Jo Hamilton

For the month of November, Russo Lee Gallery is pleased to present Transitory Trespass by Jo Hamilton. In this exhibition, Hamilton explores a finite view of nature, using both natural and manmade fibers for her crocheted works. In addition to the natural and synthetic yarns she uses, the artist has also begun to laboriously upcycle plastic packaging to incorporate into her crocheted medium. This show features both nudes and landscapes, reflecting on how humans leave their mark on the planet, in both positive and negative ways.

Jo Hamilton’s crocheted portraiture and landscape works are a fascinating combination of traditional technique with contemporary subject matter. A native of Scotland, Hamilton earned a degree in painting and drawing from the Glasgow School of Art, but after moving to Portland, she translated her artistic vision into the medium of crochet, which she had first learned as a child from her grandmother. Her work is included in the collections of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon, Eugene; Portland Community College and the Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR; and the City of Seattle, among others. Hamilton’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, in places ranging from New York and Portland in the US; to Madrid, Spain; Beijing, China; and New South Wales, Australia. Most recently she has completed a commission for the Holland America Cruise Line.