Hamrick Designs

About Us:

For generations the Hamrick Family has been made up of makers. Today my Dad Eddie Hamrick and I, James Hamrick are master woodworkers. We are full time artisans with drive and the ability to create nearly anything imaginable from one of our planet's most abundant and beautiful renewable resources. We both have an innate eye for design, deeply rooted in the folk heritage of the Appalachian Mountains and the North Carolina low country. To the contrary we are far from bound by the confines of any one style or direction. We constantly challenge ourselves to break the mold and push the envelope in order to create rather than recreate. Our creations cover a broad range of products including but not limited to; furniture, sculpture art, musical instruments, signs, awards and commemorative gifts, home accessories, tools, and cookware.

A Closer Look at the Artists:

Eddie Hamrick:

Born May 10, 1954 in Newton, North Carolina, Eddie Hamrick has been an avid artist since the age of six. After a tumultuous childhood plagued by hardship and poverty, Eddie graduated from Newton-Conover High School and began working at Ridgeview Hosiery Mill, and later Dixie Boat Works. He loved working with his hands and couldn't find a financially viable way to pursue his passion-his art, but with the encouragement of his peers and community, Hamrick applied and received the first Emerging Artist Grant through the Durham Arts Council. Not only did the grant fund his artwork, but is also bolstered his recognition as a craftsman. Eddie began entering state and national shows, winning the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ Nature Art show and the annual art competition at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Hamrick then confidently entered the National Crafts show at Renwick Gallery of the American Art through the Smithsonian Institute. With a broken down pick-up truck and money fund raised by his community, Eddie traveled to Washington D.C. to receive an award that would drastically alter the course of his career. Hamrick began receiving invitations to lecture at colleges and universities, appear on public television, and teach courses all over the country. Eddie then delved into several fields applying his talents more broadly. His expertise was requested on the sets of Hollywood films where he worked with stars like Diane Keaton and Reese Witherspoon. The country music community also recognized the high caliber of his craftsmanship. Hamrick handcrafted instruments for country and bluegrass greats such as Willie Nelson, the Charlie Daniels Band, and Doc Watson, to name a few.He has been asked to create commemorative and honor awards for inaugural gifts of six American presidents and several North Carolina Governors. He was made the official craftsman of North Carolina, serving as an ambassador for the state to preserve the woodworking heritage of the area. His contributions to the creative community led both Governor Martin and Governor Hunt to honor him twice with the Governor’s Business Award in the Arts and Humanities. Hamrick continues to donate his time, talents, and resources to charitable causes. His sculpture for the Western Piedmont Symphony alone raised over 125,000 dollars; and in his lifetime, Eddies donations of artwork have raised over one million dollars for charitable causes.

James Hamrick:

As a lifelong artist and recent graduate of UNC-Charlotte with a B.S.B.A in management, I have grown up in a family of woodworkers and artists. The craft has run down the line on both sides of my family for generations and certainly did not miss me. At a very young age my interest and natural talent for woodwork and the arts became apparent in my everyday life with a God given ability and drive to create anything from virtually nothing. My greatest joy is taking nothing but a cut tree and materializing imagination. With a few blades, screws, glue, a little know how and a great deal of learned patience I can create anything. My determination and willingness to learn the craft, fostered by the teachings of my father and grandfathers, along with several years in the cabinet industry working for companies such as Bostian Custom Designs (Hickory, NC) and Aspen Cabinetry ( Conover, NC) have streamlined me to master my craft. Now I work along side my father as we create beautiful works of art. Recent works include a lifelike sculpture, “Music of the Night,” which tells the story of the Phantom of the Opera. The sculpture was donated to the American Heart Association and auctioned for $35,000 to support their mission, as well as a hand crafted folk banjo of their own design which was presented to President Barak Obama on behalf of North Carolina following the 2013 Democratic National Convention, and last but not least a reproduction Monticello Jefferson Lapdesk for North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory.