We recently connected with Hillary Kent and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Hillary, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I remember every season as a young girl through memories on my skin – rough, dry dirt and scratchy branches on my arms and legs from crawling under bushes in summer/ the chill of wet leaves on my hands in autumn/ the bite of the winter wind on my cheeks while playing in the snow/ and being proud of my bruises and cuts on my legs in the spring from jumping off rocks and chasing lizards on boulders.
Growing up as one of 5 kids in a small rural mountain town, my parents encouraged us to be outside more than we were inside, and this laid a foundation for a deep love of nature and the appreciation for the details of life. I’ve heard it called ‘the art of noticing’ and I think that this approach brings an awareness to the world which is really important to balance and tend to the mediocrity and trauma that inevitably comes in life.

I would go for neighborhood walks with my father (also an artist) and we would look for deer, wild turkeys, and admire the cloud shapes. He walked slow. It has been 14 years since we have walked together. When I go on a walk in the city where I live now, I don’t rush- I honor my dad who has passed and I take time to notice the cracks in the sidewalk, and the flowers pushing through, the texture on the trees and the birdsong that happens on certain street corners.
My mother loves birds, and taught me to love them too. We would tend to the tomatoes and herbs in her garden and watch the hummingbirds zip past. They are so small, with tiny feathers that shimmer like magic. To notice something so little, I must slow down and tune in to their habits. I’m grateful my mother and I still watch the birds together, pick up seashells with perfect ridges and curves, and talk about the flowers.

Many artists have this awareness- the art of noticing- and each imbues their art with the details and pieces of their life that they pay attention to the most. My artwork has been inspired from day one with all the flora and fauna of the wild, and I thank my parents for the choices they made so I was steeped in that awareness too.

Hillary, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a mother, painter, and educator with over a decade of experience as a creative professional. A full, vibrant life inspired by the great outdoors motivates my contemporary eco-art brand Hill Yeah!

In my Pacific Northwest studio, I use naturally derived pigments to make ink and watercolors. For larger works, I use recycled paint. I imbue my whimsical designs with rich hues- whether a small illustration or public art installation. I am passionate about using art materials that protect and support a thriving earth, while honoring the people and animals that live here now and who have come before us. Most of the paintings that I make could even be composted and returned back to the earth when their time is done.

Found often in my work are the winged creatures, representing the concept of connecting ground and sky- where ideals, dreams and other worlds meet the concrete reality of the now.
With a nod to maximalism- my chosen imagery of plants, animals, celestial bodies and encoded symbols are arranged on or around the subjects to display the idea that we are all irrevocably linked to each other and the cycle of life regardless of shape or color or origin.
‘Bring the outside in’ is Hill Yeah!’s studio motto, as the work celebrates the joy of the wild while practicing everyday advocacy for the planet.

Supporting my work is also supporting a bright future for our planet!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

What was going to be the biggest mural of my career so far came just as I discovered I was pregnant. I felt so brokenhearted that I had to say no to a huge wall that would contribute to the community and expand my portfolio. My business and identity as a creative was being reconfigured as I turned into a mother. I took a huge break from painting murals and a lot of art making got put to the side to focus on raising my baby for the first two years of his life. I dabbled but I didn’t have time or energy like I used to for large creative projects for TWO YEARS! I told myself that when my son started preschool I would get back into the community with my art, and put myself out there with multiple submissions to events and grants this summer. I received a grant for a community mural project through the Culture Arts and Heritage Commission in Vancouver. Self doubt made me think that it might not work at first, and I almost pulled out of the project, because it had been a while since I did something like that, and seemed like a huge task to do with only a few hours a day a few times a week while my son was in school. But I knew I had to do it! So, I accepted the award and worked tirelessly during my son’s school and a few weekends with support from my husband to offer volunteer painting opportunities as well.
It was a HUGE push! And I had to figure out a new way of working, short days vs long days and the whole project was spread out over a month’s time, that normally I could have completed quicker. But, it turned out AMAZING and I have even more confidence now that it is complete to what I can accomplish as an artist AND mother.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Paint is a significant contributor to the presence of microplastics in the ocean, accounting for 58% of its composition. A staggering 1.9 million tons of paint find their way into our oceans and waterways annually. Recycling paint plays a vital role in reducing water pollution and preventing risks with improper disposal of unused paint. My goal as a creative business owner is to use only recycled paint for my murals, or make my own from natural sources and as much as possible. I also use upcycled or natural materials for my business, including art prints, shipping, etc. It started with not wanting to use toxic materials like plastic because I didn’t want my son or my health to be impacted. On a greater scale, the waste that is created from small to large businesses has a huge impact on our planet.
I do my best to have little to no waste that will fill a dump or end up in our waterways and oceans- because this is the life of our planet!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hill-yeah.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hill.yeah.art
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Hill-Yeah-Eco-Art-Studio-61554239112894/

Image Credits

All images credits go to Hill Kent