“Romare Bearden’s art, activism, and dedication to his community have inspired me since my time at university. He continues to challenge me as an artist, scholar, and man to take creative risks and encourage the next generation. This portrait is an opportunity to celebrate him on a grand scale. Through archival research, exchanges with his family, and our shared language as painters, I seek to visualize the intricacy, determination, and vision Bearden characterizes, and acknowledge his life and artistic legacy.” —Patrick Earl Hammie
Patrick Earl Hammie (b. 1981 New Haven, CT) is a visual artist working with themes related to cultural identity, social equity, narrative, and the body in visual culture. Hammie’s portrait and allegory paintings draw from art history and media to deliver fresh ideals that explore the ways we value people of color and women today. Hammie’s work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the U.S. and abroad, and appears in prominent public collections. A recipient of multiple fellowships and awards, Hammie was artist in residence at the John Michael Kohler Art Center and named an “Artist to Watch” by the International Review of African American Art. Hammie holds a BA from Coker College and an MFA from the University of Connecticut. He is an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Romare Bearden, date unknown. Frank Stewart. Copyright Frank Stewart.