Hillary Scott is fascinated by the effect of light and atmosphere, particularly those fleeting moments of morning and evening light. “In my work I attempt to create a sense of space, season, serenity and nostalgia,” she says. Her oil paintings have an unmistakable warmth to them, often hazy, dewy scenes of gentle light scattered across lakes and ponds.
Winter’s Enchantment, oil on linen, 24 x 36"“Rather than the painstaking detail I used to paint as an illustrator, my philosophy is now ‘say more by painting less.’ By creating a mood, the primary goal is to evoke an emotional reaction in my viewer,” Scott continues. “As my style has evolved over many years to be less illustrative and more realistic, I still strive to capture a dreamlike quality in each painting. To me, a successful landscape painting is believable to the viewer but has a hint of magic or mystery.”
Morning Tranquility, oil on linen, 20 x 20"Scott’s paintings are created through a mix of photographic references, memory and imagination, as well as plein air studies and direct observation. Herring River Sunrise and Herring River Reflections each depict the marshlands of the Herring River Conservation marshlands in Cape Cod—one at sunrise and one 30 minutes later. 
Herring River Reflections, oil on linen, 30 x 42"
Herring River Sunrise, oil on linen, 24 x 32"
“Last summer we took a family vacation to Cape Cod. When I travel I love to explore the area for painting inspiration and hiking trails. Within walking distance from the house was the Herring River Conservation land with dozens of marsh views. I spent the better part of two weeks exploring this area all times of day, and I caught this peaceful sunrise one morning,” she says of Herring River Sunrise. Of the second painting of Herring River, she says, “It was one of those hazy days where the atmospheric perspective was especially dramatic. I decided to paint this scene along with the previous one to show how quickly the light and colors change during the early morning hours.”
Scott currently resides in northeast Massachusetts. —
Powered by Froala Editor
