latex on canvas

24” x 24” 2025

Hilary Gent is a painter who works with oil and latex mediums, inspired by the urban and natural landscape. Her recent works use latex house paint that is mixed in cups and layered onto the surface of the canvas via a pouring process. Her paintings are inspired by the extensive color palettes from reflections of light, landscape and other objects in and on the water. Touch, sound and sight conjure a personal connection with landscape, which Gent translates into her paintings.

“Water ebbs and flows. It carves paths, can be peaceful or violent and is a symbol of resilience. I relate many of the personal happenings in my life to the qualities of water, and hold a deep emotional connection to its power. 

A recent breast cancer diagnosis caught me by surprise this year, and the process of dealing not only with the information, but the appointments, surgery, recovery and preventative treatments, has been overwhelming. 

Being near water calms my mind, and has been a place to reflect and trust that God is holding me through this situation. When I watch light and reflections dance on the surface of the Lake, intertwined and entangled, constantly moving, yet in perfect synchronization, I am engaged with a part of nature that ignites my creativity and frees my mind from the worries of cancer. 

Recent paintings are interpretations of water, especially focused on the Rocky River and Lake Erie. I attempt to translate the movement and ever changing moods of water into my process, through color choices and paint application. “