“I originally studied as a figurative artist, but when I look at animals I see the same forms and movement that first fascinated me with the human figure.
“I also love the deep meaning we can find in animals. They fill our stories, mythologies, logos, and are so rich in symbolism. I found that I could convey stories and emotions with animal subjects that were somehow so much harder to express with human subjects, and I don’t believe I could ever get tired of looking at and painting the almost infinite variety of colors, shapes, and expressions animals come in.
“Through my paintings I want to give a new perspective of the beings that walk with us everyday and fill our world with life, sound, and texture.”
Whitney Hall’s oil media paintings combine the inspiration of the wild Northern Rockies and the intense color of the Southwest. Born and raised in San Diego, Whitney initially studied figurative drawing and painting under a variety of contemporary California impressionists, expressionists, and colorists. After moving to Montana in 2008 she was introduced to Russian Impressionism and the Northern Rockies’ deep legacy of animal painting, which changed the course of her work from human to beast.
Despite her four-legged subject matter, her approach is still figurative at its root, with a focus on the design and character of each animal she paints. Today her colorful animal compositions reflect this mixed art heritage with their constant push and pull between technique and intuition, form and expression, harmony and contrast.
Whitney was the youngest artist to be juried into the C.M. Russell Art Auction in 2010, and in 2011, she was published in Southwest Art Magazine as one of “21 Under 31: Young Artists to Collect Now” and received the Award of Excellence in the Oil Painters of America’s 2011 Western Regional Exhibition.
In 2019 she received the prestigious 2-Dimensional Award at the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale and in the same auction her painting was the second-highest-selling piece of the night, coming in at over three times retail.
Her work has since been juried into many national shows and auctions, including the Russell Auction, the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale, the Coors Western Art Show Club, and multiple museum shows. She is a Signature Member of the American Women Artists.
