Crow in the Mist New oil painting

“Crow in the mist” by Hilary J. England, 12” x 16” oil on canvas 

I was out walking along in the cold damp fog the day before the big snow, and I came upon this solitary crow sitting quietly on the railing — this bird looked so curious and peaceful, I was curious about it and watched it for a bit before it flew off.  I had been feeling very disengaged lately, with the solitude and isolation of the past 9 months starting to creep into my psyche.  I’m a solitary person by nature, but the rest of the world being solitary for so long is disconcerting after a while, even to solitary people like me.  

Then I saw this crow — large, calm and peaceful, just on the rails ahead of me.  I stopped a little distance from it, not wanting to disturb it.  The bird sat very quietly, almost contemplatively, in the heavy mist of the day.  It made me think of how so many other creatures endure the solitude of their own existences as well — and how outside of the kingdom of humans, that doesn’t seem to be an unusual thing.  I thought, if the crow can sit at peace by itself, for long stretches of time, so can I as a human.  That thought gave me a measure of peace as I walked along, after the bird had flown to it’s unknown destination.  

So, I went back to the quiet of my studio and thought of this bird, and remembered the feel of the fog, and the mist that gently would touch my skin, and just the quiet peace of that moment in the day, and created this painting.

~enjoy

“Crow in the mist” oil on canvas, 12” x 16” 

Cat on the wall over the Aegean New Artwork

“Cat on the wall over the Aegean” oil on canvas, 12” x 16” by Hilary J. England

Here is another painting I did in the series of paintings I am creating called “Mind Travels” — it is also based on my time in Santorini, Greece.  

It was so blue and bright, and there were lots of cats in the region of Oia, where the city was like another world, high above the Aegean Sea. The flowers there were so bright and fragrant, it was such an unforgettable place ❤ 

I love the recollection of my time there, the vibrancy of the landscape and the ethereal beauty of the city.

“Cat on the wall over the Aegean” oil on canvas, 12” x 16, by Hilary J. England

Enjoy! 😊 🖼 🎨 ❤️ 

Santorini dreaming

“Santorini Dreaming” oil on canvas, 12” x 16” by Hilary J. England

With the lockdowns not seemingly going anywhere soon, and the ability to travel severely inhibited, I’ve started dreaming of all the places I’ve visited in my life, and lately, my mind’s eye has been turning to Santorini, Greece, and the surreal beauty of it.  Since I can’t visit there, I’ve started painting these places, from my mind’s eye — what I remember, and how I see it now, in my memories.

I will continue to do a series of paintings from my memories of travel, all the beautiful and exotic places, and how I internalized them, the color, the feelings, and what stuck out to me.

This is the first one I finished:

“Santorini Dreaming” 

~Enjoy ♥️ 

The Story behind the Art: Sunset at Summer Lake

"Sunset at Summer Lake" oil on canvas by Hilary J. England

My inspiration behind this painting is similar to what inspires me as a whole -- the beauty of the moment and the happiness behind watching the fading, warm summer evening, the warmth on my face, the sight of the colorful wildflowers on the banks of the lake as the sun cast it's fading rays in hues of pinks and purples and yellows...I am a big fan of Mother Nature!

I love these "mundane" moments in life - the simple pleasures of a beautiful evening, laughing with people you love, the sound of a favorite song you recollect from the past, the taste of a dish of food made with care -- all of these happy simplicities stir my soul and inform my choices for artworks that move me.  I love to share those moments -- to capture and keep them, they are interesting and beautiful, and they speak of the times we live in. Things around us can be chaotic, but we can choose to exist in a universe of beauty and serenity.

 

Scales and practice

As artists, we don’t talk much about the unglamorous side of things, such as looking to continually improve our skills and grow, because like all things, if you just continue to do what you always do, you begin to stagnate.  It’s important to continue honing our skills and stretching ourselves to new limits, not just in the physical realm, but also in the spiritual, mental, and artistic areas.

I enjoy learning and there is a certain comfort in discomfort, at least for me.  The discomfort lets me know I’m growing — even if I growl at the process.  It forces me to slow down — and true to my generation — I like things FAST.  Exercises force me to take stock, to see, and yes, to struggle through problems and learn new solutions.  So, I continue to do these exercises because they are an integral part to who I am and what I’m growing toward — and we never stop growing, until the day we pass on...so keep going!!!

❤️ 🌸 

Light Space Time Gallery Exhibition

Honorable Mention

My artwork: “Between the Storms” has received an Honorable Mention in the Light, Space and Time Gallery’s Annual Landscape Exhibition.  According to the Gallery, they had 724 artists submit their works, and from that they narrowed it down to 50 artworks (mine being one).  They awarded mine an Honorable Mention — and I’m very humbled and honored to receive it!

I hope you all enjoy my artwork too — that’s the satisfaction in the creative process — yes, I love to paint, and would do so even if no one ever saw the artworks — but when people do, and it brings them joy and moments of happiness — that makes the creation process infinitely sweeter ♥️ 

Early Autumn

“Study of early autumn foliage” oil on canvas, 12” x 16” by Hilary J. England

It’s been a busy few days, and I like that. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, I was able to get a study in of some of the early fall foliage we are now experiencing. This is my favorite time of year — the colors never fail to disappoint!  I’m hoping to get more plein air painting done this week, before we lose our fall foliage.  The leaves turn so rapidly, and the romance is over in the blink of an eye...I definitely need to capture the romantic art of the autumn.

I saw the little bird in the thicket — so brown and understated, next to the green and now the reds and yellows of the season — and I thought, “This wonderful little bird, so humble — needed to be included.” So I did! That’s the great thing about painting your own world and your heart — you can include what you like, and throw away the rest.  Art is wonderful like that!