Fine Art Magazine June 18

Cornwall Days, Varnished Original, 28” x 28” Over the last few months, Barry Hilton has found himself looking at and listening to his surroundings in a slightly different way. He began to feel that basing his work purely on his local area meant he was missing out on opportunities to expand his perspective, his palette and his passion for painting the countryside. His need to move on with his work increased and he is now travelling in order to seek out inspiration for his stunning portrayals of light and landscape. Barry says: “I still operate on the ‘less is more’ principle. My subject matter of coastal and interior countryside is largely derived from where I live but I am now making trips to very different areas, recently Cornwall, and the Yorkshire Dales are next on the list. I am exploring a different palette which is virtually monochromatic within the parameters of the piece while maintaining the vibrancy of each shade; and while storm cast clouds will remain my signature style, I have been experimenting with a flatter sky on occasion. I have always enjoyed setting myself new challenges both in terms of technique and in the way I look at subject matter. My imagination runs wild when I’m painting and I apply it to what I see rather than recreating it. I inhabit a world of dreams which feels a million miles away from the commercial aspects of the world we live in. My new approach will be an extension of what I am already well known for and I trust my collectors to understand my need to evolve as an artist. I believe that the stormy, almost at times apocalyptic, skies will continue to roll in, but accept that I am becoming more rounded and rewarded by my artistic life.” A WORLD OF DREAMS BARRY HILTON 26 BARRY HILTON ARTIST FEATURE