A Note from the Artist

I'm Eric Hammel. I am a full-time writer of military history books. For going on fifteen years, I have been fascinated with the art that can be produced with Adobe Photoshop, which I use to process photos for my history books. I became fascinated with fractal art as soon as the Kai's Power Tools plug-in was first released for use with Windows-based Photoshop.

Over the years, I created several hundred fractals and other digital artwork using Photoshop and a broadening array of fractal art applications and Photshop plug-ins. Lately I have been using Ultra Fractal and a small, wonderful flame-fractal application called Apophysis. Nearly all my art is enhanced in some way in Photoshop, which is a dream application for artists who work in the digital arena and who take the time to explore its billion and a half uses and tricks.

About three years ago, a good friend who was admiring my art asked if he could have copies of several pieces to frame. It impressed me that he spent about $150 to frame each piece and then hung them up in his living room. (Wow!) That inspired me to frame several of my favorites for myself, which is the first time I learned that my wife likes the art well enough to allow me to hang it in the living room and dining area of our home. My neighbor also asked for a piece for her newly remodeled bathroom (no jokes, please), and my sister-in-law, who is a real fine artist with formal training, asked for a piece for her living room.

I find these and other examples of support by, in some cases, total strangers who have invested in framing both exhilarating and humbling. I started doing the art to transport me away from the harsh facts and images of war that I work with in my professional life, but relatives, friends, neighbors, and people I don't really know want it hanging in their homes and are willing to invest a fair price in the art itself and even more in framing.

These are the many reasons behind my decision to put this site up. If real people with no attachment to me like my art well enough to buy it and frame it and hang it in their homes, I am doubly and even triply blessed. They're mostly strange images that strike some level of my sense of whimsy or beauty or fascination with coloring. Some pieces look more real than others, and some do look very, very weird while having an appeal. But the thing I really like about the interest others find in my art is the sheer unpredicability of what any given person finds attractive. Even my wife of forty years surprises me when she likes pieces I'd have bet money she wouldn't like.

If, during your visit to Fractal Dimensions, you only look at the art, and say "Wow!" a few times, I'm happy. Have a ball. If you want a particular piece to hang in your office or home, I hope I've made purchasing it fair and easy. I plan to print every single order myself, to put a little of myself into the process (unless this really takes off!). I hope it does take off, but I'll also be happy if all anyone does is enjoy these online galleries and pass the URL on to friends so they can also enjoy the art.

I have several hundred fractal and other digital pieces to place on the site, and I'll do more, especially as I get ready to retire or at least cut back on writing books. I'll also eventually add a section for photographs of scenes from nature that I've been taking for more than thirty-five years. Keep visiting to look for recent additions.

Thank you for visiting. Enjoy

Eric