2015 wrap up

Study of female reclining, brown Conte on paper, 18" x 24", by Hilary J. England, 2015

I can't believe this year is already gone!  What a whirlwind it went by in - but as they say, the older you get, the faster time goes by...what an irony!

I have been very busy lately, but I am looking to continue many interesting things in 2016: traveling, continuing my painting series, continue my plein air paintings, continuing with my figure studies, and all of the other things I enjoy to do, such as forging silver jewelry, sculpting, writing freelance, and then there is my garden.  I didn't get to work on my garden these past few summers, since I was away overseas.  This year, I'm thinking of going away in September so that I can plant my garden and relax with it through the summer.  So, that's the tentative plan...end of summer for some more overseas work.

I have some shows I am putting together as well, with a possibility of the Armory in NYC, etc.  I haven't really expended a lot of effort toward NYC these days, since I had a lot on my plate with things going on in my personal life, but I think I may be ready with enough energy to engage in another New York show or two this upcoming year, so I am cautiously guarding my strength, haha.  Those shows do take tremendous energy, planning and commitment, so I am still mulling it over.  I have another day to make the decision, lolololol.  Talk about bringing it to the razor's edge ;-)

2015 was an eventful year-- it was a year fraught with change, and although it was ultimately for the good, it was still at times very stressful.  There were so many things that occurred this year, it allowed me to learn a lesson I have been grappling with all my life....just let it go.  Just let go, and go with the flow.  That was an extremely hard, if not nearly impossible task for me up till this point in my life, but something finally just broke, ultimately in a good way, as if watching a crack in a dam, and you just know it's beyond your control to stop that rushing water.  And so, I hope I can continue to not try to "take control" of the changes that are ultimately beyond my grasp.  I am a much more relaxed person for it!! But, as with everything, baby steps are involved.

So to you everyone, I want to wish a very healthy, happy, prosperous, peaceful yet exhilarating 2016!!!  All the best wishes and blessings <3

Barren birch in the autumn field

"Barren birch in the autumn field" by Hilary J. England
8" x 14", oil on canvas, 2015

It's been a busy week with Christmas approaching...putting up the tree and decorations, and all the other preps we usually make.  I have been working steadily on my writing as well, and this takes alot of time in itself.  I have three different articles going, while I also have my short story for the Travel Anthologie to clean up, so very busy indeed.

I can never NOT make time for my love though...which is plein air painting.  It just clears away all the wreckage, and helps to bring my soul back to balance.

This painting of a really beautiful, bare birch tree was a bit nail-biting in that it really looked like it was going to rain, and being that it had rained on and off for days now, I was racing the clock to not get soaked.  The weather held until I was done, and I was able to finish up, happy, warm, and with no wet feet.

~Enjoy!

Blueberry fields near winter

"Blueberry fields near winter" by Hilary J. England
8" x 10" oil on canvas, 2015

Here is a little landscape I did of a blueberry field, all red now with the approaching Winter, at the base of the Blue Mountains.  I go back to a lot of the same places, because I love them, and this spot is one of them...close to where I used to live.  Nice memories there I suppose.  It's like having a warm bowl of chicken soup...comfort food.  Deep inside, I guess I am a rank sentimentalist and romantic, but that's OK.  It makes life a more beautiful experience in the face of a broken, fallen world.

I have others I need photograph, but I have had a Mr. Magoo moment, and can't find the charger for my big camera, and the battery in the Canon is dead.  So, after ripping apart my studio, and every other place I can think of, I tried to recall places I might have absent-mindedly stuck that darn battery charger, and I keep coming up blank.  For all I know, I threw it away with my decimated suitcase when I came back from India....it is possible. So, now I will need to order a new one, and that will take at least a week, so I am a stick in the mud for right now: going nowhere fast haha.  I do have a little pocket camera which is decent, but it is too frustrating trying to see the image on that tiny screen, so I'll just wait.  Patience has never been my strong virtue, but I'll manage!

Enjoy~

Barcelona

"Barcelona/Rowdy with Gaudi" by Hilary J. England, 16" x 20" x 2" oil on canvas, 2015

I have finally finished "Barcelona."  It took longer than anticipated because my eyes have been giving me some troubles these last few weeks, and I tried to ignore it, but I guess I have to bite the bullet and make an appointment with the eye doctor.  I blamed the lighting, even my new brushes for the issues hahaha....because denial is not just a river in Egypt.  None of us likes to admit it when our faculties begin to weaken a little, and my eyes were always top notch, so this new development (well, actually not new, more like slow and creeping) was a bit alarming, but now that I have admitted it, I can move forward and correct it.  So, I should be sporting a new set of nifty glasses next week :-)

Photographing inside is usually the bane of my studio existence, and this time around, it was no different!  If the weather is better tomorrow I will photo this painting correctly.

I also have new landscapes that I also have been remiss in photographing, but I'll get to them tomorrow, or in the next few days as well.  The weather here has been raining steadily for the last few days, rather depressing, since I usually like the rain, but for some reason, it has gotten to me this time around, and I'm ready for some sunshine.  Seriously.

I am looking forward to doing some plein air work this weekend also...hopefully the weather will be more cooperative than it has been.  I think it will!  

~Enjoy!