Curriculum Vitae
Education
2021 Continuing Education: Art Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham, masters level courses in disability, diversity and inclusion.
2016 MFA, Louisiana State University. Interdisciplinary Studio Arts. Special focus in sculpture and papermaking. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
2012 BFA, University of Alabama at Birmingham, majoring in ceramics and sculpture, minor in art history. Birmingham, Alabama.
Exhibitions
*denotes solo shows and/or awards
2023
*Sacred Dumping Ground, Hammond Hall Gallery. Jacksonville, Alabama
2022
Fine Art Faculty Exhibition- Jacksonville State University , Hammond Hall Gallery. Jacksonville, Alabama.
Remember Earth? In conjunction with the Whitney White Linen Night, Contemporary Art Center New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana.
36th Annual Teaching Artist Exhibition, Space One Eleven. Birmingham, Alabama.
BLOOM! 21st Annual Summer Invitational, Glassell Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The Sum of Our Parts: Faculty Exhibition. Samford University Fine Arts Gallery. Birmingham, AL.
2021
Drawn Together, Space One Eleven Art Center. Birmingham, AL.
20th Annual Summer Invitational, Glassell Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
2020-2021 Visual Arts Showcase, Jefferson County Board of Education. Birmingham, AL.
Teaching Artist Exhibition, Space One Eleven. Birmingham, Alabama.
2020
MATERIALITY: Hand Papermaking in an Age of Isolation, triennial exhibition. Juried by: Hong Hong, Installation & Paper Artist; Fabiola Jean-Louis, Photographer & Paper Artist; Anne Q. McKeown, Master Papermaker, The Brodsky Center. North American Handmade Papermakers, Atlanta, Georgia
Will’s Creek National Juried Exhibition, Allegany Arts Council. Cumberland, Maryland.NAHP: Materiality
B20: Wiregrass Biennial, Wiregrass Museum of Art. Dothan, Alabama. People’s Choice Award
Inherent Rhythm, Collaborative Performance at Art Bash. Birmingham, Alabama.
2019
Teaching Artist Exhibition, Space One Eleven. Birmingham, Alabama.
*On My Way Home, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge- Firehouse Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Southeastern University Faculty Exhibition, Southeastern University Contemporary Art Gallery. Hammond, Louisiana.
2018
Perkins Rowe Arts Festival, Acro-Rouge performance with Airseekers. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Pushing Paper, National Juried Exhibition. Juried by Paul Wong, Master Papermaker, Dieu Donné (”Papermill”, Brooklyn Navy Yard), Barrett Art Center. Poughkeepsie, New York.
Summer of Love: Summer Invitational. Glassell Gallery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Impermanent Lands / Eco-Art. The Art Center Highland Park. Chicago, Illinois.
Artists in the Classroom: A Celebration of Arts in Education. Firehouse Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
2017
Ebb and Flow Festival: Neighborhood Anthology Project- community engagement. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. https://www.pechakucha.com/presentations/coming-together
Ephemera Obscura. Contemporary Art Center. New Orleans, Louisiana.
Off To See The Wizard: Summer Invitational. Glassell Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
2016
Art Melt 2016. Capitol Park Museum, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Contemporary Constructs. Kelwood Contemporary Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Subliminal: Hidden Messages National Juried Exhibition. Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
National Juried Handmade Paper Art Triennial. Corcoran Gallery at George Washington University, Washington D.C. and Morgan Conservatory, Cleveland Ohio.
*Momentary Eddies: MFA Thesis Works by Leah Hamel. Foster Gallery at LSU. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The Mind’s Eye. Firehouse Gallery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
2015
Resilience, LSU Graduate Student Exchange Show. University of New Orleans Art Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana.
La Vie en Rouge. Foster Gallery at LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
2014
Breakhorn Exchange. New Orleans, Louisiana.
*A New Perspective- Selected Works. Solo exhibition. Hannah Steel Gallery. Birmingham, Alabama.
Prospect 3, Baton Rouge- Resilience: The Healing power of Art. Louisiana State University Foster Gallery and The Healthcare Gallery, Baton Rouge Louisiana
2013
Art Unbound III: Malleable Language. Louisiana State University Foster Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The Mind’s Eye. Firehouse Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2012
Cups of Fire: National Juried Competition. Clay Gallery. Ann Arbor, Michigan.
(Welcome to) Six Flags – Trouble in Paradise. Beta Pictoris Gallery. Birmingham, Alabama.
Alabama Phoenix Festival. Cahaba Grand Conference Center. Birmingham, Alabama.
Emerging Artists Showcase. Matthew’s Gallery. Birmingham, Alabama.
Emerging Artists Exhibition: Annual Artist/ Teacher Exhibition. Space One Eleven. Birmingham, Alabama.
Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition Fall 2012. UAB Visual Arts Gallery. Birmingham, Alabama.
Artmageddon: The Art Club at UAB. The Gallery at David’s Arts and Frames. Birmingham, Alabama.
2011
Sculpture Society Semi-Annual. The Gallery at David’s Arts and Frames. Birmingham, Alabama.
Alabama Artists’ Unveiling. Aloft Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama.
Sculpture Society: Naughty and Nice. The Gallery at David’s Arts and Frames. Birmingham, Alabama.
2010
Clay Creations. The Gallery at David’s Arts and Frames. Birmingham, Alabama.
Sculpture Society Semi-Annual. The Gallery at David’s Arts and Frames. Birmingham, Alabama.
Birmingham Art Association Juried Annual. Colonial Brookwood Village. Birmingham, Alabama.
Awards and Honors
People’s Choice Award: Wiregrass Museum B:20. Dothan, Alabama, 2020.
Honorable Mention: Art Flow, LSU Museum of Art. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2019.
Michael Crespo Prize for Excellence: Summer of Love Invitational Exhibition, Glassell Gallery. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 2018.
Dean’s Medal of Honor for outstanding academic achievement and leadership. Louisiana State University, 2016.
Graduate Teaching Assistantship for Louisiana State University 2013-2016.
Outstanding Sculpture Award and residency recipient for the 6th National Juried Handmade Paper Art Triennial in Washington D.C. and Cleveland, Ohio, 2016.
Michael Daughtery Memorial Fund Scholarship in recognition for academic achievement and leadership. Louisiana State University, 2014.
Emerging Designer Showcase. 2nd place in the area of three-dimensional fine art, 2012.
Editors Choice Award for Aura Magazine- centerfold position. Birmingham, Alabama, 2011.
Dean’s list. University of Alabama at Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama, 2011.
Publications and Media
North American Hand Papermaking: Catalogue of Artworks, 2020. https://www.northamericanhandpapermakers.org/2020-materiality
B20 Artist Interview with Leah Hamel. https://www.wiregrassmuseum.org/b20-artist-interview-with-leah-hamel/
Make This Do That Podcast with Michael Lorsung, Guest speaker. May 2020. https://mtdt.justanassembler.com/author/michael/
Mockingheart Review; Volume 5, Issue 2. June 2020. https://mockingheartreview.com/volume-5-issue-2/artwork/leah-hamel/
Artists explore boundaries of medium in 'Pushing Paper'. August 8, 2018. https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/entertainment/2018/08/08/barrett-art-centers-national-juried-art-exhibition-opens-aug-11/925170002/?utm_campaign=speakable&utm_medium=amp&utm_source=google
The Advocate, Baton Rouge. LSU's Glassell Gallery celebrates the 'Summer of Love'. https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/arts/article_270d8aec-8553-11e8-b6f9-fb2c8aeeebc1.html July, 2018
PBS- Nature Cat and Eco-Art. May 26, 2018. https://interactive.wttw.com/events/2018-05-26-150000/meet-nature-cat-eco-art
Contemporary Museum of Art- Ephemera Obscura. Annual Whitney White Linen Night: https://cacno.org/ephemera-obscura New Orleans, LA. August, 2017.
Pechakucha night Baton Rouge, Guest Speaker. https://www.pechakucha.com/presentations/coming-together March 2017.
Take Me to the River: Ebb & Flow reimagines the festival. Maggie Heyn Richardson. March 23, 2017. https://countryroadsmagazine.com/art-and-culture/people-places/ebb-and-flow-festival-baton-rouge/
Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge Radio Show, Guest Speaker. December 2016.
Momentary Eddies. Masters Thesis Research. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/1464/
Sures, Lynn. Summer 2016 issue of Hand Papermaking: Twenty-First-Century Papermakers. Hand Papermaking, Inc., Beltsville, MD. https://papertriennial.wixsite.com/paper/past-triennials?lightbox=dataItem-jum0wfml5
LSU College of Art and Design News. Leah Hamel and Veronica Hallock Win Top Awards in National Paper Art Triennial. Mar 22, 2016. http://design.lsu.edu/top-awards-national-paper-art-triennial/
Weld for Birmingham Newspaper. March 29-April 5. Birmingham, Alabama. 2012.
Weldbham.com. “Waving Six Flags at Beta Pictoris Gallery”. March 22. Birmingham, Alabama. 2012.
Aura: Literary Arts Review. Volume 37, Issue 2 (Autumn/ Winter 2011). University of Alabama at Birmingham. Centerfold. 2011.
Aura: Literary Arts Review.Volume 37, Issue 1 (Spring/Summer 2011). University of Alabama at Birmingham. 2011.
Leadership and Community Involvement
Gear Up Committee at Center Point High School. Birmingham, Alabama 2020-2021.
Volunteer artist- Studio by the Tracks. Birmingham, Alabama. 2020.
Community Engagement Project: Neighborhood Anthology Project. Collaborations with Louisiana State University, Westdale Middle School after-school poetry group, Forward Arts, M35 Films, East Baton Rouge Public Library, and Red Stick Farmers Market.
Building Safety Committee Member for Studio Arts Building at Louisiana State University. 2014-2016.
Secretary for Ceramic Arts Student Association at Louisiana State University. 2015-2016.
Member of Ceramic Arts Student Association at Louisiana State University. 2013-2016.
Publicity + Events Chair and member of Sculpture Society at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama. 2010-2012.
Alabama Clay Conference Intern with Scott Bennett and Janice Kluge. Birmingham, Alabama. 2011-2012.
EMPLOYMENT:
Professional Experience and Residencies
Owner and Designer: Green House Ceramics. Birmingham, Alabama. current
Art Handler: Qandil Fine Art Services. Birmingham, Alabama. 2020-current by contract
Co-curator: Mendel University Fall 2019 Art and Design Student Exhibition. Brno, Czech Republic. 2019
Artist Market Project Manager, Ebb and Flow Festival: Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2019
Director of Arts Markets: Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2018-2019
Grants Coordinator: Manship Theatre at the Shaw Center for the Arts. 2017-2018
Project Manager and collaborating artist: Neighborhood Anthology Project. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2017
Artist in Residence for papermaking: Southwest School of Art, San Antonio, Texas. 2017
LSU Campus Exhibition Coordinator: School of Art at LSU. Baton Rouge, LA. 2015-2016
Invitational Curator: The Landscape Architecture of Dan Kiley exhibited at the Union Gallery at LSU for the Department of Landscape Architecture (Lake Douglas- Supervisor). 2015
Gallery Assistant: UAB Visual Arts Gallery. University of Alabama at Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama. January 2011- 2013
Ceramics Assistant: Lorna Meaden- Mishima Workshop for Alabama Clay Conference. Birmingham, Alabama, 2012
Alabama Clay Conference Intern: Scott Bennett and Janice Kluge for the Alabama Clay Conference. Birmingham, Alabama. 2011-2012
Photographer’s Assistant: Allison Wheeler (Lead photographer). Birmingham, Alabama. 2012
Studio Assistant: Richard Russell Studio, Birmingham, Alabama. 2009-2010
Teaching
Samford University: Adjunct Professor, Studio Arts
Birmingham, Alabama. 2021-Current
Jacksonville State University: Adjunct Professor of Ceramics
Jacksonville, Alabama. Sabbatical replacement, 2022
Space One Eleven: Teaching Artist- Ceramics, sculpture, and open studio
Birmingham, Alabama. 2012-current (contract appointments)
Center point High School: Visual Arts Teacher- Art I-IV and Ceramics
Birmingham, Alabama. 2020-2022
Lawson State Community College: Adjunct Professor of Humanities- Drawing, 3D/ Sculpture and Art appreciation
Birmingham, Alabama. 2020
Mendel University: Visiting Faculty and Researcher in the Department of Furniture, Design and Habitat- Furniture Design (Erasmus) and Studio Drawing
Brno, Czech Republic. 2019
Southeastern Louisiana University: Visiting Lecturer for the Department of Visual Art, Sculpture Area
Hammond, Louisiana, 2018-2019
University of Louisiana Lafayette: Adjunct Professor of Studio Art Foundations
Lafayette, Louisiana, 2017-2019
LSU Center for Continuing Education: Ceramics Handbuilding and Wheel Throwing Instructor
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2017-2018
Manship Theatre at the Shaw Center for the Arts: Art Education Coordinator- East Baton Rouge Parish School System
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 2016-2018
Louisiana State University:
Teacher of Record
Beginning Sculpture (ART 1762) 2015, 2016
3-Dimensional Design (ART 1012) 2014
Teaching Assistant
Intermediate Sculpture- Welding (ART 2761) 2013
Beginning Sculpture (ART 1762) 2013
3-Dimensional Design (ART 1012) 2014
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 2013-2016
University of Alabama at Birmingham:
Teaching Assistant
May term Ceramics Intensive: Raku. Birmingham, Alabama 2011