Ria Hills
Biography
I was born in The Netherlands, raised in New York, and presently paint in my home studio in Uxbridge, MA. I am mostly self-taught although I have had many teachers in a non-traditional sense. Formal training has included attendance at the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts. I have 40 years of professional experience in graphic design and as a fine artist. I enjoy painting in many mediums and subjects. In 2006 I set a goal to complete a painting a day making small works more affordable to collectors. As the body of work developed, a pattern began to emerge revealing mainly still life subjects. Although my work is not limited to the still life genre, I have learned that still life subjects translate well into a small painting format. They challenge me to dig deeper into the details, which is what draws me to simple subjects. My method is conventional working from hard to soft pastels in layers. The focus is on shapes, color, and light; and the challenge of finding the right balance between them. The motion of light that plays on a still object intrigues me. Food art and pet portrait paintings have become my favorite subjects, as well as to my collectors. I also paint in oils and acrylics. Commissioned paintings are welcomed.