"I'll sit down with my coffee and lose myself in a painting." This is how acrylic painter Ed Hill best appreciates his artwork, each a beautiful picture of natural scenery, and each with a memory and story attached.

Creating art since at least 1985, this ex-RCMP officer attributes his successful painting to his friend Roy Henry Vicars, whom he met while stationed in Tofino. Made fast friends through similar loves of the outdoors and wilderness, Ed would watch Roy paint, enjoying what he calls a "familiar energy". As a joke, he decided to copy Roy's style so that when next he came to visit he would see a piece of artwork on Ed's wall and get confused. The joke didn't come off; Roy came over while the art was in progress and caught Ed. His reaction? "If you're going to do my style then you're going to do it right!" He then began to teach Ed in his art, particularly showing him how to do beautiful fades without the aid of watercolour. After Ed finished his first work, Old Man, Roy took the artwork and had limited edition silkscreen prints made up. The prints sold out by the end of that summer, and helped convince Ed this was a direction in life just begging for him. Since then Ed Hill has developed his own style, with more detail, more colour, and more BC.

Ed Hill has worked with a number of artists in collaborative works, mainly for worthy causes, but sometimes for local organizations. Roy Henry Vicars and he worked on some art, as well as a compilation book for Roy. Ed has also worked with Greta Guzak creating work for the Boy Scouts and the School District (the Clifford Smith Arts Bursary Fund). Other big names are Lyle Nason, Paul McCarl (a fellow officer and stone scultor in jade who worked on the "Cop Art" show), and Melanie Hill, Ed Hill's daughter and a strong artist in her own right.

Curious about his method? Leaving aside the skill he has developed and learned over many years we can look at the "easier" aspects of creation. First he will go travelling, either paddling, camping or driving, until he comes to a scene that seems to speak to him. Then he spends around two hors just looking, composing, deciding on the right angle and shot. He'll then take about a dozen photographs, keeping maybe two. The painting itself he does at home, with each piece taking from 80 to 150 hours. During the whole course of this work Ed is thinking of the story, which every one of his paintings has. "I'm thrilled as an artist when people take the time to read the story." Each story is unique, just as unique as the artwork, and gives a whole new dimension to the piece.

You might have seen Ed's work, although not realized it, since he has made a fair bit aux gratis. The Pulling Together rowing event has one of his creations as their flag or poster showing a native-art-style face looking down upong a canoe filled with rowers. Ed was also responsible for designing the first street banners for Gibsons, as well as a pin for the International Curling Federation. He has also taught night school courses, one of the only ways to ever have a chance to see his "mistakes", which he uses to help students avoid similar pitfalls.

Ed Hill's work will be showing at the Gibsons Public Gallery through May and 2 weeks of June. It is a one man show with an extensive collection of originals up for sale (he usually only sells silkscreen prints, or lithography open editions so this is a bit of a first).

Most of his artwork are available as giclee prints at the Landing Gallery, with the occassional one being offered through Rotary auctions (such as "Garry as the Sun Goes Down").

Garry as the Sun Goes Down