vic Moore, who gave us class instruction from 2nd to 6th grade, and then again during all 4 years of high school.
In 1975, I left Pullman for Fairbanks, Alaska. From 1975-1997 I lived in Fairbanks, Alaska working construction, which included work on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and careers in both the Laborer's Union and Piledrivers' Union. I married my first husband in 1982 and birthed two beautiful and talented daughters named Carrie and Kristin. I continued my career in construction until 1997. During my time in Alaska, I did many pen and ink and pencil drawings, some of which can be found here on my profile.
In 1997, I returned home to Pullman and went to work for WSU until retiring in 2015. In my retirement, I love spending time with my family which includes my husband Scott, Carrie, Kristin, two step-children Jessica and Martin, a few grandchildren, 2 cats, and one dog. I also love to continue working on art projects in many different mediums and it brings me great pleasure to share my art with the world.
Sarah Hamilton joined Fine Art America on May 15th, 2010.
