Hamilton Artists Inc. is pleased to welcome Lucas Carmichael, our fall co-op student from Sherwood Secondary School! Read on to learn more about Lucas.


Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end. - John Lennon

Hello, my name is Lucas Carmichael, I will be working in the gallery as a co-op student until the end of January 2020. I am so excited to have this opportunity to challenge myself to learn in new ways. One of the best perks of working at the Inc. is that I always feel comfortable and welcome. Additionally, while I am walking to the Inc I love to look at all of the different varieties of shops and cafés located along James Street North.

I am currently a grade 12 high school student attending Sherwood Secondary. Art has always been an important part of my life; it’s a great way for me to express myself. Growing up, I was always making art ⁠— from playdough sculptures to finger paint masterpieces, I did it all. These days, when it comes to producing art I usually take inspiration from music and nature to create each piece. I often work with acrylic and watercolour paint, but I always love having the opportunity to explore new materials and develop new skills to advance my practice.

One of the exhibitions at the gallery is called Minding the Archive with artworks by Derek Jenkins, Tyler Matheson and Alex Murphy. In the gallery hang transformed antique family portraits which artist Tyler Matheson turned into his own unique self-portraits, reflecting on and mapping out his identity while growing up. I am personally drawn to these pieces because family is one of the most important aspects of my life. By making me look around at the things I have, these pieces allow me to consciously appreciate all of the positive things in my life. Even though I have changed a lot over the years, the one consistency in my life has been my family. It really brings into perspective how lucky I am.

I usually work at the front desk so feel free to drop in and say hi anytime :)

Sincerely,

Lucas Carmichael