Valerie Hammond

Valerie Hammond was invited to the LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies in 2016. Known for her organic approach to art-making and deft interaction with a variety of mediums, Hammond maintains a fluid artistic practice that is well-versed in printmaking. In her work, there is a continuous play between the material and immaterial, the physical and the spiritual; a dichotomy between what is seen and the sensation it provokes. In Flutter I and II, Hammond explores the possibilities of etching and multiple dimensions. Her laser-engraved moths play with shadow and light, while the layering of Gampi paper further highlights the physicality of the works. In Chimera I and II, her interest and awareness of the natural world is revealed as she navigates a realm where imagination meets observation. For example, the owl in Chimera I stares back at the viewer with human eyes. In Reverse Reflection, Hammond explores the immediacy of drypoint. Drawn to the physical quality of the drypoint line, she creates a subtle dance of moths, in a myriad of positions, each hinting at the female form.

Valerie Hammond was born in Santa Maria, California. She received her MFA from the University of California Berkeley, where she was awarded the Eisner Award. She currently lives and works in New York City. Her work can be found in both private and public collections, including the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; the Library of Congress, Washington, DC; the Fine Arts Museum, Houston; The Progressive Art Collection, the Fidelity Collection, the New York Public Library, the Chazen Museum of Art, Madison; the Grand Palais Museum, Paris; and the Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Hammond is a recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the Peter S. Reed Foundation grant, the New York Foundation for the Arts grant, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council grant. She has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions both nationally and abroad.

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