Ed Hamilton sculpts with a passion born of heart and spirit, and he writes the same way. In his combination autobiography/art process manual, “The Birth of an Artist: A Journey of Discovery,” the private sides of the public man are revealed, showing he believes in fate and the hard work it offers. His written words produce visions that leap off the page, much like a pop-up book.

birth of artist

I had the privilege to read a draft form of the book, and I’m honored Hamilton used one of my comments, about the spiritual side of art, on the back cover. While the many chapters are insightful and entertaining, the standout sections discuss his childhood, process and work ethic, career breakthroughs, and the life-altering secret revealed in the epilogue.

Segregated Louisville is cast in a golden haze of childhood, yet he writes honestly about the complex layers and textures of mid-century African-American life. He was loved, and it shows. He’s quick to credit his parents, especially his mother, and later his wife Bernadette for the roles they played in his success.

The foundations of Hamilton’s artistic life are his two mentors, painter G. C. Coxe and sculptor Barney Bright, as well as the Art Center School and the Louisville Art Workshop. His first major work, the 1984 “Booker T. Washington” memorial in Hampton, Va., is the basis for this advice: “All you have to do is get one, nobody knows what you can do before that.” It also was the start of the abundant research process he continues using today.

Hamilton is getting better with age (may this man live to 100 or more). To this writer, his most emotionally powerful monuments are the 1998 “Spirit of Freedom” in Washington, D.C., and Louisville’s 2003 “York.” In “Spirit,” his skills at storytelling and allegory are at their apex when illustrating the black soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War, while “York” is a powerful presence of inner and outer strength.

His “journey of discovery” had very personal, defining moments in the last few years. The confirmation of the long-standing rumor that he is adopted is discussed in the epilogue, but that is just the beginning. It brought tears to my eyes when he first told me this story in 2004, and that moment resurfaced when I read the chapter. His sense of uneasiness, joy and everything in between is palpable.

spirit of freedom: Detail of “Spirit of Freedom,” the African-American Civil War Memorial by Ed Hamilton.

Ed Hamilton’s sculptures contain a potent mix of detail, symbolism and emotion. If I had to define him, I would say he is a historian of body, soul, place and time, who just happens to work in metal.

To buy the book, contact Hamilton at 587-7709, go to http://www.edhamiltonworks.com/ or stop by any local bookstore. Hamilton will read and sign the book at E&S Gallery, 108 S. 10th St., on Friday, March 3, from 5-7 p.m., and at the NETWORK meeting at the Kentucky Center on Monday, March 13, at noon.