“Art is in my genes, with much gratitude to my great grandfather, 19th c. Sardinian painter, going back six generations, who painted the kings, queens and nobility of Italy and Spain. As Court Painter to the Royal House of Savoy, I feel my great, great…. grandfather’s spirit beckoning me to continue his legacy by interpreting the world around me through art.”
Hilary paints in oil and watercolor, capturing the coastal views and quotidian life of New England. She has been painting for decades, growing up along the shores of Greenwich, CT, and drawing upon her extensive travels through North America’s breathtaking national parks, and her years spent in Europe. Now living on the Connecticut shoreline she draws her inspiration from the quintessential New England vistas that abound. When she is not in the controlled comfort of her studio painting a commissioned piece, she is travelling near and far, painting en plein air. Hilary is known for capturing beloved local scenes as well as painting far-flung locales, transporting the viewer to a distant place and time.
While living abroad studying foreign languages, she tapped into her family history in Europe and connected with the art of her famous great grandfather going back six generations. It could be said that art is in her genes, being the descendent of famous Sardinian painter Giovanni Marghinotti, who painted for the royal courts of Spain and Sardinia in the 19th century. Being immersed in art and culture and surrounded by the works of the great masters, including her ancestor’s royal paintings, she was driven to begin her own personal journey of translating the world through art. Seeing her ancestors paintings adorning the royal palace of Cagliari, Sardinia and his works hang on the walls of countless museums, churches and private collections throughout Sardinia and Europe, Hilary was called to follow in her great grandfather’s legacy.
Hilary is a former foreign language teacher, now a full-time artist. Rather than using words to express thoughts and emotions, she uses paint and brush to express herself more creatively. She is constantly exploring and discovering new approaches to keep her work fresh, honing her craft over many decades. While living in Italy, she studied at SACI ( Studio Art Centers International) In Florence, Italy. She expanded her creative growth through studies with renowned watercolor artist Lou Bonamarte and in recent years under the tutelage of “modern-day master”, oil painter Patrick Okrasinski.
Like a foreign language, art is a means to convey a message and communicate a feeling. Her aim is that her work will impact the viewer while simultaneously capturing life’s beauty. Her main objective when painting is to make a connection with the viewer; to offer a peaceful respite through the soft glow of a setting sun, to evoke an emotion by capturing the moment of a crashing wave, and to engage one’s creative curiosity with the play of light and shadows.
Hilary has achieved elected member status in various art societies and has won awards for her work. She is the co-president of the Madison Art Society, in CT and a leader in the art community. Her paintings can be viewed in many galleries and venues in Connecticut and New England.
