The Islander: Hamsa Art Business Incubator Graduate |
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Pictured from left to right: Artist, Kristi Abbott, Program Director, Deeana Powell, and graduating Artist, Hamsa. 4.1.22. |
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Hamsa finished her residency at the Art Business Incubator with her graduation Friday and will prepare for her grand opening at her new business, The Art Lounge on May 13. Staring off in Minnesota, South Padre Island artist Hamsa traveled many to states and a few countries before boomeranging back to Minnesota. "I just like to travel. I like new experiences. It feels like you're in a new dimension." During her travels, Hamsa visited the island several times with her family. When the pandemic settled in, she decided to run away to the island and stay in her mother's condo. She stumbled by the ABI during a pop-up event and found herself applying for a residency. |
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Before traveling, Hamsa worked as a social worker with children who committed violent crimes. "It was rough, but I love the kids and the families. What was tough was the system."
Tasked to start her Master's degree by her program for a promotion, the social work program shifted amidst her |
| Public demonstration of acrylic pour by Hamsa. 4.1.22. |
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independent study for her Master's in Costa Rica. "I was supposed to stay there for three months, and I stayed for a year and a half."
"I always liked art. I didn't paint, though. I just did a lot of drawing. My art teachers were my favorite teachers." said Hamsa.
While working in London, Hamsa moved back to the States to take care of her grandparents. While they slept, "That's when I started painting."
As time went on, she moved into an art cooperative. "It was a bunch of artists living in this warehouse together. That's where I met Kristi."
[Kristi Abbott is a fellow Artist at the ABI graduating next week.] |
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The acrylic pour journey started in a book club in the art cooperative called The Artist Way. Hamsa explained her struggle with a piece containing great detail during this time. "Each week, we came back from book club, and I would still be sitting there with nothing done on it. I wasn't enjoying it." A lady she barely knew noticed and said to her, "Just get jiggy with it." She offered her advice to loosen up and create something abstract with no control. |
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"That's what got me into acrylic pouring. I just wanted to see what happened, have fun, and do some technique that I don't control."
Joining the ABI with other artists inspired Hamsa. "We all pushed each other to try different things and take different risks. Also, just being in the area and seeing a lot of the art from Mexico." Getting exposure led to discoveries for Hamsa. "I wouldn't see myself as a salesperson, but I love helping people connect to art." |
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Her business plan was to get more handmade goods in shops on the island. "I noticed that there were a lot of T-shirt shops, but not enough shops with handmade goods."
At the ABI, Hamsa embraced going bigger and adding more materials to her work. "I started using a lot of mirrors in my pieces. Now I'm experimenting with marbles and jewelry." |
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Her exhibition, In the Flow, followed the expression of being 'in the zone,' with a focus where minds cannot be interrupted. |
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