A couple of years ago I saw a show at a now defunct gallery here in St. Louis that I feel in love with. The artist Jill Hackney was showing her large paintings of lemons, figs and other fruits and vegetables. I know that may not sound exciting but believe me, Jill's paintings are unlike any others! She has a wonderful, soft style of painting that is both calming and powerful at the same time. The scale of her work is the key for me. A lone pear or two lemons done 3' X 6' takes on a whole new dimension. Then she started doing a series of paintings she called her "Echo Paintings" which are influenced by her growing up in southern Louisiana and the beautiful water-filled landscape there. The lushly layer colors and textures are gorgeous! She paints on raw wood panels, incorporating the texture of the wood into her linear brush strokes. The effect is light filled and dream like. These photos show the progression of a recent commissioned work for a project in Orlando, Florida. It is such a rare treat to see the artistic process at work. I always marvel at such talent! It is my goal to someday, hopefully soon, have one of her pieces gracing my living room! Check her out at www.jillhackney.com. Locally, she is represented by The Duane Reed Gallery in the Central West End. Jill, thanks for the lovely images and keep on creating, it is a gift!