Featured Artist Donald Hildreth

Artist Donald Hildreth paints dramatic impressionistic landscapes and portraits. Enjoy more of his portfolio by visiting his website.

 

Impressionistic painting of the ocean at Bar Harbor by Donald Hildreth

“Bar Harbor” Oil, 24” x 18”

 

I started out life as a curious kid who liked to figure out how things worked. Making art came much later.

 

Impressionistic painting of an autumn landscape by Donald HIldreth

“Bishop Autumn” Oil, 10” x 8”

 

After a ten-year career as an engineer working on rocket engines and aircraft braking control systems, I became a real estate investor. I bought and improved properties in the Southern California area where I grew up.

 

Impressionistic Painting of waves crashing on rocks by Donald Hildreth

“Action” Oil, 24” x 18”

 

Around the age of fifty I found myself looking for a new direction, a new challenge. This is when “art” began for me. Browsing through a course catalog from Glendale College, I was hoping to find something that would pique my interest.

 

Impressionistic painting of a Cape Cod landscape by Donald Hildreth

“Cape Cod” Oil, 16” x 12”

 

Being left-handed, I was thumbing through from the back toward the front of this rather thick catalog. I could not find anything until I arrived at the “A’s,” where art classes were listed. Hmmmmm…I saw a basic drawing class and decided to give it a try.

 

Impressionistic seascape painting of the ocean along a shore with rock cliffs by Donald Hildreth

“Breaking Through” Oil, 40” x 30”

 

I greatly enjoyed the class and also found out that I was pretty good at drawing. But it was the painting class I took the next semester that really did it for me.

 

Impressionistic cityscape painting of a street scene in Paris by Donald HIldreth

“Somewhere in Paris” Oil, 16” x 12”

 

As soon as I picked up a brush and started pushing the paint around (with a purpose, of course), the lights came on and the orchestra started playing! There was no question in my mind that my world was going to change profoundly. And it has. Greatly for the better.

 

Impressionistic painting of a mother and child by Donald Hildreth

“Comfort” Oil, 24” x 36”

 

What is wonderful about making art, and in my case a painting, is that there is no single correct way to make do it. What is created has never existed before. The whole painting experience is remarkable. And as a bonus, there is no end to how much you can learn.

 

Impressionistic painting of a Flamenco dancer by Donald Hildreth

“Power and Passion” Oil, 14” x 24”

 

What do I want to paint? The short answer is: everything! People, places, people in places, water, rocks, trees, clouds, the sky, horses….

 

Impressionistic painting of two women at a cafe in Paris by Donald Hildreth

“La Vie” Oil, 24” x 18”

 

I am particularly drawn to the way light works; its color and the way shadows are cast.

 

Impressionistic painting of a man driving his donkey cart home by Donald Hildreth

“Coming Home” Oil, 24” x 36”

 

All this is accomplished using oil paint and brushes on canvas in an activity that has remained fundamentally unchanged for centuries.

 

Artist Donald Hildreth invites you to follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

 

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Comments

  1. These are all excellent. My favorite is Cape Cod.

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