Roxanne Hilsman's paintings compose a stage for the interplay of fruits, fabric and
vessels;
each brings a certain personality to the drama.
The oils are on display at Bryant Galleries, 4755 Old Canton Road in Jackson. An atmosphere of Old World romance permeates the still lifes of pears, pomegranates and plums with rich textiles and exquisite bowls or rustic jars.
Hilsman, a native of Hoosick Falls,N.Y.,began art lessons at age of 7 and has drawn and painted her entire life. Her first real exposure to oils was in San Francisco, while in college and working at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Rental Gallery, but it was something of a false start. "I studied under a minimalist, and anything traditional was taboo," Hilsman said. Remembering her teacher's admonishment that nothing should detract from the work; her signatures still are small and subtle.
Hilsman moved to Mississippi in 1987, earned a master's in art education at Mississippi College and tought art at St. Andrew's Episcopal School for 10 years, and part-time at Hinds Community College.
| The sense of texture of the fabric is what really draws the viewer in." -David Lambert of Bryant Galleries |
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After quitting full-time teaching in 1997, she returned to her own work. And here, she found " permission" to pursue what appealed to her. "One thing about Mississippi; It's OK to be a realist here," she said. Her fascination with fabrics and love of detail are hallmarks. And the objects, on occasion, seem alive. A stem bent this way or that imbues a pear with personality, and a bunch of small turnips, leaning back on their soft pillow of greens, seems like a gaggle of little girls, kicking up spindly roots in sheer delight. In Royal Crown Derby Cup and Saucer, round redness of ripe plums echoes in the fabric's ribbon of swirls. The sense of texture of the fabric is what really draws the viewer in," said David Lambert, gallery vice president. "It's not a bright, bold red, but there's something very alluring about it." Hillsman's work "really brings another level of sophistication to our collection." |