The following is part of a series featuring a leader in the art community who has joined us on the faculty of Watercolor Live, a virtual art conference (the next one takes place January 24-26, 2024).
Alex Hillkurtz was born in England and grew up in California, where he was an award-winning film student at Chapman University. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Production, he established himself as a successful illustrator and storyboard artist in Hollywood, collaborating with many of the film industry’s leading directors and cinematographers.
“Venice – It’s easy to feel dizzy in this city,” Hillkurtz said of the watercolor shown above. “So much texture and beauty is jammed into such a small space, that an entire other world had to be invented below our feet. This upside-down world of the canals turns everything on its head, reflecting back to us a second city filled with countless others whose lives we may never know.”
Currently living in Paris, Alex has turned his focus to a career as a watercolor artist. He enjoys discovering the aspects of the city that sketching and painting uniquely allow. Alex uses the language of cinema to inform his images, moving beyond what is most obvious, and focusing the viewer’s eye on what he wants them to see.
Alex’s works have been exhibited in solo and group shows in Europe, the United States, and Russia. He is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society (USA), an associate member of the California Watercolor Association, and a member of French Plein Air Painters, and USK Paris.
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