Harry Hammond, a young American artist with a focus on contemporary figurative painting, grew up in the heart of northwest Florida. North Florida has never been known as an art Mecca, and his small rural hometown of Chipley, fifty miles from the Gulf of Mexico, was certainly no exception. Despite the geography, Harry's early memories are of drawing and attempting to copy illustrations he found in magazines and newspapers.

He decided to pursue illustration after high school and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Auburn University in 1980. After marrying Debbie, his high school sweetheart, he and his bride moved to Greenville, SC. This was a fortuitous move for the young artist, a move that changed the direction of his career. The Greenville Museum of Art had recently acquired twenty-six paintings by America's most renowned twentieth century artist, Andrew Wyeth. Visiting the Wyeth collection almost weekly changed Harry's desire and career path from illustration to that of fine art painting. What followed was a personal passage of trial, error and self-discovery.

Harry supported his growing family over the years with various art-related jobs, never losing sight of his Wyeth-inspired dream. He has continued to paint as often as possible and has achieved a fair amount of recognition. His work has won awards for excellence in competitions and exhibitions throughout the country, including the Detroit Medical Center, which commissioned Harry to paint portraits of two former chairmen. He has been selected to show his work in exhibitions at the Wiregrass Museum of Art, the Huntsville Museum of Art, the Florida State University Museum of Art, and the National Arts Club in New York City. He published and marketed limited edition prints of his work, one of which was featured in the November 1996 issue of U.S. Art magazine. Several of his paintings have appeared on the sets of television shows such as Miami Vice, Everybody Loves Raymond, and the movie Summer Catch.

After years of refining his skill, and with his three children mostly grown, Harry is now focused on implementing his skill as a contemporary figurative painter, a passion fulfilled. His subject matter has been as varied as his life experiences, but contemporary figurative painting is to play a major role in the future of this young American painter.