Jackson, WY
Astoria Fine Art, July 21-30
Matthew Hillier, Great Egret Preening, oil, 24 x 36.
This story was featured in the July 2019 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art July 2019 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
SCENES OF CRASHING waves, seabirds, and sailing vessels may not be the first images that come to mind when considering what might be on view at a gallery in Jackson, WY, a town most commonly associated with Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, western wildlife, cowboy and native American cultures, and great skiing. But Greg Fulton, managing partner of Astoria Fine Art, finds perfect logic in dedicating a summer exhibition to works by Matthew Hillier, an artist who has gained widespread admiration for his dramatic depictions of precisely such aquatic subjects. “Visitors come here from all over the world, and they’re people who aren’t necessarily interested in western art alone,” notes Fulton. “They’re just attracted to quality. And they say Hillier’s paintings of the sea are the best they’ve ever seen.”
-
- Matthew Hillier, Morning Walk, oil, 30 x 30.
-
- Matthew Hillier, Summer Evening Sail, oil, 18 x 24.
-
- Matthew Hillier, Hide and Seek—Tree Frogs, oil, 24 x 18.
With good reason. Rendered with an uncanny realism, the artist’s works possess a near-kinetic energy so powerful that you can almost hear the crashing waves and the calling gulls. The Maryland-based artist, who grew up on the southern coast of England and studied wildlife illustration in the Welsh countryside, has exhibited and won respect worldwide. That makes the format of his nine-day show particularly apt: “It’s a museum-style exhibition,” says Fulton, emphasizing the impact it will have. “We give the artist top billing and dedicate close to a thousand square feet to him in the best part of the gallery’s 3,500 square feet.”
At press time, Hillier planned to send about 10 paintings to Jackson for the show. Sizes range from a seascape measuring 36 by 48 inches—priced in “the high $20,000s,” according to Fulton—to a couple of 9-by-12-inch works that should sell for around $2,000 apiece. Gallery visitors can also expect to see such subjects as great and snowy egrets, some schooners at sea, and a pair of eagles on the Madison River in Yellowstone.
-
- Matthew Hillier, Hot and Dusty, oil, 16 x 36.
-
- Matthew Hillier, Snowy Egret at the Tide’s Edge, oil, 24 x 36.
-
- Matthew Hillier, Summer Surf, oil, 36 x 48.
Based on recent evidence, Fulton expects the show to do very well. Back in March, he explains, the gallery had five large Hillier canvases on display. “A gentleman came in and said, ‘These are fantastic. I can’t choose just one, so I’m going to buy them all.’ And we haven’t had any of Matthew’s paintings since then.”
The artist, meanwhile, tries not to think about the business end of the process, instead concentrating solely on the love he feels for what he chooses to paint and his dedicated efforts to distill its essence in oils on canvas. “It’s all about connecting with your subject,” he says. “I’m passionate about birds and about the ocean, the light and atmosphere and moods. I wish I could paint sound, because that’s such a big part of it. The calling of the birds, the movement of the water coming forward, the gulls fighting against the pull of the water, the crashing of the waves: That is what I’m trying to capture.” —Norman Kolpas
contact information
307.733.4016
www.astoriafineart.com
This story was featured in the July 2019 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art July 2019 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
MORE RESOURCES FOR ART COLLECTORS & ENTHUSIASTS
• Subscribe to Southwest Art magazine
• Learn how to paint & how to draw with downloads, books, videos & more from North Light Shop
• Sign up for your Southwest Art email newsletter & download a FREE ebook