The red cat and his girl

"The red cat and his girl" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 18" x 24" x 2", 2017

The winter always gets me down a little, especially after New Years'.  This year was a particularly mean one, with all of the depressing stuff going on in the world, on every news station, 24 hours a day.  I have retreated into a quiet zone of Gene Tierney, Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart, Tyrone Powers, and friends, and also, decided that a painting of fervent love was necessary.  So, I observed our once removed red cat, Dante, and his girl, Maddie.  No matter how many kisses Dante receives, he loves them all.  Never a complaint, never an angry "meow" -- he loves and loves his kisses and his kiddies.  He is a true friend to his loving family.

Initially, I didn't think it much through.  I have really been driven by chiaroscuro these days, and more intense light.  The backlighting on this pose was just to delicious to resist, and a bit unconventional, so I had to just go with it, good or bad.  And, I happen to like the end result--I think the dramatic light worked for the composition, and to show the fervor of their love.

I was once staunchly against the use of black in my paintings, as were the Impressionists, using Van Dyke brown and ultramarine or another combo with Van Dyke brown, if I wanted to achieve a truly dark tone, because I felt black was too flat, and too cold, but I have been employing Ivory black lately, and I feel the warm, brown undertone is really good for dramatic compositions, and so, the ban on black paint is officially over.  My obsession with studying light and it's nuances is really piquing now, so look for more to come, at least in my figure work.  In my landscapes, I'm still about things being bright and airy...I guess it's just a way of pleasantly looking at the world in a state of hyper beauty!

~Enjoy!

Strawberry

"Strawberry" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 2" x 2" x 1.75", 2016

I have been lazy these last few days, and I'm not sure why.  My eyes and back have been bothering me, so that could be part of it. Aging is not for the weak or faint of heart, for sure! I decided to just add on to my still life series of single fruits suspended in black space.  It seemed a good place to start and simple enough so that not to tax my aching back and blurred eyes too much. Plus, this was a nice model -- tender and juicy after the session hahaha.

~Enjoy!!

The Riviera

"The Riviera/Breezy Mediterranean afternoon" by Hilary J. England, 2016
Oil on canvas, 16" x 20" x 2"

This is number six painting in my "Travelogue" series.  I have been slow to post, mostly because I'm slow to photograph.

This was such a beautiful time, the month I spent in the French Riviera.  How can you not love warm, blinding summer days on the Mediterranean, just floating in the aqua sea, and leisurely afternoons enjoying the sights of Nice, Cannes, Monaco, and then heading into Italy?.

The time was one of reflection for me also, as I kept mostly to myself, only socializing here and there, but it was well worth it. 

Studio work

"Portland Head" by Hilary J. England, 2015, oil on canvas, 24" x 36"

I just completed this painting today, it was a little project I did just for myself.  I have a large space in my bedroom, on the wall straight ahead, and I was completely sick of looking at a blank wall there, so I decided I would paint myself a scene, something that was lovely and close to my heart, and would bring me some nice dreams when I feel asleep meditating to it.  So, I looked back through my old studies, and knowing I wanted some kind of water scene, found some interesting drawings and sketches of Portland head, and decided to paint that lovely lighthouse.

I had been wanting to do this for a long time, and the beauty of being a painter is in the future, when I want a different scene, I will just paint another one! ;-)  So, there are perks to being an artist, haha. 

I hope you enjoy this painting as much as I enjoyed creating it!

New Painting, "The Road Trip"

"The Road Trip" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 36" x 48" x 2", 2012

Here is my newest painting, "The Road Trip."  I absolutely adored creating this painting, with the challenge of fleshy, rosy little cheeks, the strange intimacy of the overcrowded car, and the private universe each child seemed to inhabit--what was going on beneath their quiet exteriors?  What dreams were flitting through their still little forms?  They were together, yet very separate; each with their own distinct and immense dreams to explore beneath their closed eyes.

I wanted to convey the cramped quarters, yet how they still were able to find that comfort of sleep, even in the discomfort of an overloaded car.  Travel has its drawbacks, yet we deal with these annoyances to get to where we want to go to...we overcome to get to a goal, a better and greater destination.  This starts in infancy, and never ends until we are dead, and then it goes on from there as well.  What a wonderful cycle to delve into!

Each child looked as if they were engaged in their own dreamworld, with each of their expressions conveying a different experience, a different expression, which reflects in their personalities as well.  It was completely enthralling, and in the end, it was hard to wrap this painting up and end the experience of it.  I literally had to tear myself away, and resist the urge to keep working at it.