PEOPLE OF INTEREST
ROBERT HAMILTON JR.
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Olga Hamilton enjoys creating beautiful works of art in the historical 1895 Church of Art in Stuart.
BY DONNA CRARY
Olga Hamilton feels right at home as she points out
her paintings, drawings and photographs that
are displayed at the historic 1895 Church of Art in
Downtown Stuart. Born and raised in the former Soviet
Union, she never imagined that one day she would become a
professional artist. And today, she feels very fortunate to do
what she loves, creating beautiful works of art.
“In the United States, you have freedom of expression,” she
explains. “In the Soviet Union, all artists were employed by
the government. No one could open their own business, including
the artists. They couldn’t sell their artworks on their
own, but only through the government. Art is self expression,
but this word along with individuality was not welcomed
unless it conformed with the Communist Party doctrine. You
didn’t even own yourself!”
Hamilton was born in the town of Guryevsk in the Kuzbass
region of Russia. As a small child, her mother instilled in her
a love for arts and crafts, especially painting and drawing.
“Watercolors were made with honey at that time,” she fondly
recalls. “Yes, I was licking the brushes! I also loved drawing.
From the first time that they gave me pencils, they had to
watch me because I was drawing everything on the walls.”
Hamilton’s grandfather unwittingly helped her discover
her talents as a young artist. When she was 4 years old, he
babysat her while family members went shopping. When he
fell asleep in his chair, Hamilton pulled out her watercolors
and began to paint a masterpiece.
“When my family returned and my grandpa opened the
door, they started to laugh because his face was painted yellow,
blue, and a little bit of green,” she says looking back on those
days. “That’s when my mom said, ‘My goodness, you look like
a Van Gogh painting!’ These colors are still my favorite.”
While growing up in Guryevsk, she developed her artistic
side by taking classes at the Palace of Culture, an educational
center that provided enriching activities for Soviet children.
When she graduated from high school at 16, her high school
teachers strongly encouraged her to study history in college.
But Hamilton had other ideas. Wanting to work in the enter-
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The MASTER OF ART