Weaving a rustic past

Artist Judy Hilbish uses her creative faculties to bring two art forms together in one setting in Coming Together-Weavings & Paintings.

The subject of Hilbish’s paintings is the not-so-ancient past of rural Nevada. She focuses on historical settings—places and situations not yet forgotten by those living a stone’s throw away from locales like Virginia City.

Framed paintings of moments from yesteryear turn the gallery into a photo album documenting the more mundane aspects of Nevada history, while woven rugs light the space with intricate designs and vibrant color.

The acrylic paintings focus on railroads, mining equipment and the good old days, days when the locomotive was the greatest creation on land, and mining was the everyday man’s trade. Days when a typical child activity was watching a grasshopper jump among the railroad tracks or wading in a cold creek.

Wholesome and soft, the pictures evoke nostalgia, either real or imagined, for a simpler kind of life.

The color scheme is neutral, which makes the paintings realistic from the desert-dweller’s perspective. The everyday shades give the images a familiar feel.

The paintings range from Nevada wilderness settings of tan and green to rusty-colored, glowing pieces featuring cars and trains. The images appear as if they want to be touched.

“I look for the amount of texture in the pieces I create,” says Hilbish. “That is inspiring to me.”

As for choosing acrylic as her medium, Hilbish explains that it doubles nicely as a watercolor and creates a more permanent foundation, layer after layer.

The result shines through. The paintings are simple in taste, intriguing in thought and form. They are natural and inviting, a perfect setting for a Nevada family reunion.

Hilbish uses the setting of our state, particularly Virginia City, as inspiration for her works. Genuine artifacts that she has discovered help inspire her mood.

“I stumbled across old snapshots from 1915, and these are reflections of those photos,” Hilbish explains about the pieces “Frank and Jennie” and “Donkey Rides 5 cents.” “Donkey Rides” comically portrays two men trying to stuff the weary animal into an ancient automobile.

The exhibit’s central delight comes in the form of Clinton, a young boy clad in overalls. He’s a guest star throughout Hilbish’s paintings. The little boy is disappointed and uncomfortable in the situations he encounters.

“He is stuffy in his new starched overalls,” Hilbish says. “He is always getting stuck on a horse, or with dogs at his side.”

The latter scene is depicted in “Clinton Goes to the Farm 1931.” Clinton sits against a neutral backdrop staring ahead as dogs rest next to him. The look on Clinton’s face says he would rather be playing in the mud.

The adventures of Clinton would make a great new children’s book series. Hilbish’s paintings create an affable youngster, a mischievous boy waiting to jump up from any number of enforced seated positions and run among the golden fields, dogs in tow. Through Clinton, Hilbish arouses viewers to imagine the country boy’s life outside the gallery space.

Between the paintings are rugs of thick and fine-quality textiles. Unlike the muted pictoral history of the past, they boast loud colors. Designs cross and overlap on the fabric. Brilliant shades of blue and red embellish the rugs and grab the viewer’s attention among the subdued and muted colors of the paintings.

The paintings and weavings are lucrative complements. By combining functionless paintings of traditional images with the traditional and functional craft of rug-making, Hilbish creates an intriguing juxtaposition, which encourages the viewer to think about more artistically complex ideas than what Clinton’s next adventure will be.