Artist Statement:

I have been drawing and painting my entire life, and I draw a measure of peace and serenity from that practice that I find nowhere else. My goal is to find the beauty in what surrounds all of us and to communicate it in such a way that gives other people that same peaceful joy and appreciation for all the little miracles that are so often overlooked.

It is so rare to truly enjoy something, to stand before it in simple gladness that it exists. If I can present something that is a pure pleasure to the viewer, something that provides a moment of stillness that afterwards makes the sun shine a little brighter or the coffee seem a little more fragrant, then my purpose is accomplished.

The brilliant hues of a shadow, the repeated curves in the petals of a flower, the range of colors and reflections at a simple place setting- there is so much to wonder at and love in the details and contours of the simple things, those things we are surrounded by and so often fail to appreciate. It is a simple goal, the wish to see and record, but it is where I find meaning.

I work primarily in acrylic, with touches of other media- charcoal, graphite, and pastel frequently working together with washes of fluid acrylics, and papers, organic materials, and lace used to leave delicate impressions in some layers of paint. I also work on a variety of substrates, but am moving more towards the enduring appeal of the various surfaces provided by hardboard panel as opposed to paper or stretched canvas. The final step on each of my paintings is a coat of varnish, to protect the artwork and to intensify and unify the colors, bringing a wonderful sheen to the finished painting.

I work both from life and photographs on most of my work, enjoying the flexibility and increased sensitivty to color that comes with working from life, as well as the accuracy and stability that comes with working from photographs.

I truly hope that you enjoy experiencing my paintings as much as I enjoy creating them.

Hitting the highlights:

• I was born on December 30, 1982 to Steve and Brenda Hall, in Durham, North Carolina. They proceeded to have three more children- my two younger brothers, and my baby sister, over the next ten years or so.
• My freshman year in high school, my mother found a "Paint Like Bob Ross!" class for me to take. I had always loved drawing but that was my first real introduction to painting, and I loved it.
• Graduated from North Carolina State University's College of Design with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science in Architecture December 20, 2006.
• Married my wonderful husband, Mark Hill, on July 21, 2007.

Contacting me:

I would love to hear from you, whether you want to commission a work or to just talk. The best way to contact me is by email, at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com