An Exhibition of Tucker Hill’s Work:

Caulfield Gallery and Studio

Opening Saturday, May 15, 2010

325-B Middle Street

Washington, VA 22747

CROSSROADS

A Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy Event

Featuring 11 of Tucker Hill’s crossroads monotype prints

DuCard Vineyards

40 Gibson Hollow Lane

Etlan, VA 22719

www.virginiawine.org

Date to be announced

     The Firnew Farm Artists’ Circle began in the fall of 2003. Following its muse, the land that surrounds them, the group had one foot clearly in its love of art and creative expression and its other foot firmly planted in the Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy’s mission to conserve its rural character. For seven years the group of now 45 dedicated and talented artists meet on a weekly basis and show twice a year.
     In 2007 the Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy hosted a solo exhibition of Tucker Hill’s monotypes with the Madison Historical Society, which was held at the Kemper Mansion. Tucker Hill was a printmaker who excelled at expressing his talents in the form of making monotypes of the Piedmont landscape.
     Tucker was exquisitely sensitive to the passing “phases of nature” and took inspiration from his daily long walks. His practice of recording the location, date and exact time, represented by each print, was part and parcel of this keen observation. No one ever saw an “anonymous” print by Tucker Hill. His prints are tied to a specific location at a specific time in the Piedmont landscape. It strikes one that in this practice, he was saying this place, this time shown in this print, is important. It is worthy of your attention. This is how the light appeared. The light is what gives this landscape its character. It’s as if Tucker was saying, “Look at this!” and “Celebrate its beauty with me.”
     He discovered places that were not traditional landmarks in guidebooks, and saw the natural beauty in the back roads and byways we all have traveled and loved. In Walter Nicklin’s book “Pieces of the Piedmont,” on page 99 a print by Tucker shows a stunning column of white cumulus clouds soaring over the Blue Ridge, identified as “Route 619, Greene County, August 5, 1988 (printed January 29, 1989). And we know that on that summer day, the view from 619 was absolutely beautiful.
     Tucker was a regular Thursday attendee of the Firnew Farm Artists’ Circle’s Review + Critique of New Works session. He shared his singular vision and palette while opening the infinite possibilities of expression of whom we are and who we might be. He pushed himself as he raised the bar of excellence for our own works.
     It is the honor of all the artists of the Firnew Farm Artists’ Circle to dedicate their spring show to Tucker Hill’s legacy and to continue to know this place and time.

For Tucker

By Khalil Hassan

Reflections of sunsets on gentle streams reminiscent of 
memories of days past and dreams yet to come,
Hold tightly to those thoughts for they can be as fleeting 
as time itself
Memories ebb and flow like golden leaves in the autumn air 
slowly descending to an earthen floor
Mix tears with laughter and rejoice in these moments of bliss and be not sorrowful.