William Campbell Gallery is pleased to announce the debut of the gallery’s newest artist, Lee Albert Hill. Hill is a Texas-based painter, architect, and writer who has been creating art for over 25 years. His paintings are housed in several corporate collections including American Airlines, Architects Orange, Marriott, and Bentley Tibbs Architects to name a few; and he is a two-time finalist for the Huntington Art Prize and a finalist in the Celeste Art Prize at the International Art Prize show in Berlin, Germany. He received James R Wooten Service Award for AIA in 2023. He has shown his work atArt Forum – Art Berlin, Germany, and at the Spectrum show in Miami, FL. Hill’s architectural background shines through these illustrious paintings as his style is defined by his unique composition with hard edges and abstraction. His works are geometric, yet round, allowing the colors and shapes to lead the eye across the sections of the paintings. Lee received his B.A. from Texas Tech in 1986 and became an architect by trade. Lee is Project Director at the Fort Worth based architecture firm, VLK.
Lee’s debut exhibition at the gallery titled: Semioshphere opens on March 25, 2023, FWADA Spring Gallery Night. Lee reflects on this career moment: “When I first started painting, it was a modest endeavor and to become a working artist was the furthest thing from my mind. Later it became aspirational and now, after many years of effort, it’s a reality. At the same time, I’ve known the storied William Campbell Gallery, founded by Bill and Pam Campbell, before I even thought about painting. To now join its roster of accomplished and well-known artists is the highlight of my career. I’m thankful for the support of my family, friends and community and look forward to my debut with the gallery.”
Semiosphere, Hill describes as: “A space where signs, symbols, and writings produce sense and experience – like a gallery space. Unlike an atmosphere the natural order are determinants.” The term evolved in part from his time in New York as he observed the city all about signage, symbols, and reading, paired next to man-made environments amidst natural atmospheres.
Lee draws his inspiration from the construction approaches of Otis Jones, and the application and visual techniques of Caio Fonseca, who was born into a remarkably talented family of artists, including his father, Gonzalo Fonseca, whose work is also an inspiration to Lee as Gonzalo also trained as an architect. He describes his choice of colors as patterns that are complementary in layers, dark color under light, light under dark, and so forth. More recently he has entered a realm of grays and blacks. The titles of his art stem from stories, both fiction and non-fiction, fables, and statements about current events. The centerline of his current series comes back to the Semiosphere.
William Campbell Gallery Director, Anne Kelly Lewis says, “Lee’s sturdy canvas-wrapped panels retain a delicate yet geometric overlay of lines and shapes in deliberate color palette. I respect his careful title choices, they are personal to Lee, but retain an openness that makes his work so inviting.” Hill’s earliest architectural training involved freehand drafting, before computer models were in practice, this mind-to-hand connection is evident in these inimitable works.
The exhibition’s opening reception will take place the same night as Fort Worth Art Dealers Association, Spring Gallery night on March 25, 2023, from noon – 8 pm at William Campbell Gallery, 217 Foch Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107. The show will run through April 26, 2023.
SHOW TITLE: Debut of Lee Albert Hill | Semiosphere
SHOW OPENING RECEPTION: March 25, 2023, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
SHOW DATES: March 25 – April 26, 2023
SHOW LOCATION:217 Foch Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107
ABOUT THE GALLERY
Founded in 1974 by Bill and Pam Campbell, William Campbell Gallery exhibits high-quality contemporary art in a variety of media, including paintings, works on paper, mixed-media constructions, photography, prints, ceramics, and sculpture. The gallery exhibits nationally recognized artists, along with new and emerging talent, and continues to nurture an awareness and appreciation of the exciting diversity found in contemporary art as it has over the past 49 years. The gallery announced its new ownership in December of 2020 to the Fort Worth Contemporary Art Partners (FWCAP), which includes Tim and Misty Locke, Jadz Pate, Clayton Snodgrass, and J.W. and Andrea Wilson. In March 2022, a second gallery location was opened to feature additional works in a modern, bright, and alternative environment. In February 2023 the gallery announced the new Director Anne Kelly Lewis. Visit the gallery website, and social media platforms, and join the mailing list to be up to date on new and exciting endeavors at WCG. www.williamcampbellgallery.com
