Hilda Spain-Owen
Hilda Spain-Owen’s art is hard to ignore. It is about bold sizes, bright colors, and texture. With dogs as her primary subjects, she paints them life size or larger with an eye toward accenting the shape of the dog as design. The canvas size is chosen so the subject fills as much of it as possible. By using a palette knife to achieve unique results with layering, she creates a blended image of the subjects only using a brush to make the eyes realistic. Each time you revisit a painting, you see something new.
Spain-Owen's art works well in all venues, traditional to contemporary. She arrived at her distinct style when she began painting her own whippets. It was through the painting of these small, graceful sighthounds that the exploration of line, color and texture showcased her talent. Her gallery work includes many action poses with Jack Russells jumping for balls and whippets sailing through hoops.
Spain-Owen’s following is comprised of a mixture of dog lovers in general and even those who do not own dogs. She has painted many breeds. In her commission work, she starts with in-home photo sessions and takes care to interpret the painting to complement the interior design of a client’s home. From the start of her career, it was apparent that the appeal of her art went beyond the boundaries of the subject. Her work has been shown in galleries in Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Delaware, and New York and is in collections across the United States.
Spain-Owen works to support sighthound rescue groups by donating original works for auction. Through her donations, rescue groups in Florida and North Carolina have raised funds to help with adoption and medical costs associated with sighthound rescue.
Select Juried Exhibitions
Gallery at Avalon, Mystic Nights, Orlando Florida April 2001
2nd Place Award
Mount Dora Center for the Arts, Ninth Annual Central Florida Juried Art Show, Mount Dora, Florida. June 1 2001
1st Place Award
Galleries at Salt Creek in conjunction with the Museum of Fine Art, 2nd Annual Fairly Lilith Celebration of Women in Art, St. Petersburg, Florida, May 2001
Honorable Mention, Acrylics
Galleries at Salt Creek, An All Florida Fine Art Juried Exhibition, St. Petersburg, FL 2001
Orlando Museum of Art, 1st Thursdays Series – Neo-Impressionism, Orlando, Florida. 2002
Gallery at Avalon Island, For the Love of Art, Orlando, Florida, February 2002
Osceola Center for the Arts Annual Juried Art Show, Kissimmee, Florida, May 2002
Mount Dora Center for the Arts Annual Juried Portrait Show, Grins to Growls, Mount Dora, Florida May 2002
Prima Gallery, Dog House, Orlando, Florida July 2002
Orlando Museum of Art, 1st Thursdays Series – The Art of Humor, Orlando, Florida. 2003
1st Place Award
Casselberry City Hall Public Art Series, In Pursuit of the Equine Image, May 2003
Greyhounds Reach the Beach Art Show, Dewey Beach, Delaware October 2004
Winston-Salem Associated Artists Gallery at Sawtooth, Heart of Art February 2005
T.A.G at Lumina Station, Creatures, Large and Small, Wilmington, NC, March 2005
West End Gallery, Furr Ball Exhibit, Winston-Salem NC September 2005
Greyhounds Reach the Beach Art Show, Dewey Beach, Delaware, October 2005
The Grey Dog Coffee Alternative Art Venue, New York, February 2006
Greyhounds Reach the Beach Art Show, Dewey Beach, Delaware, October 2006
Selected Exhibitions for the Artist
Mount Dora Center for the Arts, Mount Dora, Florida, Art from the Turn of the Century…We’ve Turned 21! February 2001
Nordys Gallery, Birmingham, Alabama July 2002
Orlando Museum of Art, Florida Artist of the Month, January 2004
The Artists Gallery at Lumina Station, Dogs at TAG, Wilmington, NC March 2006
City Art Gallery, Who Let the Dogs Out?, Greenville, NC January 2007
City Art Gallery, Dog Days of Summer, Greenville, NC August 2007
Fountainside Gallery, Doggone Fine Art, Wilmington, NC September 2007
Art Affair, Raleigh, NC November 2007
Current Gallery Affiliations
City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC
Fountainside Gallery, Wilmington, NC
Lectures
Art from the Turn of the Century…We’ve Turned 21! William T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora, FL 2001
Articles/Review/Photographs
Canine Images, July/August 2000 – Photograph of Miss Priss, acrylic on canvas. Announcement of Animals in Art show at Hope Barton Gallery, Clermont, FL.
Orlando Sentinel, February 2001 – Fire and Water Meet at Show in Artist’s Contrasting Styles, Review of two-person exhibit at Mount Dora Center for the Arts by Chris Cole.
Orlando Leisure Magazine, November/December, 2001 – Giving a Gift of Art, Photograph of Miss Priss, acrylic on canvas. Author Terry Hummel.
The Daily Commercial, May 2002 – Portrait Show Grins to Growls, Mount Dora Center for the Arts, photograph of Bedroom Eyes and show promotion.
Black and White Pages, July, 2002 – Exhibitionism, Photograph of Madame X from Nordys Gallery and interview by Jane Longhouse.
Orlando Sentinel, July 2002 – Photograph of Cool Whip and announcement DogHouse show at Prima Gallery by Terry Hummel.
Orlando Sentinel, July 2002 – Photograph of Break Point and artist interview by Julie Fletcher.
Orlando Sentinel, January 2004 – Photograph of Madame X and announcement of Florida Artist of the Month: Hilda Spain-Owen show at the Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, Florida.
Winston-Salem Journal, July 2006 – Dog Days, Article on the artist’s career.
Dog Magazine, November 2007 - Phodography, How to Photograph Your Dog
Naples Dog, Winter 2007 - Pawcassos: Art That’s Gone to the Dogs
Events
The Golden Rule Foundation’s Second Annual Golden Evening at the Estate, Winter Park, Florida, February 2003
American Whippet Club National Convention, Greensboro, North Carolina, April 2004
Virginia Kennel Association, Richmond, Virginia, June 2006
Mid-Atlantic Hound Show, Raleigh, North Carolina, May 2006
Recent Fine Art Donations
Greyhound Adoptions of Florida – 2003, Fred, 24” x 30” Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas
Greyhound Friends of North Carolina – 2004, Angel Grey, 24” x 30” Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas
Morris Animal Foundation - Greyhounds Reach the Beach, 2004; Danny, Framed pastel
Morris Animal Foundation - Greyhounds Reach the Beach, 2006; Fresh Air, Framed photographic print
Greyhound Adoptions of Florida - Greyt, 18x24 Acrylic on canvas 2007