A study of painter Hilton McLaurin’s latest artwork reveals a great deal about this easy-going artist's life.  Adobe structures - mountain meadows - winding country roads disappearing into the distance. Each scene conveys a sense of peace and solitude, while at the same time, Hilton's bold use of color and strong compositional elements convey the extraordinary beauty the artist sees in the world around him. His paintings invite the viewer on a journey to explore a world free from the stress of everyday life.

Hilton McLaurin’s personal journey as an artist began in his childhood. Born in the 1950’s in the West Texas town of Pecos, Hilton showed an aptitude for art from an early age. "My mother grew up in the “Golden Triangle” of southeast Texas in a family of artists, Hilton recalls. "When he was young, he remembers being fascinated by the many paintings executed by his grandmother, uncles and aunts. He was named after his mother’s family. Hilton's interest in art flourished under his mother’s watch. In high school, Hilton began collecting art and started his art education. The young artist studied further in college developing his drawing, painting and composition skills. Hilton loved the technique of bold compositions and strong colors he was able to achieve in his paintings.

In the mid-seventies, through the late nineties his art was put on hold to raise his two children and provide a livelihood for his family. He kept art alive by collecting works of favorite artists, doing occasional paintings and drawings and traveling to the art centers of his world, Santa Fe and Taos.

In 2006, Hilton sold his business to finally start his full time art career. "I love the landscape and people of the Southwest," Hilton explains. "I choose to live in Lubbock because of its central location on the Llano Estacado and the ease of travel to the mountains and deserts of New Mexico and the rolling hills to the east in Central Texas. “I love to paint the adobe’s set along, winding roads around Santa Fe and throughout New Mexico. The aspen covered southern Rockies and the prairies and wildflowers of Texas." He spends a good deal of time on the road throughout the Southwest gathering subject matter. “ I enjoy company on the road, taking friends along to share with them the eye catching scenes and having no specific travel plan or schedule”. Hilton always works in acrylics, which allows him to better capture the bold colors of the landscapes, people and architecture, and to work paintings large and small. Hilton developed his mid-life self-taught style, to create bold color fields and a depth of vision within his paintings. His subjects are varied, but most came from his travels.

The sketches and photos Hilton gathers while on his travels keep him painting daily. "I can't wait to start painting in the mornings," Hilton says. "The light in West Texas is excellent for a painter; the air is incredibly clean, and bright. Hilton taught his first painting class in Lubbock in May of 2008, and found that students were excited by his painting technique of color and quick execution. Hilton’s travels have led him to a wide range of subject matter. One canvas may depict the softly curving lines of a New Mexican adobe schoolhouse, and the next might show the hard lines of a West Texas cotton gin or silo; but all of Hilton’s work invites the viewer to join him in the adventure of life. "I have a story in each of my paintings," Hilton says, "I invite the viewer to join me in the story with his or her own experiences and emotions." For his part he uses bold colors and reduces the scene to its most elemental and powerful components. Each painting vibrates with artistic energy and color, entertaining the eye and mind. "I want to create paintings that convey a bit of both familiarity and adventure," the artist says.

B.C.