Artwork copyright Joanne Hammer. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2021.

Landfall, 1987

Joanne Hammer
American (born 1947)

Location: Washington State Arts Commission, Olympia

About the Artwork

Landfall is an abstract painting and wood collage by artist Joanne Hammer. It is part of a group of artworks inspired by the artist’s experience living on a sailboat in the Hawaiian Islands. She notes, “I was very interested in the art and culture of Oceania… I dreamed of traveling further afield to experience Pacific Islands more exotic and primitive. Some of the painting is about that dream and it is also about the way it feels to be out on the ocean, out of the sight of land with only the winds, the changing color of water and waves, the relentless tropical sun and the frequent visits of frigate birds.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with South Kitsap School District.

About the Artist

Born in Seattle, Hammer studied as an undergraduate at the University of Washington and received a Master of Fine Arts degree in textile design from the University of Hawaii in 1977. She returned to the Pacific Northwest, settling on Vashon Island in South Puget Sound, Western Washington, where she lives and works.