Today we’d like to introduce you to Hilary Pecis.
Hilary, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I always assumed I was an artist from a young age, but as most people’s stories go, my path to where I am now was not straight, but rather a zig zag finding my place.
I spent eight years working though my undergraduate degree, focusing mostly on art, but enjoying other subjects as well. I actually don’t think this is a unique story, as it is riddled with self-doubt and uncertainty, as well as curiosity and interests that extend far outside of art.
At some point after receiving an MFA and having a child, my family and I moved from SF to Eagle Rock. It took a moment to become acquainted, but the new landscape and lifestyle quickly penetrated my studio practice.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
The work I am making now is reflective of my surroundings, as I use images as a starting point to make paintings. Working from existing images frees up part of my decision-making process and allows me to loosen up and work through issues in other areas. For example, if I know basically what is happening in the four quadrants of the painting, I can get loose or completely abstract, stray from the formal qualities of an image, and let the perspective get a little weird. Basically, I just want to enjoy the process of making a painting 🙂
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
Be kind to your peers and help each other as this will inevitable help your career, and humanity.
Also, a friend once told me that if you are an artist, you’ll always be an artist, regardless of your current (or lack of) artistic practice. This was really helpful to me after I had a child as I was trying to figure out who I was again. I think I used that mantra daily, until I was able to unearth where that artist was.
If things aren’t happening for you, make them happen. If you aren’t getting shows, curate one. If you aren’t being included in group projects, put one together. If you aren’t getting press, publish something. Make a zine, a web show, a podcast, a popup, etc. These are always exciting to see and be part of.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
In the month of August I have work up in a group show at Halsey McKay Gallery in East Hampton. Additionally, I have a couple paintings in another group show at Over the Influence in Los Angeles which will up through the end of the month. In September I will have a solo show opening on the 22nd in SF at Guerrero Gallery, and on the same day, a group show at Droste in Wuppertal. Later on, I will have works with Halsey McKay at Nada in Miami. In the new year, I will have a solo show at The Pit in LA, in March.
Contact Info:
- Website: hilarypecis.com
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Hilary Pecis
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