Avant Painting

“I’m energized by the challenges and beauty of nature, by the dynamics of light, atmosphere, and temperature in the Rocky Mountains and in the deserts of the Southwest.” - Hadley Rampton Rampton's work rests somewhere between abstraction and realism. Her paintings are an amalgamation of her love of composition, color, mark making and being present in the outdoors. “I prefer to work onsite where I not only see the scene before which I stand but feel its light, weather, and mood.” In plein air painting, there is an immediacy that takes hold and guides the process. Rampton grabs hold of that energy but also combines it with a more contemplative studio approach. Painting with a palette knife using bold strokes, she breaks her subject matter down into simplified form, composed of value and color. Drawing and painting for as long as she can remember, Rampton graduated from the University of Utah in 1999. During her studies, she spent a semester in Florence, Italy at the Instituto di Lorenzo d’ Medici studying studio art, Renaissance Art History and History of Renaissance Architecture. Her professional painting career, which began shortly after graduation, is now nearing its 20th year. With an Honors BFA in Painting and Drawing and a minor in Art History, Rampton has exhibited in several shows, juried exhibitions, and invitationals. She has been featured in several publications, including Plein Air Magazine, Western Art & Architecture, Judsons Plein Air Journal and Southwest Art Magazine. Her work can be found in private, public and corporate collections throughout the Southwest, across the country and internationally.