hilton owen ― vivid success
As an emerging artist, his first sell-out show was with Handmark. Now 35 years-old – and with 16 solo exhibitions under his belt – Hilton Owen is back home in Hobart with stunning paintings for Vivid, and a unique take on portraiture: “They are what they are!”
Hilton’s compelling mixed media offerings may look like collage, but “everything is hand drawn”. Turquoise for example, is a multi-layered composition of acrylics, oils, and spray paint: A woman’s face is splintered by vibrant blocks of colour. “There’s a lot going on in this one.”
Flash is simpler and starker. A vivid purple slash dominates. But our eyes are drawn to shards of a woman’s face with yellow glasses, red lips and tawny hair. “I just love these colours.”
Image credit: Hilton Owen, Turquoise, 2024, Mixed media on linen, 76 x 66 cm