I’m originally from Australia but now live in Barcelona with my husband, two sons, two cats and a rescue dog. Barcelona has a long, enduring history of art, design, architecture and visual arts, and I just love being in amongst it all.
In life it's important to celebrate the highs and recognise that the lows aren’t forever. Embracing life’s challenges is part of the journey we only have once. I took a leap of faith to move to Spain with my family and that inspired me to nurture my passion and create art! I paint because it makes me happy and I hope my work brings a smile to your face and inspires you to share my work with others.
Watercolour is my main medium of choice because you have to work quickly and commit! As the paper dries, it’s next to impossible to correct mistakes. From carefully planning a piece to setting the water and pigment loose on paper often leads to the unexpected. These happy accidents inspire new ideas for my work. I also love drawing in procreate. My skills in Illustrator and Photoshop always come into the mix toward the end of an artwork.
During the pandemic I was in Australia by accident and we were stuck there for two years. We were in limbo, unsure as to whether we'd ever be able to return to Spain. I interviewed for a job as an editorial designer. I was well and truly qualified for the role but the art director asked me if I had anything "less commercial" in my portfolio. I realised that It had been years since I was painting and I missed using my hands to create art.
That night I finished my zoom class with my spanish teacher and went looking for ways I could practice my spanish and get back into art while waiting for the pandemic to end. I did a course on Modern Watercolour Techniques with Ana Victoria Calderon, and was hooked. I went back to freelancing in graphic and editorial design, allowing me time to practice my art and build a body of work. And the brushes have never been dry since!
In short - it's art! Part life and part imagination. It's a name I used for my photography portfolio when I finished university. All those hours in the dark room dabbling with chemicals on archival fibre based paper gave me the idea. Since I've been telling stories in a variety of visual mediums my whole life, it seems the perfect opportunity to revive the name when I started painting, referencing the lovely texture of watercolour paper or canvas.
I love connecting with others from the art community and learning and improving is so easy with the multitude of online classes, skill sharing and being inspired by what others are doing.
I’m always looking for new projects, collaborations and opportunities to connect with people. Let’s stay in touch!
Talk to me about commissions or licensing my artwork
Looking for my graphic design portfolio? You’ll find that here.
I also shoot images of life in Barcelona. Check out my photography here.
DRINK OF CHOICE?
Café con leche de avena, gin & tonic or a mojito
FAVOURITE STUDIO MUSIC?
London Grammar, Ludovico Einaudi, Coldplay or the conversation in the bar below my apartment
FAVOURITE COLOR?
Veridian or Opera Rose
BEACH OR MOUNTAINS?
Beach, always!
FAVOURITE FESTIVAL IN CATALUNYA?
Sant Joan. Bonfires, the start of Summer, running through the streets with fireworks - what could possibly go wrong?!
MOST EXHILERATING MOMENT?
Surfacing after my first night dive on the outer Great Barrier Reef. There we were floating in the sea, in the middle of absolute nowhere, no lights except for our torches and the stars. It was also the first time I saw a shark under water!
PLACES I HAVE LIVED IN?
Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA, Sudbury, Ontario, CANADA, Roatan, Bay Islands, HONDURAS, London, England, UK, Barcelona, Catalunya, SPAIN, Montreux, Vaud, SWITZERLAND, Athens, Attica, GREECE
IN ANOTHER LIFE I WOULD BE?
I am a PADI certified Divemaster which is one level below Instructor. I have logged over 250 dives and spent more than 3 months underwater. Manta Rays are my spirit animal!
Talk to me about commissions or licensing my artwork
Looking for my graphic design portfolio? You’ll find that here.
I also shoot images of life in Barcelona. Check out my photography here.
DRINK OF CHOICE?
Café con lethe de avena, gin & tonic or a mojito
FAVOURITE STUDIO MUSIC?
London Grammar, Ludovico Einaudi, Coldplay or the conversation in the bar below my apartment
FAVOURITE COLOR?
Veridian or Opera Pink
BEACH OR MOUNTAINS?
Beach, always!
FAVOURITE FESITVAL IN CATALUNYA?
Sant Joan. Bonfires, the start of Summer, running through the streets with fireworks - what could possibly go wrong?!
Hi there! I'm Hillary Holt. I’m an artist, illustrator and surface designer. I create artwork with bright, vibrant colours, inspired by the natural world, botanicals and pop culture, working mainly with watercolours and digital hand drawn art..
I’m originally from Australia but now I live in beautiful Barcelona with my husband, two sons, two cats and a rescue dog. After a fifteen year career as an art director/ graphic designer I found myself looking for change. I wanted to escape that world of commercialism and instead tell stories through my art. I've since discovered I can do both!
I focus my work on subjects that reflect my personal passions- from the beauty of nature, to scuba diving the world to a sneaky Gin & Tonic. Part life, part imagination - It’s fibre based fiction!
I love working with watercolours for their vibrant pigments and colour blooms, and the variety of techniques you can use in layers to create certain effects that complement each subject.
I hope you love my work as much as I love creating it. Let's Collaborate!
I send curated updates about new art I produce to my contacts. Be the first to see new artwork before it goes live on the website.
I hate spam, and I do my very best to make sure all my emails are relevant to you.