Photo: Hilary Berry

Hilary took her first painting class while studying abroad in Macerata, Italy during college. She enjoyed the class immensely. However, her inadequate Italian language skills created a barrier between herself and the Italian Art Professor, who spoke no English. Instead of pursuing a minor in linguistics as she'd planned, Hilary returned to Oregon State University to pursue a minor in fine arts. While life and the pursuit of a career took her away from art for a brief time, she picked up her brushes again while pursuing a graduate degree in Special Education at the University of Kansas. In the Midwest, Hilary experienced a greater degree of solitude and independence than she had at home in Oregon. This inspired her to create paintings that gained the attention of her family and friends. As a result she continues to pursue art in a more intentional way. Hilary loves working with a variety of mediums including fabric and paint on wood. She has a strong sense of color which ties her eclectic body of work together. Currently, Hilary has a small art studio in North Portland where she likes to make messes, listen to music, and drink coffee.