Behind the Garage Doors: A Studio Visit with Laura Hamje

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Studio photo by Carolyn Lewis.  [/caption]

Arts reporting by Carolyn Lewis

Tucked away in the backyard, Laura Hamje’s workspace is one of the most private and peaceful setups she has ever had. With big garage doors that open up to nature, she gets the best of both worlds—fresh air and solitude, perfect for letting creativity flow.

Since Hamje has a day job, she typically paints on her days off, Friday through Monday. Fridays are usually for setting up, while Saturdays and Sundays are when she really gets into the zone, often painting for six to eight hours at a stretch. She loves long sessions because they help her fully immerse herself in the work.

When it comes to starting a new painting, Hame loves the unpredictability. "If I plan everything ahead, I will lose interest in the work faster," Hamje said. For inspiration, Hamje scrolls through hundreds of her images on her computer, looking for one that sparks something deep. She's been drawn to nature imagery for years, but lately, single images don’t hold her interest, so she’s started blending multiple photos into one painting. She’s still figuring out if this new approach works for her, but she’s excited to explore it.

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Storm at Dusk, Hamje, 2024  [/caption]

Her style has evolved into what she describes as "slushy"—looser, messier, and more free. Over time, she’s moved away from strict realism and now embraces unexpected marks that make a painting feel even more real than if she had planned it. She’s fascinated by the idea of trusting the paint to do its own thing, creating something that feels intimate and familiar in a way she can’t fully explain.  "I have become less and less interested with replicating life exactly, in a realistic way, but have become more excited when the paint does something unexpected," Hamje said.

Deciding when a painting is finished is tricky. For Laura, it’s usually when she’s either sick of working on it or if something appears on the canvas that she doesn’t fully understand. Sometimes she’ll revisit old pieces, but she’s found that going back in later is almost always a mistake—starting fresh tends to be the better move.

When people connect with her paintings, she says it’s a moving experience. She loves it when viewers see something personal in her work, finding their own meaning and emotions in her brushstrokes. It creates a shared connection that feels deeply human. Hamje believes her paintings "are seen differently by different people, so when someone finds something they recognize in my paintings, I not only feel closer to others but also to the original image itself. It is an experience of connection for me that is profound and very human".

Hamje finds it difficult to balance creative freedom with the demands of collectors or the market, and she is more influenced by others than she would like. She is working on that, however. "I want others to enjoy my work, so I sometimes prioritize making work that I think is pleasing or beautiful instead of trying to fully honor what my intuition wants. I have had requests by collectors or art dealers, but I often can't fill them even if I try. If I'm not engaged with an image in a real way, I just can't produce it on demand; I don't seem to have that capability unless the request is close to what I am currently working on".

When asked about creative blocks, Hamje said that she made a few fully abstract paintings last year but felt very uncomfortable. Those experiences shaped her focus on mark-making and how it can create exciting moments in her work, which she is currently exploring.

If you should find yourself in Seattle during April, don’t miss her upcoming solo show at Chatwin Arts. The show runs from April 3 -26, 2025. You can also learn more about her work on her website at www.hamje.com and the gallery at www.chatwinarts.com

Laura also welcomes studio visits by appointment.

Carolyn Lewis is a serial entrepreneur, artist, and community builder happily living and volunteering in Port Townsend. Visit her social media group on Facebook at Port Townsend Life and follow her on Instagram @linalewisart