By ASHLEY INGE
TheFlashToday.com
STEPHENVILLE (August 17, 2018) – A new exhibit by the Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council (CTFAC) is now open. “Anita’s Animals,” by Anita Hittle, showcases many of man’s closest friends portrayed in watercolor. The exhibit is being held at the Stephenville Senior Citizens Center and will be open through the end of September. A portion of the gallery sales from her exhibit will be donated to the Erath County Humane Society.
A reception for “Anita’s Animals” is also being held at the Senior Citizens Center on Thursday, Aug. 30 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Hittle started painting 15 years ago, but she was only eight when she found her love for painting.
“I knew when I was eight that I wanted to paint pictures to illustrate books for children and I wanted to write the stories too — my 8-year-old dream — so I always knew I wanted to do that kind of thing but it wasn’t practical in the real world. So I just did other things and kept it tucked away for myself until I was old enough that I knew that I would have the time to learn how to do it,” Hittle explained.
Hittle explained that she gravitated to painting animals because “they’re some of the best of humanity.” She loves their innocence and she said she paints other things too, but she always goes back to animals when she needs to feel good about what she’s painting.
“The very first dog portrait I did was of my friend’s dog and the dog had recently died. He was a big ole’ black lab named Navy and I wanted to just do this for her and that was kind’ve the beginning. Then I started painting them for other family and friends and it just took off from there. I take either my own pictures or I use a picture that someone has given to me or a series of pictures. Sometimes I need more than one, because one will have a good pose but it doesn’t have good coloring for the animal. I love to be able to meet the pet that I’m trying to paint,” Hittle said. “I was able to live in Ruidoso, New Mexico for eight years and that’s really where I first started painting more animals. I did a lot of bear paintings, foxes, some cougars and I just did a lot of painting and I took workshops through artists that were well-known and seasoned and I learned everything I could. I just love it.”
Hittle also compares painting to mediation.
“It doesn’t matter what else is going on in my life. If I can sit down and paint or draw, it completely shuts out the rest of the world. I just get into a zone,” Hittle said.
Executive Director of the CTFAC, Whitney Lee, said Hittle is a “wonderful artist” and explained more about the idea regarding the donation to the Erath County Humane Society.
“(Anita) started working with an animal shelter out in New Mexico to do portraits of shelter animals who were the ones that were considered ‘a little harder to adopt’ and so they would use those portraits to kind’ve make them more personable to potential families and so that’s where we kind’ve got the idea,” Lee explained. “A portion of the gallery sales from her exhibit will be donated to the Erath County Humane Society in honor with her work with shelters. We’re excited too and we’re hoping that will catch people’s attention as well.”
Hittle hopes that when people view her art, they will see animals in a special light.
“I’m just kind of hoping that (the viewers) will see animals the way I see them — how beautiful and innocent and different they are — and I just hope it lifts their spirits, just to see paintings of some of the world’s critters,” Hittle said.
Hittle is also offering a beginner’s watercolor class through CTFAC starting Sep. 4, once a week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for six weeks.
For members of the CTFAC, the class will be $140. For non-members, the class will be $160.
Hittle said she is glad that she is able to teach beginner artists.
“It’s the best way to give back something that’s real special to me because it changed my life. It made me able to see things differently,” Hittle said.
Hittle also encourages anyone who is interested in painting to join her class.
“If somebody who has always wanted to paint — who wanted to try it and was just afraid to do it — I encourage them to try it,” Hittle said. “It is so wonderful. You don’t have to be able to draw well, if at all, because that will come later. Watercolors is just so forgiving and so fun to work with that they will be delighted. They will be surprised by what they can do.”
For more information about “Anita’s Animals” or if you would like to join her watercolor class, call the Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council at 254-965-6190.
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