Paul Hamilton Spotlight
Paul Hamilton
Written by Nor Osborne, January 2026
Paul Hamilton is a catalyst of art in Granville, sparking the artistic flame in people all across the town. In a contemporary realism style, Paul breathes life into landscapes and highlights the beauty in still life paintings. With a brush in his hand and kind words flowing from his mouth, his impact on the arts community has been profound, inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds to find joy within a canvas, and begin painting themselves.
Paul discovered his love of art at age 5, beginning to draw constantly. It was all he wanted to do.
“The biggest moment for the beginning of my art was when I was 6 in the hospital at the time, and all I could do was draw. My parents sent one of my drawings into the junior art contest my hometown newspaper ran. I won and my drawing was printed in the comics section,” Paul says. “It was then I knew I was going to keep going with art.”
He sent his drawings every year until he was 15, winning every time. Paul then began participating in outdoor shows, selling his pencil drawings at a wide variety of outdoor venues.
He was offered a scholarship for the Columbus College of Art and Design, allowing him to expand his artistic horizons past just drawing. He developed a strong skillset in the worlds of design, color theory, figure drawing, and his new favorite medium, painting.
“When I graduated, I got a truck, and with it a sense of freedom,” Paul said. “I drove around the countryside, painting the natural sites I saw; trees, streams, lakes, all of the beauties of Ohio.”
Paul ended up getting a job in interior design, but continued traveling to the country and painting on the weekends.
“There was no social media and I had no outlet to show these paintings, so I asked the company that I worked for if I could do an art show on their walls. One thing led to another and a local gallery owner offered me a one man show at his new gallery in Columbus.”
This show opened many new doors for Paul, introducing him to many successful gallery owners, artists, and collectors, establishing his name in the art world. Paul was able to leave his day job and focus on his painting. His work was represented by a multitude of galleries in places such as Martha’s Vineyard, New York City, and Columbus. Paul was also granted the opportunity to travel for his art, exploring Italy, England, and France.
“I’ve always been inspired by Ohio and the landscape of Ohio, but these travels broadened my lens of inspiration. I began painting the landscapes of foreign countries as well.”
Around 2010, Paul began to focus on art on a local scale. In response to the arts being pulled out of school curriculums, Paul joined an art school for kids, hoping to reach the people of Licking County. He worked as the creative director, guiding an after school program for kids that centered around the arts.
“We wanted to not only give art classes to the kids whose schools didn’t offer them, but to give art classes as a way of therapy for kids going through a hard time. We didn't really teach art as much as we taught kids that they are loved and everything they do is valuable,” Paul explained. “It was really powerful to see the change in the community, watching kids growing from being sad and isolated, to showing pride and joy as they made art.”
From there, Paul began to dedicate his artistic efforts almost exclusively to the community around him. He helped organize the creation of 6 different murals throughout Granville, to bring people together through art. He joined science classes in Granville schools, incorporating art elements into science. Additionally, Paul began to teach art classes for adults.
“I bring a lot of what we taught the kids into the adults, making sure they know everything they do is important, while incorporating more advanced techniques. I can teach all levels.”
“I love to teach people that when you develop the skill set to paint, you can apply those same principles to anything. Art is truly a gift. It brightens lives.”