About

Biography

Hilary Hanson Bruel has B.A. in Visual and Environmental Studies from Harvard University, where she completed an honors thesis in painting while also studying photography, sculpture, and design. Upon her graduation in 1995 she embarked on a career in graphic design, first at Hearst Magazines and then as a self-employed designer while raising her two children. It was not until 2013 that she returned to painting when she enrolled in an encaustic class at a local art center. She immediately fell in love with the medium, and continued to paint and learn on her own until she began exhibiting and selling her art in 2019.

Hilary works out of her home in Needham, MA, and serves on the boards of Needham Open Studios and the Needham and Newton Art Associations, and is a member of New England Wax.

Artist Statement

My encaustic paintings are studies in color, composition, and texture that highlight the unique properties of the medium, and which are informed by my background in both fine arts and graphic design. Using only horizontal bands of varying widths and textures, I challenge myself to create a sense of space and distance while also pushing the colors beyond the palette of the natural world. Each piece is finished with strands of thread that are stretched across the surface of the wax, providing additional dimension and detail, as well as a surprise for the viewer as they draw closer to the work.

If you would like to learn more about my process, this 2023 profile by The Needham Channel gives a great (but not too lengthy!) overview.

Filmed and produced by Kathryn Brodie