Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Hilton.
Hi Ann, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started painting during the pandemic. It was a mental health endeavor more than a creative one. I started with watercolor paint that I’d had in storage for over 20 years. I worked in fits and starts while my two girls were home from school for days on end. It was good to have a practice so I could be occupied but in the same room while my kids were in virtual school. From there I took a class in cold wax and oil paint after the Ann Arbor Art Center opened it’s doors. This relieved my fear of painting in oils. I had always held onto an idea that oils were precious and one needed a lot of instruction to start. Mixing oil paint with cold wax made the medium much more approachable and fun. Since then there has been a lot of experimentation.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a mixed bag, there are highs and lows, just like life. The struggles have been small and large but luckily nothing has thrown me totally off the path. The biggest struggle is time. I have 2 kids that deserve a lot of my attention and I love seeing how they are growing up, I’m proud to be a big part of that. But that means my art practice doesn’t get the time it deserves. It’s a small plant that I keep watering just enough to keep it alive. I’ve heard from other artist mothers that some day I will be able to figuratively re-pot my art practice in a bigger container so it can have the time and space to grow properly.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I paint in oils and watercolors. It’s been hard to specialize in any one thing. I explore different mediums and subjects as the wind blows. I like to be unpredictable and always doing something that excites me creatively. I have the freedom to dive into subjects and experiment with new mediums. I am most proud of being accepted to the Cuttyhunk Island Artist Residency in 2023. I was given more than a week to paint on Cuttyhunk Island which is in the chain of Elizabeth Islands which juts southwest from Cape Cod and is north of Martha’s Vineyard. Such a beautiful experience to be with a group of like minded artists isolated on an island for over a week. I have been asked by the Kerrytown Concert House to create a solo show for the spring, hopefully opening in May. My first gallery show just closed, I was featured artist at the Chris Nordin Gallery in Ann Arbor. I have been consistently successful at my neighborhood art show the Westside Art Hop (https://www.westsidearthop.com/), my neighbor, dear friend, and a great artist Sophie Grillet started this show with several other Ann Arbor artists. I show my paintings on my front porch or garage and the neighborhood comes alive with art lovers.
I love painting beautiful landscapes. I grew up in Northern Michigan near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore which has an abundance of natural beauty. I draw upon that in my paintings. I also paint with watercolor and gouache on unfinished wood so that wood grain pops through. Recently I have been most inspired by the industrial agricultural landscape of southeast Michigan. I have been challenging myself to find the beauty in rusty metal and abandoned farms. There are always beautiful skies and sunsets to paint. No matter where I am you’ll find me pulling off the side of the road to catch a cloud in the glory light of the evening. Clouds and skies have my heart more than any other subject.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I haven’t been painting for very long.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.annohilton.com
- Instagram: @annohilton
