Several years ago, I presented at an event called Square Space Seattle. It was targeted to individuals with an interest in becoming actively involved in the preservation, creation, and activation of cultural square footage in Seattle. At the end of my presentation, a lovely Black young woman made her way to the front of the room and introduced herself, saying she was relatively new to Seattle and wanted to connect. The smile on her face captivated me and until this day, every time I see that smile, I just get happy. Her name is Aramis O. Hamer and I instantly became her Auntie Viv.
Aramis found herself transitioning to creating a life as a full-time artist here in Seattle after working in Chicago for many years as a critical care Registered Nurse. She credits her previous career with teaching her the humble lesson that life is indeed short. This lesson inspired her to pursue her dreams and live life to the fullest, this time by using her deep well of gifts to share with others through a different medium, her art.
Early on after our meeting at the Square Space event, Aramis became a member of one of the initial BASE (Building Arts Equitably) cohorts, which is connected to Seattle's Cultural Space Agency. I watched as Aramis quickly became involved in working to understand the art and cultural community's needs, and this understanding now shines brightly in her artwork, which is rooted in her own deep sense of community and spirituality. Her connection to community has also led her to many successful public art projects and partnerships, including works at The Paramount Theatre, The Liberty Bank Building, KEXP Radio, Jimi Hendrix Park, the Black Lives Matter mural created by Vivid Matter Collective on Capitol Hill, The Jackson Apartments, and most recently, the newly opened Climate Pledge Arena.
Aramis has built her own personal community of patrons through her active social media and vlog, monthly Create Dates, Patreon site, and so much more. In Aramis' own words, "At the end of the day, my goal is to embody light and love. As a spirit-being having a human experience, I feel that I was put on this planet to play, learn, and grow. I hope that you will join me on this journey." If you haven't joined her on this journey yet, I invite you to hop on the love and light train that is Aramis Hamer.
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