First in Series

"The Mirror Image" by Hilary J. England
Oil on canvas 18" x 24" x 2", 2014

Here is the first painting in my series, "Transitions."   This painting is an extension of the "Rural American Youth" series in a way, in that many of the "players" in that series are continued into this series, but there are new focuses as well, and this series is rooted in change rather than in observations.

This painting, "The Mirror Image" revolves around Madeleine.  I saw the changes she went through after the sudden death of her young father, and how she struggled, and it sort of "diminished" her.  I could see her shrinking inside of herself, and suddenly, in a moment, she went from naive to wise, in the flash of that moment, it was visible.  I had never seen such a tangible moment in another human being, as if someone had literally lifted a veil from her eyes, and what she saw was horrifying.  It was lighting off a bomb, I saw the explosion, and then instantly felt the repercussions, and lastly, could plainly view the damage.

I watched as she struggled to process the enormity of everything, how a portion of her childhood was left in tatters, and the flashes of sadness and anger as she looked to blame but didn't know how, so ultimately, she began to blame herself, which seems to be weakness that comes so naturally to children, as they mostly lack the viciousness to blame others, or put the sadness where it belongs.

I painted her in her best dress, to show the feebleness of her situation, how brave she is, yet how little and lost.  I painted this in a dramatic light, to show how the situation was suddenly there, like spotlights in a prison break, yet she will come through it, eventually.

Digging Out

"Fresh grave in the pale winter sun" by Hilary J England
8" x 11" oil on canvas panel, 2014

Sometimes when I sit in my office, I get the maddening whiff of flowers, and it reminds me of a funeral home.  I don't know why, and it's all year long, and ONLY in this one particular room.  Strange.

The cemetery is not really a sad place though, and over the years, we unfortunately have had a pretty decent number of family and friends now become residents there.  We all die, but the sad thing is, for most of us, no one remembers beyond life.  Ever go sit in a cemetery?  Especially in Winter?  Not exactly a bustling place or beehive of activity.  I sat there for hours, and there was not one solitary visitor.  I walked the graveyard like a ghost, looking at the various headstones, both recent and old, and wondered how some of the younger people met their demise.  One particularly poignant plot of earth captivated my attention: a young woman of 18.  No marker.  Just a faded piece of paper, crumbled and ragged from the elements, waiving feebly in the wind, with just her name, date of birth, date of death.  I felt intense pity for her.  Was that all she was worth?

Winter is sometimes a hard season.  We get pent up and on each others nerves as the cold, bad weather, and illness keeps us indoors.  I don't know why I wound up at Skyview.  I had a coffee and was just happy to be out of the house, even though I am wracked with some kind of lung infection, I felt I needed the clean air.  And there was this place...

Sunlight and storm

"Sunlight and storm" by Hilary J. England
8" x 10" oil on canvas panel, 2014

This is how I feel lately, but that's OK.  I know that God is with me, and that the evil people that have surrounded us are getting their due, or at least, will get their due in time.  As the Good Book states in Romans 12:19, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,' says the Lord."  Yes, these evil people who have tried to destroy my family, even some from within, will stand and face God, and receive their due, in this life perhaps, but certainly in the next.  That is enough comfort for me. I trust God, and with that, I move forward secure and confident that the evil that has been put against us will be dealt with completely by my Lord. I give them to God, and I do what is asked of me, I forgive the situation, and pity these people, because they live in complete darkness, and I move on.  I shake the dust of their evil doings off of my feet, and keep marching on.

I am happy today, very happy.  A new chapter of my life is opening, and I look forward to it with excitement, interest, and exhilaration.  There are many options open to me, no matter how haters have tried to crush out our hopes, it is not possible!  I am a Phoenix that rises from the ashes, always. 2014 is going to be an amazing year, a banner year!  I know this in my heart, in every fiber of my being!  When big change comes, it is like an earthquake, and sometimes it levels things we have shakily constructed, that we thought was good, but in actuality, was not.  We can't see it at the time, because as humans, we mostly fear change, because it is at best uncomfortable, and at worst, catastrophic, but if we remain faithful, all things work for the good of those that love Him.  This truth keeps my heart hopeful, always hopeful!

So, with that, I hope you enjoy this little painting, "Sunlight and storm."  May it bring a little peace to you as well~

Peace and Tranquility

"Lakeside flowers at dusk" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2014

Things have simmered down for the moment.  The judge took pity on my daughter, with her never having been in trouble with the law before, and an extremely "flimsy" case against her which actually seemed to anger him that she was before him with four little children and an extremely agitated mother (ME), and let her go until the preliminary hearing, at which time, he feels all charges should and will be dropped against her.

I had to give this all to God, because I was fuming at the fact that the perpetrator who did this is walking around free, and actually making jokes that he did this to her.  A 70 year old man!!!  You can imagine how I feel about this person, but I gave it to God, knowing in the end He will deal with him, and that will be worse than anything I could ever say or do.

So, we move along.  Tomorrow I have an important occasion to attend with my old Master artist's retirement party, and I am very much looking forward to it.  I will miss him and his Studios, and the world will seem a blander place now that he is not in Coplay anymore.  "Time stops for no one" gets more and more true with each passing year...

Here is a little painting of the local lake, "Lakeside flowers at dusk" where I was trying to find my center again.  I imagined it in Summer, with the reeds and wildflowers and goldenrod all in full bloom.  I hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful day!

New Year, New Hopes

"Stormy waves breaking over rocks" by Hilary J. England
8" x 10" oil on canvas, 2014

I have high hopes for 2014.  2013 was pretty much an awful year for us, but I have high hopes for 2014.  Sure, it has started off with an unhappy bang, with some potentially bad events looming in the future, but I have faith in the Lord to work it all out to the good of us that love Him.  So, we steam forward.

We have a very serious situation that cold-cocked us out of left field:  my oldest daughter being wrongfully arrested and facing some very large charges that could result in substantial jail time for her.  Long story short:  her landlord put stolen property into her garage without her knowledge, and she was arrested for possession of this stolen property.  She is a widow with four small children under 7 years old, and this is a devastating situation, to put it bluntly.  She has never been in trouble with the law, so this is really horrifying.

So, rather than lose my mind at the potential ramifications of this for her, the children, and our family in general, I am in deep prayer and maintaining faith that God will protect her and our babies through this ordeal, and the landlord and his cohorts will be prosecuted, and all charges will be dropped against her.

So, the paintings I have been doing are reflecting this pain.  I can't touch on it too deeply, just move in a way that will be both therapeutic and releasing for the deep pain that I am feeling right now.

This painting is called "Stormy waves breaking over rocks."  Enjoy~

Goodbye 2013

"Clouds over the lake" by Hilary J. England
8" x 10" oil on canvas, 2013

This is the last painting of 2013.  It is number 2 in my 100 cloud studies...this, the last painting of 2013. Usually, I feel a slight twinge of sadness knowing that the year is over, never to return, now filed away in the forgotten cabinets of history, only to be dusted off and remembered in fragments.  I picture the old year as an old man, breathing out his last at midnight.  If it was a good year, people are joyous and hopeful.  If it was a bad year, people are more subdued and fervent with desperation that the next year will bring better fortune.  2013, unfortunately, was the latter.

I wish I could say 2013 was "lucky 13" for me, but as a whole, it was a sad year.  Sure, I was lucky, at the beginning, to escape a cancer diagnosis of my own, but Mark was literally diagnosed within a month of that episode with terminal cancer, and the following month we suddenly and horrifyingly lost Isaac on Mother's Day, all in the midst of a very chaotic and painful move from our B&B that we adored, and in that very week, the week of Isaac's funeral, my lovely cousin lost her own full term baby during a stillbirth.  It was traumatic to say the least.

On the positives, we were given a new, beautiful baby Isaac Jr. to warm our hearts. He doesn't replace his Dad, but he sure was a very wonderful piece of Heaven to be given as a final "piece" of Isaac Sr.  My sister Dale also had a beautiful bouncing baby boy, and my sister Jill got married in a beautiful wedding ceremony. We moved into a fine new townhouse, and after being here for a few months, really have come to love the quiet of having our home be our "own" versus the hustle and bustle of our Inn.  I made some very nice friends in town, including my new pal Craig, who has been a very big blessing.

So, we count our blessings, try to accept our pain without bitterness or the hindrance of cynicism, and just move forward.  We don't know what 2014 will bring, but we start off with a glowing hope for a wonderful year to look forward to!  I feel it in my heart that 2014 will be a year of great accomplishments and amazing new opportunities.

If I have learned any one thing through the years, it is to be grateful to be alive.  Life is a gift, and each new day is a gift.  It may be cliche, but it sure is true.  I am thankful for my beautiful and wonderful family, of whom I would never trade or change, lol, and for the many, many blessings and advantages my Lord has gifted me with, including the fact I was born into the "wealthiest" nation on Earth.  Thank you Lord, for the multitude of blessings, but mostly, for your personal gift of salvation.  That gift in itself is so wonderful, there are no words.  With that bright thought, I wish you all a wonderful, peaceful, healthy and prosperous New Year 2014!  God bless and keep you :-)

Head in the clouds

"Study of clouds approaching sunset" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2013

I've been working on cloud studies these last few days, and think I will continue to.  I have decided to do 100 small studies of clouds, and 100 small studies of trees, because these things interest me, and keep my mind "limber." So, I have started these yesterday.

This was what I saw off of Hawk Mountain.  Just lovely!  I hope you enjoy it as well.

Old barn in the countryside

"Old barn in the countryside" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 11" x 16", 2013

I painted this painting rather metaphorically.  The old barn is me, me in the countryside, but no matter how old and dilapidated I feel sometimes, there is a beauty to every season of life, and always a breakthrough, because God is always near, so there is always a beauty in life, even when it's hard to see through the storms.

Christmas always reminds me of the beauty of God's love for us, by sending His son to us, and loving us that much.  I have children, and the thought of the sacrifice involved with God's love offering to us is so enormous, it is hard to fathom sometimes.  It makes me humble and so grateful to know the tremendous power and love of a personal deity that is love incarnate.  Christmas is such a beautiful time of year, filled with the power of love, which is the Holy Spirit. It makes me so thankful for all that I have been blessed with, but most of all, that I know God, and that Jesus is my Lord and Savior.

I pray for the love of God to be with each of you, and that you may also come to know the deep love and sanctifying relationship of accepting Jesus.  It is a decision I made long ago, and a decision that I have never regretted, and will be thankful for through all of eternity.  May the peace and beauty of Christ be with you through this Christmas, and the new year to come!

Old year 2013

"Gray day" by Hilary J. England
8" x 10" oil on canvas, 2013

The snow has melted off, and now it is a balmy 62 degrees here in PA, strange for Christmas, but somehow nice and comforting.  The clouds rolled in, and yet, the feeling of happiness is still here, as we approach the end of 2013.  It was a hard year, very hard.  I know in my heart 2014 will be a good one, full of potential, promise, and progress.  I just feel it inside.  Last year, it was strange, but I knew 2013 would be a hard year, and it could be as obvious as it being the number "13," or just a gut feeling I had, and it proved to be so. But, this new year, well, I just think it will be a good one.

So, here is a little local landscape "Gray day" of the late Autumn/early winter fields in the grayness of a gentle rainy day.  I do love the gray, as much as I love the sun and the azure blues of a clear day, all things work together to be beautiful.

Enjoy~

Relaxation

"Little hands" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2013

Well, it is the lull before the holiday "storm," haha!  Only a few days until the little kids can rip into their gifts, so between the snowstorms, I am holding down the fort!

The tree is up, the cookies baked, the house is decorated, the gifts are wrapped, so I feel pretty good ;-)  Now that all of the holiday stress is off, I have been quietly working away on my new series, and that requires a lot of figure studies, etc.  I began to study the little kids' hands, since children's hands are quite different from adults, in that they are so juicy and chubby, and that is a much harder look to capture than lean adult hands, or bony elderly hands, etc.

So, here is a little study I painted of two chubby little kids' hands.  I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I hope you do too!

Almost Christmas!

Wow, we are getting into the home stretch here!  I can't believe how fast this month flew by, and how we are nearly to Christmas and New Year.  Trust me, I am very happy about that :-)  I love the Christmas season, and New Year is always a blessing.  Each year is a gift!

I am really looking forward to 2014.  I have a feeling it will be an amazing year!  I am excited to do the artist's residency in Bucharest, Romania, for the summer (I think I mentioned this earlier!).  Just in case, I will rehash it:  I was one of 20 artists gifted to spend June/July 2014 in Sibiu, through the Dacia Gallery, New York City.  It should be an amazing experience, intensive study and all, as the Carpathian mountains and Transylvania have always been so very mysterious and interesting to me. 

I also plan to spend October in Berlin and Paris, so I have many blessings to look excitedly to, besides the wonderful blessings of family and friends I have as a constant in my life.

I would like to wish everyone a wonderful and blessed Christmas and Happy New Year 2013 just in case I let the time slip by and don't check in.  Blessings to you and your families for 2014!!!

The barren field

"The barren field" by Hilary J. England
8" x 10" oil on canvas, 2013

Winter is upon us, suddenly it seems.  This painting is of a local barren field, with all of the colors of Autumn still around, but not now.  Now all is covered in the first layers of Winter, in the delicate icy snow of our first inclement weather.

I have been very busy working, and that's great, because it's what I love.  I hope you have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Enjoy~

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"
12" x 16" acrylic on canvas

Here is a fun painting I did in a "Paint and Sip" group.  We had a lovely time, and even though I don't "sip" (that is, I only sip water haha), I certainly love the painting and the being around a lovely group of people, so it was a really fun night!  Each person has their own personal interpretation of the idea, and here was mine--all whimsy, kitsch, and nostalgia--that's how I love the holidays!

Enjoy!

Little Schuylkill in Autumn

"Study of Little Schuylkill in Autumn" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2013

Hooray!  We finally got rid of the worst internet service on the planet (Hughesnet) and got a good service provider, so for the first time in six months, I actually have a good internet connection.  It's awesome...funny how you take simple things for granted until they are gone!

I am moving full steam ahead with several projects, and am looking forward to some really great opportunities that are coming shortly.  I will post more particulars as they come along.

So, here is a little painting of the Little Schuylkill in Autumn.  Enjoy!

Autumn birch tree in the Blue Mountains

"Study of Autumn birch tree in the Blue Mountains" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2013

It's been crazy hard for me these last few weeks, but I am pushing through.  I refuse to remain down, and have plans that I have put into action, and this is bringing me much needed comfort.  I have started the new series, and unfortunately ran into some set-backs concerning equipment, but I also look forward to getting this corrected within the next week or two, so patience is my friend right now.

I leave you with this little painting of the lovely sights around my "neck of the woods."  Enjoy!

Sunset over the cranberry bog

"Study of sunset and the Cranberry bog" by Hilary J England, 2013
oil on canvas, 8" x 10"

I have been working away on my bigger series, which is good, but here is a quick little study I did of a dramatic scene at the Cranberry bog.  The dead tree that was submerged looked both beautiful, interesting and lonely, plus I am enamored with dramatic colors, so this was a fun and interesting little painting to create.

Enjoy~

Sweet dreams

"Sleeping beauty" by Hilary J. England
clay sculpture, 2013

I have officially started sculpting. I have wanted to for a long time.  It would eat away at the back of my brain, constantly there, and always nagging at me.  I remember being in Barcelona and looking at some of the contemporary sculpture there, and thinking, "I would absolutely love to start sculpting," but the time slipped by, and I always found a reason not to:  I didn't have the equipment, I didn't have the training, yada yada yada.  So, about a month ago, I just decided to end the excuses, pick up the basic equipment, make an armature, and today, viola:  My first attempt.  Not too shabby if I do say so myself.  I only worked on it for 2 hours, and it's a pretty large bust, almost 2 feet in height.  And wow, did I enjoy it!

I won't say who this is, as I worked on this piece completely from instinct, with no references, no photos, just my memory to aid me in the creation  I just dug into the creamy clay, and my mind went into its own direction. This piece is not finished yet, but I am happy with the progress of it, especially as it is my first attempt at a sculptural portrait, and have never had any training in sculpture at all.  I have just been devouring every book on sculpture I can lay my hands on in preparation to begin working in the medium, and I must say, I feel like a fish in water.  This medium seems to come pretty naturally to me.  This gives me encouragement to pursue it as another artistic expression, and one that I will devote a lot of attention to.

I figured I would take some pictures, because they help me to see what changes I want to make, what needs to be altered (and I can see some things right off that I want to change/correct), and helps give me a comparison record to employ as the sculpture progresses.  I noticed one thing right off the bat that gave me a chuckle that needs correcting, but that is what is great about taking a photo: it gives a neutral perspective, kind of like a "third party."  Wonderful!

So, now it's time to clean up, catch a quick dinner, and head up into my studio to work on some paintings.  Have a nice night!!

Stonehedge in Autumn

"Stonehedge in Autumn" 2013 by Hilary J. England
Oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 

I have been working away, now that I have my space set up in the basement for my sculpting studio.  I also put my jewelry bench in, as I am starting to make a series of sterling silver art jewelry pieces, and I absolutely love doing that as my hobby. Look for my posts as I start adding jewelry pieces for sale as well.  I love jewelry inspired by nature and fantasy, so I am looking forward to turning out some interesting pieces soon.

I had alot of problems with my photography again, haha, my old nemesis, the camera, when it comes to getting some quick photos up of this last little plein air piece.  I started this at Stonehedge during the Fall festival, but then the weather turned windy, cold and rainy, so I packed it in, and did the last bit of it at home in studio from memory.  So, it's sort of a half-and-half piece: half plein air, half par coer.  A hybrid!

Enjoy!

Work and the tidal wave

"Bug buddies" Clay sculpture, 8" x 11", 2013, by Hilary J. England

I have started working on my new series, and it is wonderful to be back on track.  I was nearly rolled by the tidal wave of clinical depression, but I am fighting hard to keep moving, to keep my head above water, to not sink into that pit.

Mark has been holding steady, and we take things day-to-day.  I just try to make sure that I can put my game face on, and keep on track for the schedule I have.  I also am starting to do some volunteer teaching at the Tamaqua Arts Center, because I know one of the best ways to mentally feel better is to give back to others.  I will teach a 2 hour beginner's drawing class there once a week, and that helps the community by helping the kids learn some wonderful new skills rather than play video games, haha.

I have been working on these therapeutic little clay sculptures, as a warm-up to the bigger sculptures I am about to undertake for my series.  I always loved primitive art, folk art, and fantasy realm stories like from Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, etc., and it was in this frame of mind I did these kitschy little primitive sculptures.  They help lighten my mood, and cheer me up.  I hope they do the same for you! The first one is entitled "Bug buddies."  Enjoy :-)

Little Lovers

"Little lovers" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 11" 2013

It's been very busy, and I am slow to upload my paintings for the last two weeks, but I am finding my way back on track, hooray!

I have several upcoming shows I am prepping for, and trying to upgrade my studio at the same time, so I am one busy mama!  This is the first time I uploaded a painting I photographed with my phone, since someone (I won't name names LOL) used my camera, and left it on, and of course, when I went to use it, the battery was dead.  Not to break my stride and put my whole day behind, I decided to attempt to photo today's session with my cell.  Not horrible, but not terrific either, but it will have to do ;-)

So, here is my painting, "Little lovers" as I am warming up to start my new series of paintings, digital artwork, and 3-D artwork.  I am really excited to finally have gotten over my "block" of what my new series would be, but it came to me like a lightning bolt (I love that!) and now I am ready and anxious to begin!! This painting is just a warm up study, and not part of the series, but as I start working in a series, I start doing little studies of subjects that are somehow related, even if its just the genre, such as figurative work.  This series of course will be a social realist, largely figurative series, so I have started moving into that direction with my studies.

So, have a wonderful day, and Enjoy!