Mary Hammer is May Artist of the Month

The West Volusia Artists are highlighting Mary Hammer as Artist of the Month for May. Her acrylic piece titled Creole Woman was painted when she lived in Miami. Hammer was chosen to attend a three-month workshop at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, where this work was developed.

The abstract portrays a woman who emerged from a tree. Hammer enjoyed using an “eggplant” palette of gold, dark purple, and hints of red throughout the green. Also during that time, she painted two vertical abstract palm trees. She’s proud to say that piece sold to an innkeeper in Key West for $1,200.

Born in Jackson, Michigan, Hammer moved to DeLand in 2018. She has always enjoyed the arts. She has been an artist, a dancer, a musician and a singer. Currently, you might hear her singing or playing jazz on her flute in the Artisan Lounge.

Hammer’s art education came from experiencing an average of 30 art shows a year. There, she began her jewelry-designing career. After she purchased an 1883 historic inn in South Haven, Michigan, with her then-husband, they worked to restore the 9,000-square-foot property over the next 37 years. Hammer has also had a shop in Key West, where she made and sold leather goods.

She heard about the West Volusia Artists from a fellow artist at an Art of Surprise workshop at the Museum of Art – DeLand. Since Hammer joined West Volusia Artists, her work has been on display at the Enterprise Museum and DeLand’s City Hall.

The West Volusia Artists meet on the first and third Friday each month from September through May. Activities include plein-air painting, field trips, demos, and monthly art challenges. The Wayne G. Sanborn Activity Center at 815 S. Alabama Ave. in DeLand hosts the West Volusia Artists’ meetings 9 a.m.-noon. Hammer’s artwork will be on display in the lobby during the month of May.

Any questions about West Volusia Artists? Contact club President Melinda Ellis Cummings at 386-846-3330.