Bumble bee on the sunflower

"Bumble bee on sunflower" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2016

I have been very busy with several projects.  I have *3* books in production at the same time, so that is really a lot to juggle, and I pick up on my MS Comm (that's Master's of Science in Communication and New Media for those who are not familiar with the lingo) in a couple of weeks (first week of October), plus working on a larger painting commission that has me ripping my hair out, lol, so it's been hectic.  I did take the day to go out and plein air paint in the gorgeous end of summer weather, which I sorely miss.  I didn't go far (the edge of my own property) and just enjoyed the sun, and this awesome bumble bee on my last remaining sunflower. 

This summer slipped away from me in a whirlwind of work, heat, and contemplation, but I have much to be grateful for.  I plan on stepping it up even more after New Year's, with a couple of residencies I am considering, and some other cool projects with my gallery, and between the projects I have going now, well, it's a lot.  But, I like a lot! "A lot" always works for me -- don't want moss growing around my feet!.

So, back to school for everyone, including me, and that's a challenge I always enjoy.  When it's said and done who knows -- maybe a Ph.D just because.  We'll see.  My son is in the U for Physics, looking to be an Astrophysicist, so maybe we'll race to see who becomes a "doctor" first!! :-D :-D  Again, lots to be grateful for, and lots to do. No time for leisure books right now, but I have been forcing myself to read before bed just to decompress.  Newest book: Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely .   It's a wonderful book we are going to use in our Tuesday night women's bible study.  I thought I would get a jumpstart on things before we officially begin our group, and it's a very good book.  Personally, I don't have time right now to feel "left out" or "lonely," but I can identify with the "less than" part, because sometimes, no matter how much you do, you never feel adequate, or that you are good enough, so this book is a comfort and a guide to help for those moments you feel tired and inadequate. So, I'm glad I've been taking the time to "nourish my soul" right before bedtime.


Well, time to jet! Enjoy the weather, and the little painting~



 

Wrapping up Summer

Yet untitled, oil on canvas, 18" x 24 x 2" by Hilary J. England

I have been very busy working away as the end of summer approaches.  There were certain things I decided to do, just for my peace of mind.  One was to greatly reduce my time online, particularly on social media.  I began to realize I was spending more and more time in the virtual world, and it was having a very detrimental effect on me -- across the board.  My attention span was greatly reducing, and I could not remember the last time I had actually sat down and dived into a book! Trade articles, magazines, anything quick, quick, quick, but not actually sat down with a cup of tea and an hour's free time, and just relaxed and read a book.  Very sad indeed.

So, I began reading a new book, "The Things We Wish Were True" and I have to say, it is a very interesting book.  The title is really what caught me since I had been feeling very kind of out-of-joint lately, and I couldn't put my finger on the reason why.  I just knew further trimming and pruning in my life was necessary, and social media was a drain that was not giving back much if anything for the time it consumed.

And, presto, I do feel much better these days! I have several projects in the works, including my memoir, "The Last Track" which is being published in March 2017 through the Upper Hand Press, and also an e-Book on the way (I'll publish all the information as that gets closer to the publication date in the next month or so).  I also have two portraits I've been working on, of course, my ongoing obsession with landscapes and outside projects as well, some big, and some little but time-consuming.  So, my plate is most definitely full!!

Our group show, "What Dreams May Come" at my representing gallery, Studio 26 NYC just passed, some I am gearing up for our next upcoming shows, and I am looking forward to the coming change of scenery with Autumn.  Things are moving along as always, and I have to say, I feel the weeds have cleared out after trimming more unnecessary time drains.  I would definitely recommend a quarterly overhaul of your schedule book -- it does the body and soul just as much good as a day at the spa haha!!

The painting I am currently working on is 18" x 24" -- My goal was I was very interested in the dramatic lighting that enveloped these children.  I'd say I'm about halfway done.  I had a wasp chase me out of my studio today, besides my A/C kicking out and it being 120 degrees in there.  Yes, that was more than enough to call it a day...

Stay cool peeps :-)

Poppies and periwinkles

"Poppies and periwinkles" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 11" 2016

More plein air of the gorgeous poppies and wildflowers in this one little field I have found.  It is very calming to paint them, even when all else seems to be swirling around me...all the ugliness of the world melts away when I see a beautiful and serene landscape such as this.  It makes me feel closer to the Master Artist.  He certainly has the most perfect eye!

My eyes aren't always all that anymore, and today, the light was extremely erratic.  Rather than chase it, and have a complete disaster, I went with the strange half in/half out sunlight that was plaguing the day, and just concentrated on the sumptuous colors of the field. 

I know these cheery flowers certainly lifted my spirits just at the sight of them, and I hope that translated to the canvas.

~Enjoy!

Poppies and wildflowers

"Poppies and wildflowers in the field" by Hilary J. England, 8" X 10" oil on canvas, 2016

It was a beautiful day for painting outdoors. No humidity, and a slight breeze. I attempted to video this session, but I need a bigger memory card. The memory ran out about halfway through 😖.

I have been so busy lately, and the time just seems to get away from me sometimes, but today, time seemed to stand still, and there was great calm and peace while I painted this. That was very refreshing and somewhat unexpected, since the day started a bit on the hectic side. No matter -- all that matters is what serenity was found while painting this beautiful little scene.

~Enjoy!

Bodyscape of redhead

"Bodyscape of redhead" by Hilary J. England, Goauche on watercolor board, 30" X 40"

This took two sessions. I decided to stir the pot and work in water medium (Goauche), something I rarely do. I must say, it was pretty agitating for me, since my usual approach of laying down paint in oils certainly did not work in water medium...I had to take everything I am used to, and flip it on its head. Water medium is a little too dainty for me, and even as such, I still brutalized that paint and and got a certain amount of enjoyment out of it at that. In the end, I am not unpleased with the results. Not over the moon, but not displeased either. Guardedly optimistic, and I feel this painting does work and was a success, despite my awkwardness with the materials, including an Arches board that started warping almost immediately, much to my frustration. I was able to pin it down and will protect and compress the painting before mounting and framing, which should easily solve that issue.

So, I will do a second painting to match this one, also in Goauche. I will not do that painting until I get the model lined up for two sessions....maybe the same one, maybe a different one. Still planning....

Study of male nude torso in mixed media

"Study of male nude torso in mixed media" by Hilary J. England,

 Goauche and Conte on paper, 14" X 18"

I always like to try and mix thing up and use materials I don't use to often, so when I came across a box of gouaches tucked away in my studio, and decided to try and use them for a quick figure study.  I was really rusty with using the gouache, because it is a unique medium on it's own -- with the utility somewhere smack in the middle between watercolor and acrylics.  Just an interesting medium to use.

So, I did this hour figure study of a very lean and tanned young man, and I'm glad I tried something a little out of the box for myself.  Keeps things from getting too routine :-)

~Enjoy!

Hillside wildflowers

 

"Hillside wildflowers" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 8" X 10"

It was a hot one today, really hot. The sun was bright and somewhat punishing, only because there was a slight haze to the day. The Blue mountain was extra blue, and the wildflowers were so lush and beautiful, like a majestic carpet of color.

I love being able to be out and about, in the quiet solitude of the heat, that no one else wants to brave. It is always nice to be close to a water source, but the creek was behind me a while, so I had no recourse but to sweat and sizzle, and drink in the scenery.

-Enjoy.

Study of young male nude

"Study of young male nude musculature" by Hilary J. England
Brown Conte on paper, 14" x 18"

 

Today is Independence Day -- the Fourth of July.  Usually, people get drunk and blow up the neighborhood (and sometimes themselves) at family barbeques, but I decided on a more reflective path today -- to think of the beauty of everything, and thank God for His blessings, including being able to paint outdoors.  This was not what I painted outdoors -- this was actually from a few days ago, but I didn't post it because I was a little lazy over the last two days.

I enjoyed doing these figure studies, because I always enjoy the strange angles these models can contort into just to find something new and interesting for us to explore.  This model was no exception, and he was in his early 20s, and very youthful and athletic and lean.  That always makes for a nice drawing.

I watched the Stanley Kubrick marathon last night, and I have the music from "Barry Lyndon" stuck in my head, and now with the rain that's about to begin, I feel sleepy and relaxed.  I look out at my garden, and see the robins playing in the grass, and the butterflies flitting from one sweet pea flower to another, to the cucumbers and the squash, and I feel like drifting off to dreamland...and so, maybe I will!

~Enjoy :-)

Study of male back/torso

.

"Study of male torso/back in 3/4 rotation" by Hilary J. England, brown Conte on paper, 8" X 14"

Here is today's work. I was finally able to hook in with a male model, and do a few solid studies. This is the first one -- it took about an hour. I was in a slightly odd position of seeing him in a rotation, so although it was a challenge, it made for an interesting study.

I stuck with working strictly in brown Conte, with no other implementation of white or other color.  Simple and straightforward for this one 😊. Enjoy!

Swan on the lake at sunset

               "Swan on the pond at sunset" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 8" X 10"

I was at the lake the other night, and it was so nearly sweltering.  The gnats were attacking me, I wrenched my neck and shoulder out carrying my gear, and I dropped (yet again -- this seems routine haha) my painting face down in the dirt.  That really enraged me this time, and I was about to hurl the painting into the lake, but I didn't want to get arrested for littering ;-), so I sat down and took some deep breaths, and just sat there for a long time.  

The sun started to set, at nearly 9 pm, as I working and cleaning and transforming the little painting (which is against my own rules, but rules are made to be broken).  The Canadian goose, which was in complete silhouette, I made into a a swan, because again, it's my world, and at that moment, I preferred a swan to go along with my Debussy's "Clair de lune".  So, in the end, hurt neck, gnat bites and all, and then the giant thunderstorm that chased me away -- it all was still amusing, and my own world triumphed because I was able to make an enchanted world from the beauty that really was there, however fleeting it was. Like life....just make the best of it 😊 !! 

Enjoy ❤️

Study of female nude in India ink and Pastel

"Study of female nude in India ink and Pastels" by Hilary J. England, 14" X 18" mixed media on paper

Here's a figure study I did today, and decided to mix it up a little since I was rummaging through all of my stuff in my studio, and then started thinking about how it's been a long time since I did any mixed media work or studies, so I had some fun with the mixed media.

I have been doing a lot of figure work lately because not only is it vital for me to continue working with figure models just to keep overall skills honed -- it gives me a little different, edgier mindset than when I do landscapes.  Landscapes are my mental escape, where I build a little world for myself and occupy it.  Figure work is different -- it's like the landscape is someone else's body, and all of the interesting shades and textures are the grass and leaves and sky, but ultimately, they bring a different energy to that "landscape" that can never be fully mine, so the exploration is much different.

I have been working on my ongoing still life series, but now I have shows coming up, and have a new series that I will begin to pick up where I left off a few years ago -- my figurative, social realist study of "Rural American Youth" -- a continuation, this time second generation.  That fills me with wonder and excitement at this new little group of children and their emergence and growth -- like little flowers in the sun -- so much beauty and promise and hope.  God is good and life is beautiful, even through all of it's ups and downs.

~Enjoy!

Study of young female nude

"Study of young female nude" pencil on hot pressed paper, 14" X 18" by Hilary J. England

Here is an hour long study I did in pencil, of a new model.  The pose was interesting, and I always like new poses to "shake things" up a bit.  I usually don't work in pencil, but I also like using mediums I don't usually use to keep things fresh.

~Enjoy

Peking duck in the lilypond

"Peking duck in the lilypond" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 8" X 10" 2016

I started out in high spirits with this painting, but as the day wore on, I just felt worse and worse.  Lately, I've been running out of steam by around 2 pm, and I think I've hitting the gym a bit too hard early in the morning, because I feel like death between 1 and 3 pm, and that's not cool.  Those are prime working hours, and I shouldn't feel like I'm ready to turn in for the night by that time.

I really enjoy being down at the canals, and there is such an abundance of beauty to choose from.  It makes me feel peaceful and serene in a world gone insane, to know there is always the natural beauty of God's creation to meditate on, and to calm the tumult of daily living, even when there is nothing directly agitating going on.  Sometimes, the world just catches up to you, and those quiet moments of refreshment -- looking at a single, contented duck floating in a still lilypond -- are just what you need to lift your soul and give you strength to move on through this life.

Either that, or finding a hammock and a good beach!  But, that's for another day :-)

~Enjoy.

Study of African-American female nude

Study of African-American female nude, by Hilary J. England, conte on Ingres paper, 11" X 14

Here is today's study.  The model was a young African-American female, and she had a very strong and muscular body -- just magnificent.  She struck this pose, with her arms overhead holding on to a stabilizer bar, and the muscles and silhouette was just breathtaking.  I was only able to draw her for about an hour, as even as fit as she is, the was a very taxing pose for her.

But, it was certainly long enough for me to capture her essence.  I focused on the very rhythm of her body, and the amazing and rich shadow line.

II was able to do about an hour of 2 minute rapid gestures with another model, so when it came time for the long pose with this model, I was in the flow.  Good work day....good day altogether!  One plein air painting, and one drawing found new homes today, so that always energizes me to know other people are appreciating my work as well.

Enjoy!

San Francisco

"San Francisco" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 16" X 20" X 2", 2016

This is painting no. 7 in my "Travelogue" series.  Each of the items has a particular reason behind it was used for the painting.  I start with choosing these items, and then finding a way to arrange them so that there is rhythm, harmony, movement, and some visual paths to draw the eye around the picture plane, and keep an interesting liveliness to the painting.

I set the items up on the floor (yes, the floor) and I have an elevated cushioned seat that allows me to look down on the arrangement while painting.

I always start by blocking in the the largest elements so that I don't lose the original design idea, and then I build the painting through a series of glazes and scumbling.  This takes time to allow the paint to dry and not muddy any of the colors by trying to rush the process.  I don't work in any sort of impasto until I am near the end of the process, and then, it is only accents to bring some of the elements forward in the picture plane.

I usually stop when the painting looks a little "raw," as I don't like anything overdone, especially not a painting.  Two things are awful when they are overdone: paintings, and steaks.  Just can't abide by overcooked and over processed.

So, that's the long and short of it, the very condensed process of how I paint a still life painting :-).

~Enjoy!

Study of female nude from behind

"Study of female nude from behind" pencil and white chalk on beige Ingres paper, 12" X 16"

This study was difficult.  This young woman had quite a "bootie" to put it mildly, and the projection on it was incredible.  I had to try to capture that, as it was almost unreal, and yet the contortion of her torso and spine, in combination with the "apple bottom" mad this a most frustrating study to capture. I had to try to keep it real without being "pin up" or "cartoony" along the lines of Jessica Rabbit.  I think I struck the balance and I am ok with it.  I would like to attempt her again, maybe in Conte this time.  Graphite and pencil, especially the softer ones, is very delicate, and smears easily, but it does have more range in it's own way.  

This is why diligence is needed in drawing the human form. It keeps you on your proverbial toes, because poses and studies that you think should be "easy" sometimes turn out to be the most difficult, as this one did.  I enjoyed drawing her nonetheless.

~Enjoy.

Study of female nude in shadow

"Study of female nude in shadow" by Hilary J. England

11" X 14" conte on Ingres paper

I did this study today, it took a little over an hour.  I am just getting back into the swing of regular figure drawing again, and it has been very satisfying. I look forward to regular figure drawing now that I found this group online, and I can access literally whenever.

Of course, I won't forget my L-O-V-E of plein air painting.  This is just a bonus for me :-)

Study of female nude

30 minute study of female nude, Conte on Ingres paper, 11" X 14", by Hilary J. England

I found an artist's group that actually does figure drawing online. Go figure!  Now, the model comes to you, for free, wherever you want!! It's a novel concept, and although I prefer working from a live model, this was interesting, and is at least something I can do when I can't make it to a group session down in Bethlehem.

I was able to jump into this session for the last 1/2 of a 3 hour session.  I love that they have sessions this long, and that you can photo the pose to continue afterwards.  It's been very hard to find a group outside of going to Manhattan that will have those long, single pose sessions.  I'm looking forward to be able to do some more involved figure drawing with this group.  It will be interesting to see how it goes with translating it from seeing the pose on my TV, rather than in person.  I mean, I have a 60 inch TV, so when she poses, it's about the same ratio as when a live model poses in front of me, distance wise.

Again, interesting!!!

Enjoy :-)

Purple pansy by the tree

"Purple pansy by the tree" by Hilary J. England

Oil on canvas, 8" X 10", 2016

I've been working a lot lately, but I have been feeling a bit down.  I have had some personal situations that are very stressing, and that affects me deeply.  I have someone very close to me who is desperately ill, perhaps in the end stages of life, and it drains me inch by inch watching this process.  I want so much to help, and to make it stop, to make it better, make it go away, and I can't.  I want so much to protect them from this, to keep them with me, and I see the disconnect beginning...when they begin to ever so slightly disconnect from this earth, and you can feel it, in your soul.  It's a hard perception to explain, but to anyone who has ever been around a terminally ill person, someone they were very close to, and went through this process, you will understand what I am saying.  I don't know how many days or months we have, I just know the process has begun, and my heart quivers in my chest at the idea of what is to come.

Many days I feel like I'm in a holding pattern -- so grateful for the love we have now, but not knowing what's ahead.  It's the oddest feeling, like being in limbo, and you still must go about your life, but it's like sleepwalking...you go through the motions, but your mind is switched off.  It's always somewhere else, no matter how conscious or focused you are on the task at hand.

I have been looking for peaceful little scenes that speak to my heart, and yet, are still challenging to recreate.  I did this one in town, again, while I was out wandering around after hitting the gym.  I was hungry, so I sat down to eat my almonds, and I noticed these little flowers.  I went back to them later on in the day, and the light and shadow was more dramatic, and that made me happy to work there.

I feel more connected to the Old Masters when I work outside these days.  I think of their joy at the beauty they were able to view and capture, and also all the pain of life on this earth, and how they assimilated the good and the bad into their work, to make something beautiful from the ashes.  I admire that persistence in the face of adversity, and it gives me pause to think about my own work.  If the sadness was too large, would I stop working?  What then?  Where would it manifest itself?  I'd probably end up a drunk face down in the gutter.  No, this is the healthier way to move through these painful events.

Enjoy~

Flowers in shade

"Flowers in shade" by Hilary J. England

Oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2016

It was a scorcher today.  I wasn't prepared for it, even being forewarned by the Weather Channel, but somehow, going from losing tomatoes last week due to frost -- to 95 degrees, just seemed ludicrous.  And it is!  So, I went lumbering and sweating around town, like a bulldog in the heat, until I came upon this scene.

I found a wonderful little spot of shade, and the diversity of flowers and greens, warm and cool, was very captivating to me.  I sat there drinking it in, thinking back to my childhood, and I could hear the laughter and wonder within, and still picture that when I left, the sprites would come out of hiding and be about their business again.  It was enchanting.  And I probably baked my brain earlier in the sun hahahahaha.

This painting took a little time, because I wanted to make sure the balance of cool and warm greens was not lost in the translation.  There was a quiet energy to this place, even though the breeze only stirred the new leaves here and there, I felt the vibrancy of it as I painted.  It was just a wonderful little scene to capture.

~Enjoy!

The Jailbirds

"The Jailbirds" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 16", 2016

Continued my path around town today, and found this interesting little scene.  It was really very difficult to paint on the spot.  The light was tremendously bright today which made seeing extremely hard from the full and intense direct sunlight.  Hat didn't help, and sunglasses would have just made things incredibly funky.  I guess I should have embarked earlier, or later, rather than at noontime.

I really enjoyed the flowers bulging against the rusty old chain link fence.  I felt kind of like I was looking at beautiful creatures in a cage, like they had gone to prison, and were straining to be let go and released.

I always enjoy finding little scenes of quiet drama.  They seem to be nothing on the surface, but just below, there is always a mighty story!

~Enjoy!

New vines

"New vines" by Hilary J. England
8" x 16" oil on canvas

It's been a pretty productive week, although I have been feeling a bit tired since I've been working out extra hard, and once you hit middle age, well, recovery just isn't what it used to be.  But, extra sleep helps.

I have been working around town, and my particular focus is all the interesting little mundane things that people seem to miss in their mad rush of living life.  Spring is such a lovely time to notice these little things, like the blooming of new flowers, and the renewal of everything.  I notice these new vines shooting off an old tree, creeping up onto the lattice of an old basement, and it was very eye-catching to me.  Yes, the beauty of these things always catches my eye, and I think of the grand design and what an artist God is.  Truly incredible to me.

~Enjoy!

Spring flowers on the old wall

"Spring flowers on the old wall" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2016

Walking around town, I always find little interesting things to paint when I go out of the way, into areas that are somewhat quiet and left to themselves.

This was such an interesting wall, with all it's little flowers and crisscrossed vines, I couldn't help but do a fast oil painting of it.  The whole scene with the colors and textures, was very satisfying and soothing.  It's nice to be outdoors again, and it feels good if not a little strange after so many days inside because of the rain and rain and rain....

I did drop my palette straight down into the dirt once.  That's just to remind me who my Daddy is lolololol.  Never mess with nature, even on the calmest of days!

~Enjoy

Clouds and water

"Clouds and water" by Hilary J. England, 8" x 16" oil on canvas, 2016

So, this constant rain and entrapment has gotten me depressed.  I usually like the rain, but after a very stressful month, and so much to do outside, being caged up for days on end finally got the better of me, and I have been feeling down and out.

I decided to just do a little, limited palette study based on some photos I had from India, of Lake Vembanad, and try to think of happier things.  It was monsoon, and there was constant rain initially, but then, it cleared away, and you could literally see it moving off into the distance.  I hope this current cloud cover that has become stuck over our area decides to move on out of here too.  I could use a few days of sunshine.  It's either always sunny, or days and days of rain...can't we have a nice happy medium??

So, that's my gripe about the weather.  I'll go stick that gripe into the garbage pail along with others ones that have zero ways of being changed hahaha.  And no, I'm not traveling away to avoid some rainy days...those adventures will come later.

:-) enjoy~

Brown eggs and lime

"Brown eggs and half a lime" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2016

The rain...more and more comes, so, I decided to hang inside today and just do some still life studies.  The brown eggs and half a lime looked interesting, especially in the lower light, so I decided they would be most interesting to paint.

I have some really cool things coming on the horizon, so I'm kind of laying low while I mull things over and try and work everything into it's place in terms of scheduling and stuff.  Some exciting travels, and some exciting projects, so I'm pretty, well, excited!

I guess for now, I will leave you with this little study and if you like brown eggs and lime (separate, or, maybe together!). here is a little painting for you.

Enjoy~

Soft rain

"Soft rain, low mountain" by Hilary J. England, 8" x 11" oil on canvas, 2016

I'm still working with themes that are serene.  The wet, foggy mountain in Spring, wildflowers all in bloom, the misty engulfing the young pines like a mother wrapping her arms softly around their new, tender branches.  I love the change of seasons, even if it means having soggy feet.

The drizzle, and then the rain.  My sneakers didn't hold up well, but then, I should of worn my hiking boots.  They are made for the damp earth and muddy puddles, and slippery rocks and all the wonderful things that signal the warmer weather.  But, today was chilly and damp, but I could still smell the scent of life in the air.  There is no mistaking that delicious smell, even if its accompanied by a sneeze or two.

Enjoy~

The bridge to unknown pastures

"The bridge to unknown pastures" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 8" x 16" 2016

My musings and ruminations on death and the journey there, and then beyond, continue.  This is another painting I did today, although it's photographed a bit on the dark side (literally and not metaphorically --it's probably just a slight shade lighter when viewing in person as my Canon took the day off and I had to photo with the iPad), it is actually a bit more serene then the other two.  I mean my frame of mind was when painting it anyway.  For now! For today, but that's cool, because that's all that matters or counts.

I mused about how many "journeys within the journey" we actually take, as people come and go from our lives, some make a little impact, others you will walk with for all of eternity, and the "micro-journeys" we complete help shape us as surely as a chisel in a sculptor's hand.  Some of us walk a very traditional path, and the road always seems to be clear and level for these folks.  I used to grumble that they were lucky, but now, not so much any more.  I'd be the person crashing along the bank, coming up on the bridge head on rather than neatly along the road.  I've accepted that as well, and count myself as lucky that I see things maybe a little different than others.  Some may say that's "psycho" but I disagree.  I don't usually hear voices in my head (not mean ones that tell me to rampage anyway lol) or any other symptoms of disturbia, so I think it's all good.  I have a tendency to think and think and think, and sometimes that's not a pleasant thing, but at other times it allows me to really steep myself into the multiple nuances and complexities of a situation, and see the beauty of it, when others don't.  That has been the one biggest gift of my life...being able to roll with things, even very ugly or scary situations, and still find beauty and purpose in it.

I'm been gifted with the ability to move through things and still not feel "victimized".  Shit happens, to be blunt, and it doesn't always have to be someone's fault, or some cosmic conspiracy against me.  Sometimes I will feel self- pity like any other person, but in the end, I can usually see through it, and just let the whole situation go.  Give it to God, and just keep on walking.  He always fixes things up way better than I could have anyway, so why obsess?

So, there it is for today.  Enjoy!!

 

Visible shore

"Visible shore" by Hilary J. England, 2016, oil on canvas, 11" x 14"

Here's another little par coeur  painting I did regarding my thoughts on mortality, loss, and grappling to make sense of the passage of time and people.

I thought of what C.S. Lewis alluded to with the examination of death and the different metaphors he used, and what Tolkien had beautifully written about death being a distant shore.  I don't know if it was Tolkien that used a simple story to explain death and transition as a boat leaving port -- that when the ship leaves port, the people on the pier lose sight of the ship and feel sad watching it go and after it passes the horizon line and our field of vision, it seems to be gone altogether, yet  the people on the distant shore begin to see the appearance and arrival of that ship, and rejoice.  The passing through the veil.  The veil between life and death, the veil of tears.

As we get older and see the speeding up of these processes in relation to each year that passes, in some instances, we can see that shore starts to grow more visible.  You can turn your head away, and pretend you don't see what you truly see, but I think it's better to make peace with the truth, and to not fight what is on the horizon.

Making peace with things we absolutely resist is one of the greatest challenges of life, but it is part of the essential experience we must grow through as humans.  And, like all humans, I continue to struggle with certain things, and I think it will not grow easier with time, just more acceptable.

At least that's my hope.

"The journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silver glass. And then you see it. White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise."  Tolkien

~Enjoy.

Recovery

"Ominous" by Hilary J. England, 11" x 14" oil on canvas, 2016

It's been a long and horrible month.  I'm going to get very personal here since this is a very personal painting.  I suppose I could just let you all "wonder" at the story behind it, or where it originated from.  Did I go scope out some strange little child alone and naked on a lakeshore, and start painting her?. LOL, no.  This painting is just my personal "story" of the situation I am dealing with. My Dad nearly died after a bout of pneumonia this month, and the toll of that episode wiped me out more than I realized or anticipated.  I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't relax or concentrate, and the days just slipped by with me not realizing anything at all, just feeling like crap, and there being zero I could do to correct it, or move through it. Dad's still fighting to recover, and for that I am grateful, but the anguish of watching his suffering had really left me in a deep depression.

I painted this little painting today, to try and move through this funk I'm in.  I realized that Dad's illness stripped away everything in my life, to when I was a little child, and I was terrified of the unknown. I remember standing on the age of a lake, looking at the water, feeling anxious and afraid, not knowing what was in there and if it would swallow me up.

So, here was my psychological therapy for the day.  I don't usually do paintings "from my head", but this one was different, because I really needed to try and work out all of the struggles I was dealing with, and this helped me.  Didn't "fix" everything, but it helped.

~Enjoy.

Redwoods

"Redwoods" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 24" X 36", 2016

I finished this landscape for myself.  I needed something new and relaxing to look at while I'm laying in bed in the throes of insomnia.  :-D

I have a bunch of other paintings I'm working on, but I feel so off-track this last week or so.  I don't know what's up, as I am not sick or anything, but I guess it's just one of those things.  I'll find my direction next week or so, I'm sure.  

Enjoy~

Life's a garden

"Dusk in the flower garden" by Hilary J. England
11" x 14", oil on canvas, 2016

I can't believe a whole month got away from me.  I have been working on various projects, including a book, and I had two different commissions, so this work has kept me very busy.

This week was a sad week.  News of death arrived, and that always hurts and is a wake-up call of sorts: Life is hard, but life is beautiful.  Along with the death of my friend, and there was also the death of a young man -- the son of an acquaintance from long ago -- very very sad.  These type of inexplicable events always give me pause to stop, and reflect.  Yes, life is hard, but life is beautiful.

So, I began to paint from some old photos I put together.  I really wanted to cheer myself up and just paint something that would warm my heart up again, and for me, that is always children.  And gardens.  Because after all, life is a garden, and children are life, so I painted this little painting, outside in the beautiful warm air, just lost in my own thoughts. Life and truth and beauty.

And -- I also reflected that with the sad news came sweet news also.  News of babies being born, and others to come -- quite a few of them are on the way with Spring and Summer -- and that made me smile.  Who doesn't smile when life renews itself?

So, I look forward to the Spring with renewed vigor and a positive joy for things to come!

~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. 

Old Apple

"Old apple" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 15" 2016
 

Here is another quick study of Winter I did while out and about looking for interesting things on my walks. 

For some reason, this old, decaying, faded apple -- eaten out, and now decomposing, caught my eye. It was just laying there, a bed of compacted dead grasses and vegetation, nestled in the melting snow. Maybe it was the contrasts of all the interesting colors, both warm and cool, or the symbolism of it in regard to the season of Winter: the end of things, nostalgia, death, decay, yet the flip side, peace, quiet, gentle snow, pure bracing air that cleanses...

This winter has not been a very bad one, with only one very tame blizzard, that arrived like a gentleman on a Friday, and left discreetly by Saturday evening.  I have been able to get some work done, but I notice that no matter how unaffected I think I may be by the mild weather, I still notice there is a change of mindset in winter that is not related to weather.  Even in nice weather, my energies are different, so there is that observation as well.

~Enjoy!

Study of female model

Study of female model, backlit -- colored Conte on gray Ingres/cardboard, 18" x 24"

 

Today's live morning work at the Art Establishment.  We decided for a longer pose, with the model clothed because it was so dang cold.  Even clothed, it is cold.  Even with the portable heaters, it was cold.  January is just plain cold.

I chose an area to draw from where she was backlit, but even then, I tried to just focus on that unique lighting.  She had her arm extended to the side in an odd way, and this was a hard pose for her to keep, and for me to foreshorten also, with her body rotated and legs completely obscured beneath a long black skirt, but again, I tried to focus on the interesting backlighting.

I was in dire need of more coffee, and it's been so long that I've done a figure with clothing on, and in Conte dry pastel, it was a very foreign experience.  I'm glad I tried to mix it up though.  Stretching yourself and challenging yourself is what it's about at these sessions.  I almost cheated went for my paints, but I forced myself to just work in dry medium, and suck it up lolololol.

Winter observations

"Abandoned suitcase in the reeds" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 7" x 14, 2016

Here is a plein air painting I did the day before yesterday.  It was so blistering cold, my fingers kept getting numb, and my Liquin got all goopy, and my canvas blew into the dirt a few times too.  This weather sometimes makes me very depressed, so I try to work through it.  I don't know if it's the weather as much as it is the time of year...after the holidays, and everyone seems to be dropping dead.  It gets dark by mid-afternoon, and my eyeballs dry out at night from the heat being on. Enough to make you want to hibernate until Spring.

This painting reflects the forlorn mood I was in.  A sad, broken suitcase, just mouldering on the edge of the frigid river, nestled sadly amongst the dead reeds and cold rocks.  I thought of the trips it made or didn't make, and now, it's final resting place.  Winter sometimes does that to me -- makes me too introspective.

Anyway, I thought it was an interesting composition, and I have decided on my walks in the very mean weather of January and February to record the feelings and sights of winter.  So here is the first.

~Enjoy.

Female Nude Study

Study of female nude reclining, Conte on Gray Ingres paper, 12" x 16, 2016

The new year has started off quite robustly, as if shot out of a cannon!  The weather has been nice and mild (I don't want to jinx things here) so going to Bethlehem has not been odious, as the Blue Mountain is always that large, looming obstacle in the weather, and thankfully, we have seen no harsh conditions yet.  Yet.  Or maybe not this year.  It does happen once every few years: a mild, gentle winter.  We are definitely overdue!

I hadn't been to figure drawing in a while, just because I was busy, and time seems to slip away when you aren't paying that close of attention to it.  I had missed these drawing sessions, and hadn't realized how much, until I got there.  Now, the night before, I had precious little sleep (I have been wrestling with insomnia yet again), but I forced myself into that car with two large super-strong coffees and I was very happy that I did.  I like seeing familiar friendly faces and the camaraderie of the figure drawing group...it makes me feel very comfortable, like I am at home.  We all are so passionate about the same thing: the beauty of beauty.  Exploring the complexities of  anatomy and translating it into the second dimension. The rhythm and harmony of the human proportions. So that's a large part of things also.

I have a lot of different opportunities that have recently come at me, and it is a little overwhelming, since I was kind of on "coasting" mode.  I am trying to sort through them, in a studied, logical way, but I feel a slight feeling of uneasiness, and I get this sinking feeling sometimes that no matter how much thought you try to put into a decision, it's kind of going to go on it's own merry route, regardless of your attempt at planning.  Kind of like children!  So, I'm trying not to "overthink" things either.  Yes, as Anthony was saying to me, he has a feeling that 2016 is going to be a really good year filled with amazing opportunities and growth!  I agree. :-)

Impending storm

"Impending storm (over the harvested field)" oil on canvas, 8" x 11" by Hilary J. England

I motivated myself to photo up some of the work I did in autumn 2015 that I kind of just had piled up. I want to start 2016 right!  Everyone asks about New Year's resolutions, and I always say the same thing: I don't make them.  But, I do make a list of things I would like to improve or work on for the year, along with some concrete goals, and getting a bit more organized with my time is always my struggle, as is staying on top of tasks I loathe, such as photographing my work (as I have said over and over again).  I am looking to take the "bull by the horns" this year!

I will post them up as I get them recorded, and try to stay a bit more timely with it.  That is my ultimate goal for 2016.  That, and cutting back on sugar :-D

~Enjoy!

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!

In the shadow of the great tree

"In the shadow of the great tree" watercolor on paper, 11" x 16" 2015

The weather has been really beautiful these last few days, and hardly feels like Thanksgiving is approaching.  I have set out to work on some studio projects, in the anticipation of some not-so-nice-weather, but that has not been the case.  So, I figure I will post the last of my beautiful weather/San Fran trip studies today, and then continue in my studio for today.  The plan is to enjoy the next day of weather, and do a little local plein air work.

This study was in the shadow of the great tree.  It was so very majestic, that it still takes my breath away, being in God's cathedral.  What a truly magnificent and humbling experience.  I can see now where Gaudi derived his natural inspirations for the columns in La Sagrada Familia.  Just a stunning connection to me, as if a lightbulb went off in my head, and I had that true "a-ha" moment.  So very very lovely....

Redwoods and admirers

"Redwoods and admirers in Muir" watercolor on paper, 11" x 16", 2015

A relaxing day after a whirlwind of activity this last week, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I can see the huge, benign, billowing clouds drifting by on the currents here, and Huntington is quiet.  It's nice we had a cloudy, "East-like" day here.  Keeps things real.  

Here is a watercolor study I did of some of the ravishing redwoods in Muir Woods.  Of course, you can never really do justice to such a majestic sight...cameras do even less, as I looked through my photos today and saw with much disappointment how the charged atmosphere that throbbed with life there was reduced to flat, almost mosaic-like tiles.  Frustrating, but the real deal is captured in my mind forever, so that's what counts.  A painting can make an attempt to bridge the gap between the real and the impressed...how it left an impression.  And it certainly did.  I do wish I had my oils, as watercolors are so, well, watery!  I find them frustrating mostly, and end up looking like a kid in preschool with paint all over my hands after swiping at them in an attempt to somehow make them more versatile like oils.  Laying in washes, lifting out color, dry brush work consisting of lots of stabbing, scribbing and angst....that's my watercoloring haha.  But, in all, it wasn't bad for a quick study, if I do say so myself.

Enjoy!  

San Fran

As much as I wanted to dislike San Francisco, I must say, I really enjoyed it.  I thought it would be a Lefty paradise, but I was pleasantly surprised, both by the very beautiful area, and the laid back people.  The city itself is at a pleasant pace, and minus some aggressive homeless people, it really is a very enjoyable city.  

Dale and I crammed in as much joie de vivre as we could in our small amount of time here, and as much as I loved the cultural activities such as visits to the local gallery scene, taking in some of the historical sites, etc., the crowning part of this trip was to Muir Woods, right outside of Sausalito, over the Golden Gate.  The redwood forest was so breathtaking, it stirred my soul so deeply, I never wanted to leave there.  It was as if one of those great, old, noble trees, with the nooks and crags and corridors, all of their mystery and magnitude, had a little doorway you could duck into, and be in the realm of elves and fairies, or cross over to some world like Narnia.  It was sublime.

All said, San Francisco seems a breezy town, large enough to rival Manhattan Island in it's sprawl, but minus the frenzy that seems to accompany NYC.  The city has a somewhat empty feel to it, and there is also an decent amount of empty storefronts throughout, along with the large homeless population that is not restricted to the mission, which gives it a somewhat forlorn feeling at times, of a city on the precipice of death, rather than one that is growing.  This city, seems to us, just at face value, a city that is surviving on tourism.  No one we met was a native.

Looking at the stats here, it's no wonder.  The city dwellers, by and large, can't afford to live here, and that puts many businesses under, due to out of control rents, and wage workers that can't afford to live in the city, or even near it, to fill the lower paying jobs.  Socialist policies versus capitalist corruption, and a magic elixir of disaster.  Very sad.

So, I was happy to have visited this very lovely city, and enjoyed the best of what it has to offer, the beautiful views, the easy pace, the yummy restaurants, and then, leave.  That's the best of all worlds!