News Release
Artist's journey portrayed in Governor's Gallery
April 23, 2007
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Ann Dee Lee
Public Information Director
Oklahoma Arts Council
(405) 521-2931
anndee@arts.ok.gov
Oklahoma City, OK – Skip Hill’s name in Swahili is Hodari which means courageous and valiant. After working for a large advertising firm as an illustrator, graphic designer and creative director, Hill embarked on a five-year spiritual journey traveling throughout the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia and North Africa.
His exhibit, Skip Hill Selected Works 2000-2007 will be on display in the Governor’s Gallery at the State Capitol from April 23 through June 15. Curated by the Oklahoma Arts Council, the Governor’s Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the State Capitol and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30-5:00.
Following his travels, Hill enrolled at the University of Oklahoma to discover the fundamental elements of art while finding his own voice, which is a mix of African American heroes, Folk Art, Kuba tribal textiles, Romare Bearden, Picasso and Van Gogh.
“I gather design elements from the world’s myriad forms of cultural graphic expression, from African textiles, Mexican ritual motifs to Asian calligraphy. From a place of creativity, I instinctively abstract these elements through collage, acrylic media and gloss which serve as the foundation into which I inject figurative elements as a means to convey moods or stories without words,” explained Hill.
In addition to producing original paintings, large-scale murals for public schools, and elaborate sets for the theatre, he created a heart-moving sculpture installation dedicated to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. Hill has been commissioned to paint frescoes for a public garden in the Netherlands and has illustrated several children’s books, winning awards from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
His most notable juried shows and expo shows include the Festival of the Arts in Oklahoma City, the Bayou City Arts Festival, the Atlanta Dogwood Arts Festival and the National Black Arts Festival where his paintings led to an interview featured nationwide on Black Entertainment Television. He was recently awarded the Margaret M. Dabney Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Visual Arts by the Black Liberated Arts Center in Oklahoma City.
Hill paintings have been exhibited in New York City at the Savacou Gallery, the UFA Gallery, the National Black Fine Arts Show and in Houston at the African American Arts Fest. Hill joins the roster of artists at the JRB Art at the Elms Gallery in Oklahoma City. He serves on the Board of the Oklahoma Visual Artists Coalition.
For more information, contact the Oklahoma Arts Council at (405) 521-2931 or at scott@arts.ok.gov.
ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA ARTS COUNCIL
The Oklahoma Arts Council is a state agency whose mission is to improve lives through the arts by promoting and sustaining the development of a thriving arts environment, which is essential to quality of life, education and economic vitality for all Oklahomans.
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