This week we welcome Hilarie Couture to our blog. Hilarie and I met through Open Studios of Clark County. Her work is lively, colorful, and full of energy. I especially enjoy her recent addition of ribbon lights in her work. Here is what Hilarie had to say about her work.

I am inspired by light, and color, and my passion and energy for painting people. I am constantly stretching and creating new work that not only incorporates painting with mixed elements, which creates new textures, but also exploring use of materials and process.  The work combines meanings, contrasts, subject matter, thick and thin paint, hard and soft, paint with pastel, gold leaf and some unconventional materials …whatever I create, the goal is to cause the viewer to linger, wonder, enjoy, and be intertwined to the work.

These 2 pieces were staged in my studio and painted with oil. I had an idea of a dancer, like the ribbon event in the olympics and used led lights to enhance the paintings.

I have always been an artist but only recently have been able to concentrate on my art full time. All of my life experiences have translated to my canvases as I am self- taught but I do attend workshops from many artists I admire. I believe in giving back and sharing what I have learned to help other artists.  I teach workshops in my studio and am a sought after instructor for various art guilds teaching specialized workshops. I believe that art education is important especially at an early age and I teach art history and practical application of art principles to homeschool children weekly.

I have won numerous awards for my work and I am a signature member of the Northwest Pastel Society, I am also a member of the International Pastel Society and Pastel Society of America and an ambassador for Chartpak.

I offer portrait and other commissions at my studio/gallery in Vancouver, Washington or on location. I also offer wedding portrait painting and attend the venues to paint live as an option for a unique wedding keepsake.

These two pieces are pastel challenges, painting on black paper which is a different approach from an oil painting point of view. The models were staged in my studio, photos were taken, and then I painted from the photos. This is my typical work process.

Currently I am represented by Attic Gallery in Camas, Washington, Steel Door Gallery in Portland, Oregon, and Wandering Oaks Gallery in Bellingham, Washington. 

I have a solo show currently in Lynden, Washington at Jansen art Center, and have participated in various national group shows and solo shows. I also created my own show called Founding Mothers Portraits of Progress, honoring 55 women who made significant contributions to our community. I wrote a book to document the project. You can find more information about that project on my website and follow my work on instagram.