Hope first heard about Kevin Hill while attending a Steve Ross and Dana Jester workshop, when fellow painters kept talking about a young artist they said she absolutely had to study with. In May 2023, Hope finally did—and from the first class, the experience felt welcoming and personal. Kevin’s workshops are very much a family affair, with his family helping create the positive, energetic atmosphere that makes students feel at home.

Technically, Kevin helped Hope slow down and think more carefully about atmosphere, edges, detail, and the quiet color relationships that make a landscape feel finished. Among Hope’s favorite inside jokes is “Kevin Hill purple,” the soft purple mixture that somehow seems to appear in nearly every painting. Hope also helped spark a friendly challenge between Kevin and Marion Dutton: Kevin challenged Maz to paint one of his landscapes, while Maz challenged Kevin to tackle one of her pet portraits. Both rose to the occasion beautifully.