Wednesday, May 21, 2014

SmithKlein Gallery Now Showing the Works of Hilario

 
Winter's Chill 33 x 33 Acrylic



SmithKlein Gallery presents the works of Hilario Gutierrez
 
The Artist:


On New Year’s Day in 1994 while traveling, Hilario faced the monolithic stone temples of Monument Valley, Arizona and recognized for the first time his true nature and his calling. Inspired, he returned home two days later and began to paint.  As an Arizona native with a rich ethnic heritage consisting of Aztec and German from his maternal side, and Yaqui Indian and Austrian from his paternal side, Hilario always identified with the spirit of the American Southwest. This unique identity became apparent with his earlier works.


Hilario believes that as an artist, he must be free to explore all directions and as many materials as possible to bring forth his creativity. He believes in order to successfully create a piece of art, he must seek out and interpret all the influences that pass through his conscious and subconscious self. These influences, what he calls the ethereal chaos of his spirit, allow him an endless flow of creativity and give his art authority and truthfulness.

Hilario was drawn to acrylics as his medium, which allowed him to experiment with color and form. He studied the work of master artists, in particular Gerhard Richter and Dan Namingha, to develop and perfect his technique. 

Hilario’s work has been featured in many museum and gallery shows around the country.
Above the Sun 48 x 60 Acrylic



Balanced By Light 30 x 60 Acrylic



Descending Quietly 46 x 48 Acrylic




The Process:


Hilario’s process begins with motivation and awakening. This involves back road trips to remote and wild areas of his beloved Sonoran Desert and the American Southwest. He calls these adventures "Field Studies," and they provide him with tremendous inspiration. His final vision and what he will eventually put to canvas can be based on a fleeting emotion, a flash of insight, past memories or even a dream.

Hilario loves to paint! His passion for creating his art keeps him in the studio five to six days a week. This means there is always something new for fans and collectors to look at and explore. Hilario is continually striving to express himself in new ways, ways that capture the very scenes that resonate with him so deeply.

When Hilario is ready, he chooses a color palette -- the one that will best reflect his vision, and then a composition will begin to take shape. He must select the proper size canvas and consider whether or not the painting will be a stand-alone piece or one that consists of multiple parts.

With all the preliminary details out of the way, Hilario will build a form. He uses wood and hardboard with canvas stretched over it, because he feels that the piece and his easel are one and the same. After stretching the canvas, he preps it, mixes his paint (always acrylic!), and gets to work putting the ideas he has in his head onto the canvas. Ultimately, it is the painting that allows Hilario to convey his experiences and ideas to others, but every step of the process is important.

Once Hilario feels he has captured his vision on the canvas, he is done painting, but not done with the process. He must first remove any prep material-- wires, the form as a frame for hanging etc., and only when everything is squared away does he title and sign his work.


To view more of Hilario's work, visit his page on the SmithKlein Gallery website:
http://smithklein.com/gutierrez.php
The Color of Nothing 72 x 48 Acrylic 

Morning Sun 48 x 48 Acrylic
 
On the Fourth Day 48 x 18 Acrylic

Cold Morning 20 x 16 Acrylic

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