007: From art to architecture and back again with Michelle Hamer

Michelle Hamer maps contemporary social beliefs, ideals, fears and aspirations through text and urban environments.  Her hand stitched and drawn works capture in-between moments that characterise everyday life and are based on photographs she’s taken and found text. Despite Michelle planning out her art education as a child she ended up becoming an architect, but a change in her health led her back to art again.  In this episode we discuss becoming a professional artist without going to art school, and how she’s built her career and community from nothing.  We also talk in depth about Michelle’s research trip to the American/Mexican and Israeli/Palestinian borders.  Plus resilience, self promotion, her success in receiving grants, and what she’s learnt about grant writing along the way. / Michelle’s TWS portrait and interview is on our website at https://thiswildsong.com.au/michelle-hamer/ / You can see One Wall Two Jails, the work that resulted from Michelle’s research trip on her website at www.michellehamer.com   Music: Rapture by Myfawny Hunter Editing: Alana Helbig  This Wild Song is a not for profit project.  To support TWS and continue the conversation go to www.patreon.com/thiswildsong If you like what you hear please Subscribe, Review and Share!

Om Podcasten

This Wild Song (TWS) celebrates Australian female identifying artists through portraits, interviews, exhibitions and events. This podcast is a series of honest conversations with TWS artists about art, business and life. We address the practicalities and realities of being a professional artist, and the ‘business’ of art. Designed as a resource for artists, we answer your questions such as how do you support your arts practice financially? How important is an arts education? How do you structure your days? Plus we also discuss representation, self promotion, motherhood, self care and share advice for emerging artists. Melbourne artist Ilona Nelson created TWS to support female artists and address gender equality in the arts in a positive way. Although the featured artists are at different stages of their arts career, from varying backgrounds, and use a diverse range of mediums; they are unified by their unique voices and distinct style. The inclusion of so many artistic mediums in TWS offers a broad synopsis of contemporary Australian art. To learn more about This Wild Song please go to www.thiswildsong.com.au and follow us on instagram at @thiswildsong.