Cissy Hamilton is a Louisville native with a lifelong passion for art. Growing up in the Bluegrass, horses were a favorite subject. After settling in Lexington, her work with the Thoroughbred Record Magazine introduced her to the world of Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Her husband's long career with prominent horse farms, took them to top racing events across the country, including many Kentucky Derbies, Breeders' Cups, Saratoga summer meets and top venues in Europe.
A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, she paints full time after careers in graphic design and art education. Primarily working in oil, she is proficient in acrylic, pastel and watercolor. As a member of the Plein Air Painters of the Bluegrass, she paints varied Kentucky locales and participates in Plein Air competitions where she has won awards. She is a member of the American Impressionist Society and has been juried into several online exhibitions. In 2025 she was juried in to the prestigious Kentucky Crafted Program . Her work is in collections across the country.
Cissy Hamilton's work is available at Artists Attic Studios and Gallery in Lexington, Ky., Liberty Hill Antiques in Lexington and The Brown Hotel in Louisville.
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Exhibits, Awards and Plein Air Events
2025
•Accepted to the Kentucky Crafted Program, November, 2025
•Coming Home, Artists Attic Member Show, May-June
•Ashland Impressions, Plein Air Painters of the Bluegrass Annual Show, Artists Attic, Jan-Feb
2024
•5th annual All Member Online Exhibit," Crowning Moment" American Impressionist Society , Nov.
•Paint the Small Town, Mt Sterling, Ky
•4th annual Associate Member Online Exhibit,"Battle for the Lead" American Impressionist Society , May.
2023
•4th annual All Member Online Exhibit , "A Classic Start" American Impressionist Society , Nov. 2023
•Plein Air Painters of the Bluegrass, Artists Attic, Lexington, Ky
2022
•Plein Air Painters of the Bluegrass, Artists Attic, Lexington, Ky
•Paint the Town, Community Gallery@ Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, Lexington, Ky.
2021
•Plein Air Painters of the Bluegrass, Artists Attic, Lexington, Ky
•Paint the Town, Community Gallery@ Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, Lexington, Ky.
•Paint the Small Town, Mt Sterling, Ky
•Louisville Visual Art's Plein Art Paint Out , Waterfront Botanical Gardens, Louisville, Ky.
2020
•St. Joseph East Solo Exhibit, Lexington, Ky.
•Lexarts Here/Now Exhibit, Artsplace. Breeders' Cup Plein Air Event, Lexington, Ky
•Louisville Visual Art's Plein Art Paint Out , Waterfront Botanical Gardens, Sept 20, Louisville, Ky.
3rd place award
•Paint the Town, Community Gallery@ Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, Lexington, Ky.
•Paint the Smalltown, Mt. Sterling, Ky.
•Studio Members Show, Artists Attic, Lexington, Ky.
2019
•Plein Air Painters of the Bluegrass Group Show, Central Library Gallery, Lexington, Ky.
•Paint the Smalltown, Mt. Sterling, Ky. 1st Place Award and People's Choice Award
•Figuratively Speaking, Three Artist Show, Artists' Attic, Lexington, Ky.
2018
•Paint the Smalltown, Mt. Sterling Ky. 3rd Place Award
•Paint by Nature Exhibit, Community Gallery@ Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, Lexington, Ky.•
•Feeling Blue, Community Gallery @ Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, Lexington, Ky.
•Paint the Town, Artsplace Gallery, Lexington, Ky.
•In and Around the Bluegrass, Artists Attic Member Exhibit, Lexington, Ky.
2017
•Go Figure, Artists Attic Members Show, Lexington, Ky.
•Paint the Town, Artsplace Gallery, Lexington, Ky. People's Choice Award
•Paul Sawyer Commemorative Show, Bluegrass Plein Air Painters, Frankfort, Ky.
•Not Big, Rezny Gallery, Lexington, Ky.
•Gridworks Revisited, New Editions Gallery, Lexington, Ky.
2016
•Fresh Kentucky Landscapes, Bluegrass Plein Air Painters Group Show, Lexington, Ky.
•Four Artists Show, Art in the Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, Lexington, Ky.
•Paint the Town, Artsplace Gallery, Lexington Ky.
•It's Still Life, Artists Attic Members Show, Lexington, Ky.
•Bluegrass Plein Air Painters Group Show, Central Library Gallery, Lexington, Ky.
2015
•Equine Paintings, New Editions Gallery, Lexington, Ky.
•Paint the Town, Artsplace Gallery, Lexington Ky.
•And They're Off, Juried Exhibit, Polvino Art Center, Nicholasville, Ky.
•Music Scenes, Juried Kentucky Arts Council traveling exhibit, Ky Crafted Market, Norton Center for the Arts,
Danville, Ky.
•Fall Open Juried Exhibition, American Academy of Equine Art, Lexington, Ky.
2014
•Fall Open Juried Exhibition, American Academy of Equine Art, Lexington, Ky.
•Shades of Blue and Grey, The Horse in the Civil War, AAEA, Lexington, Ky.
Award for Best Depiction of Artillery Subject
•Bluegrass Plein Air Painters Group Show, Central Library Gallery, Lexington, Ky.
•Flowers, Figures and Fillies, three artist show, Artists Attic Gallery, Lexington, Ky.
•Spring Group Show, Artists Attic Gallery, Lexington Ky.
2013
•Spring Group Show, Artists Attic Gallery, Lexington Ky.
•Figure Exhibition, Gallery B, Lexington Ky.
Special Projects
--Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72, Lexarts Bookbench Project 2018
--Schooled Horse, life size fiberglass horse for Alltech pavilion at WEG 2010
--Schooled Horse Alphabet, Poster. designed, illustrated and sold equine alphabet poster of the World Equestrian Games 2010-present
--Lost in the Rainforest, life size fiberglass horse for Horsemania 2000
--Sister Cities, Lexarts Door Project, Ballatro Gallery 2001
--Thoroughbet, Designed, illustrated and sold equine alphabet poster, Thoroughbred Record Magazine, 1982-1989
