Hilda Oomen

She lives and works near Kingston, Ontario.

“I have spent years working in gardens, both as a means of support and, at times, as a creative substitute for painting itself. The imagery and experience of that time continues to be the inspirationfor my work.

In earlier years I worked in mainly large country gardens overlooking expansive rural landscapes throughout the Mulmur Hills of Ontario. My paintings flowed directly from that experience; large landscapes overlaid with smaller mosaic-like floral insets. Over the years the larger landscape fell away and the painting & subject became predominately flowers, sometimes combined with china, fruit and other still life objects, set against a painterly backdrop. There is a more intimate and personal focus in my use of still life as subject matter. The paintings have become increasingly smaller over the years. It allows for a simplified and strong focus and the ability to paint quickly and daily. I am obsessed with capturing that beauty of flowers in strong light and simplifying in paint the complex interplay of light, colour, form and reflection.” -Hilda Oomen (2018)

Education

1984 The Banff Centre, Young Resident Artists Program

1984 Queen’s University BFA, Honours

Solo Exhibitions

2020 Galerie St. Laurent + Hill, Bloom, Jan 18 – Feb 11th 2020 Ottawa, Ontario

2017 Galerie St. Laurent + Hill, Still Life, December 7th – Dec 23, Ottawa, Ontario

2014 Galerie St. Laurent + Hill, Still Life, Borrowed Landscape, December 4th-22, Ottawa, Ontario

1992 Robert Birch Gallery, New Work, Toronto, Ontario

1991 The Art Gallery of Mississauga, Inside/Outside, Symbolic Landscape Paintings

1990 Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Painting & Collage, Hart House, University of Toronto

1989 The Samuel J. Zacks Gallery, Recent Paintings, York University, Toronto, Ont.

1988 The Homer Watson House & Gallery, Paintings & Collage, Kitchener, Ont.

1987 The Kingston Artists Association, Recent Paintings & Collage, Kingston, Ont.

Selected Group Exhibitions

2019 Wallace Galleries, New Year’s Group Show, Calgary, Alberta, Jan 2-23

2018 Wallace Galleries, Holiday Group Show, Calgary, Alberta, Nov-Dec

2009 Galerie St. Laurent + Hill, Hilda Oomen + Sharon Thompson + Simon Andrew, Ottawa

2008 Galerie D’Avignon, “Now Representing” Group show, Montreal

2006 Cube Gallery, Efflorescence, Ottawa

1994 Birganart Gallery, Off the Wall, Toronto, Ontario

1991 Art Gallery of Peel, Hilda Oomen & Marianne Lovink, Brampton, Ont.

1988 Erindale Campus Art Gallery, Five New Painters, University of Toronto

1988 The Library & Gallery, Discord & Harmony, Two Person Show, Cambridge, Ont.

1984 The Walter Phillips Gallery, The Young Resident Artists Exhibition, Banff, Albert

1983 Agnes Etherington Art Gallery, BFA on View, Juried group exhibition, Queen’s University

1983 Agnes Etherington Art Gallery, BFA on View, Juried group exhibition, Queen’s University

Grants & Awards

2009 The Ontario Arts Council, Project Grant Mid Career Artist

1991 The Ontario Arts Council, Short Term Grant

1991 The Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant

1990 The Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant

1989 The Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant

1988 The Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant

1987 The Ontario Arts Council, Exhibition Assistance Grant

1984 The Andre Bieler Prize, Queen’s University

1984 The Molson’s Scholarship, The Banff Centre

1980 The Frontenac County Bursary, Full University Tuition Bursary