Pearce W. Hammond is an accomplished writer and artist. Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, he enjoyed writing and art at an early age and he came by his talent naturally. His uncle was famed Savannah, Georgia-born songwriter, Johnny Mercer, who wrote over 1,500 songs from the 1930's through the 1960's and was nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Song" 19 times, more than any other composer. Mr. Mercer won four Academy Awards for "Best Song" for Moon River, Days of Wine and Roses, In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the evening, and On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe". In addition, Mercer was also a talented artist who enjoyed painting when he was not writing songs.
Mr. Hammond has written 4 books which are shown and described on this website. When not writing, he is a self-taught artist who uses his special talents in his primitive paintings which are so reflective of low country life and scenes from the Gullah culture in peaceful days gone by. From his studio overlooking the waters and marshes of the Chechessee River in Okatie, South Carolina, he draws inspiration, mood, color and subject matter that are captured in his unique paintings. Using bright primary colors, acrylic paints, pen and ink and other mixed media, his paintings depict Gullahs shrimping, crabbing, fishing, gathering oysters, farming and living off the land in the low country of South Carolina and Georgia.
His unique Gullah art has been featured in many local and regional publications including South Carolina Magazine; Low Country Monthly; Hilton Head Monthly; Beaufort Gazette; The Island Packet; Bluffton Today; and the Savannah Morning News.
He and his wife, Anne, reside on the tidal waters of the Chechessee River in Okatie, South Carolina.
