About the Artist

Artist • Educator • Stylist

My name is Mai Hamric (pronounced “May”), and I am an artist, arts educator, and stylist from Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve devoted my career to arts advocacy, education, and community engagement, with the goal of helping others see that creativity is not reserved for a select few, but something we all can practice, explore, and express in our own ways.

Creative Philosophy

Art, for me, is both a language and a way of life.

It’s how I process the world, find beauty in the ordinary, and tell the stories that words can’t.

I believe that creativity is transformative. It teaches empathy, invites curiosity, and helps us reconnect with who we truly are. Whether on a canvas or through a curated wardrobe, art is how we learn to see ourselves clearly and share that vision with the world.

Artistic Practice

In my own paintings, I’m inspired by nature, music, dance, and the repeating patterns in life. I love how these patterns trick us into thinking we know what to expect next, only to surprise us. I mimic this with the shapes and patterns in my work: they repeat and dance together, but never in the same way. I draw on inspiration from artists such as Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, Séraphine Louis, Sonia Delaunay, and Hilma af Klint, who explored vibrant color and layered forms to communicate emotion without rigid boundaries.

I often describe my work as modern abstract expressionism through an elegant, contemporary lens.

To see the original paintings, limited edition prints, and open edition prints I currently have available for sale, please visit my Shop. Or if you would like to inquire about a commissioned painting, please see the form on the Home page.

Whether I’m painting in my studio, developing arts programs, simplifying a project or process, or guiding someone toward their signature style, my mission is the same: to help people live more artfully; with beauty, clarity, and purpose.

I believe art isn’t just something we look at.
It’s something we live.

The Creative Conversation

I believe in the importance of drawing inspiration from past artists, and I include this in both my work and my educational programs. When I create something in response to another artists’s work, and then later someone creates something to respond to my piece, we become part of a conversation that spans history and cultures.

Art is just another way for us to tell our stories and show the world what our feelings look like in shape and color. Music is something many of us interact with easily and often. I want to show people that in the same way a song can make us feel a certain way, the right combination of shapes and colors can do the same.

Arts Administration & Advocacy

Beyond the studio, I am deeply invested in ensuring the arts are accessible to all and treated as essential, not optional.

As Advocacy Chair of the Rutherford Arts Alliance, I lead initiatives that expand creative opportunities in Middle Tennessee; through grants, education, and partnerships with local organizations.

I also work with The Art of Education University, supporting K–12 art educators nationwide, and am pursuing a Master’s in Arts Administration to deepen my impact at the intersection of creativity, policy, and community development.

My mission is to help build systems that make art accessible, equitable, and valued, because creativity is essential to both personal and societal well-being.

I offer a variety of administrative and consultive services which you can learn more about on my Services page.

Style as Art

As a style coach, I extend my creative philosophy beyond the canvas.

I believe that how we dress, move, and curate our surroundings is an extension of our inner world.

Through styling, I help clients express their authentic selves with the same artistry I bring to my paintings, emphasizing intentionality, confidence, and elegance.

Just as a painting reveals emotion through color and composition, our personal style tells the story of who we are and what we value.

I will be offering a variety of courses developed from my expertise on this website in the near future. Currently I am in the process of creating a course on how to live artfully, and how to find and express yourself through your own signature style. If you’d like to join the waitlist, please visit the Courses page.