Bio
Hilary Gomes grew up in San Francisco and attended schools in both San Francisco and Hillsborough, fostering an early connection to the California Peninsula, where she lives with her family and works. Her artistic journey began at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts and continued with a B.F.A. from The Cooper Union in New York City and an M.F.A. in Painting from the University of Iowa. She is trained in traditional oil painting techniques, including alla prima, grisaille, brunaille, and ébauche.

With a broad exhibition history, including solo, local, national, and international shows, Hilary remains active in the art community. Since 2001, she has taught painting and drawing at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA, where she also chairs the Department of Art. A dedicated educator, she has helped thousands of students develop their creativity and artistic skills.

Her work has been featured in American Art Review, American Art Collector, Circle Quarterly Art Review, and International Artist Magazine and San Francisco Art Fairs.

She visits and draws inspiration from the blooms at Filoli Gardens in Woodside, CA, as well as from flower markets, florists, and nurseries in Half Moon Bay and across the California Bay Peninsula. Hilary paints en plein air throughout the California Peninsula and is a member of the Burlingame Plein Air Painters.

Education
2001, MFA, Painting, The University of Iowa, School of Art and Art History, Iowa City, IA
1998, Art Education Certificate, Parsons/New School, NY, NY
1997, B.F.A, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and Science in NY, NY
1995, Exchange Student, Minerva Art Academy, Groningen, The Netherlands
1993, High School, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts High School, San Francisco, CA

Teaching Experience
2023-Present- Art Department Chair, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA
2001-Present, Tenured Studio Art Faculty, Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA
2006- Campus Abroad Professor, London England
2000-2001, Adjunct Studio Art Instructor, Kirkwood Community College, Iowa

CV
Art Studio


Gallery Group Exhibitions
M Stark Gallery, Farm, Fish, Flowers, Group Exhibition, Half Moon Bay, CA
480 Lighthouse Gallery, Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA
American Painting Gallery Fine Art, Washington D.C.
Gallery MAR Carmel, 3rd Annual Creative Women's Show, Carmel, CA,
Press and Publications
2026-January- The New York Review of Books, page 29, painting advertisement for the American Painting Fine Art Gallery, Painting "Lavender Roses".
2023- October-December, Fall 50th Anniversary Issue, American Art Review Magazine, Small Treasures Exhibition, American Painting Fine Art Ad,
2023: March: Featured in the American Art Collector Magazine, Issue 209, Florals and Botanicals, pages 56 and 66. The following paintings are featured in this issue: Spirit, Abundance, and Gold.
2022, Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine- 8th Issue, for a work entitled Three Roses and Thorns, Oil on Linen, 24" x 30"
2021, International Artist Magazine, Finalist Winner, (Art Prize Challenge No. 125 Florals and Gardens, for a work entitled Three Light Pink Roses, Oil on Linen Panel, Published in Issue 141- Oct/Nov. 2021 magazine
Danzic, Cynthia Maris, Drawing Dimensions, Ist edition

In-Person Gallery Exhibitions and Art Fairs
2026- July-September, Farm, Fish, Flowers, M Stark Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
2026- April 16-19, San Francisco Art Fair, Fort Mason Pavilion, booth A27, San Francisco, CA, selected paintings "Family" and "Poppies and Red Rose".
2026- February, Passionate Palettes, San Francisco Women's Artist Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2026-25, Dec- February, Small Treasures Exhibition, American Painting Fine Art Gallery, Washington D.C.
2025, July-October, Lark, San Carlos, CA
2025 May-June, "All Media: Imagine This", National Juried Shows, Coastal Art League Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
2025 April-July, "Uplift" group exhibition, CORA, San Mateo, CA
2025- March 5-30, San Mateo County's 19th Annual"Women View 2025" Art Exhibition, Belmont, CA
2025-24 Dec-February, Small Treasures Exhibition, American Painting Fine Art Gallery, Washington D.C
2024, May 9th -June 30th, All Media 2024: Anything Goes, Coastal Art League Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
2024 July, Group Show, Mirada on Main Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
2024 March, A Moment of Time, Group Painting show Coastal Art League Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA
2024 August 22-26th, Small Works, Mirada Gallery on Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA
2024 February - June 2024 "In Bloom", Solo Art Exhibition (15 Rose Paintings), Administration Building Gallery, Foothill College, CA, Reception and Artist Talk, May 15th 2024 12:00 pm -1:30 pm
2023-24 December-January, American Painting Gallery Fine Art, Small Treasures, Washington, DC,
2023- 22 December 3- February 11th American Painting Gallery Fine Art, Tiny Treasures, Washington, DC, selected works Three Light Pink Roses, Three Blooming Peach Roses, Window of Leaves, and Roses in Morning Light
2023 December- Small Works Online Exhibition, Las Lagunas Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, Purple Irises
2023-22- March (23) Finalist Winner New York Art Expo (Invited), New York City, NY
2022- October Gallery MAR Carmel, 3rd Annual Creative Women's Show, Carmel, CA, selected works, Love, Eros, Spirit, Seven Red Roses, Three Light Peach Roses.
2021, 8th Annual Small Works National Juried Exhibition, selected works, Window of Leaves, Oil on Linen Panel, 6" x 12" and Light Between Leaves, Oil on Linen Panel, 8" x 8", Clifton Springs, New York
2021, Accepted into the "In Gallery", Botanical Art and Illustration Exhibition, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, selected work, Rose Petals and Leaves Dancing in Morning Light
2020, "In Gallery" Exhibition "6th Annual Botanical Exhibition", Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, selected work Hydrangeas selected work exhibited in the gallery in Laguna Beach, CA.
Recent Regional, National, and International Juried Exhibition Awards
2026- April 16-19, San Francisco Art Fair, Finalist In Person Winner, Hosted by Teravarna, Fort Mason Pavilion, booth A27, San Francisco, CA, selected paintings "Family" and "Poppies and Red Rose".
2025, August, "Honorable Mention Award, Teravarna Art Gallery, 10th FLOWER, International Juried Art Competition
2024 May-June, "Honorable Mention Award Winner 8th FLOWER, International Juried Art Competition
2024, May 9th -June 30th, "Honorable Mention Award, All Media 2024: Anything Goes, Coastal Art League Gallery, Half Moon
2024- February CFA Circle Foundation Artist of the Year Award - Honorable Mention, International Juried Competition
2023, Talent Award Winner USA, 7th Flower International Juried Show, Teravarna
2023-October-Novemeber- Two Merit Awards, 2023 Floral Online Art Show,Grey Cube Gallery, selected work "My Heart" and "Gold, 36" x 36".
2023-September, Honorable Mention Award, 9th Leaves & Petals Exhibition, Fusion Art, selected work My Heart, 36" x 36" oil on linen
2023, Talent Award Prize, 6th Flowers, International Juried Art Competition, Teravarna,
2023, June, Honorable Mention Award, Botanical Show, Grey Cube Gallery, selected work "Essence", 16" x 20", oil on linen.
2023 January-22 December, Talent Award Winner, " 5th Flower" art competition, Art Show International Art Gallery, selected work "Love", 30" x 30", oil on linen.
2023 January 5- 28, "Botanical 2023", invited to the in-person Las Laguna Gallery and exhibiting in the online gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, selected work "Love".
2022, Merit Awards, Floral Art Show, Grey Cube Gallery, selected works, Gold, Bouquet, Love
2022, Honorable Mention Winner, "Botanicals" International Juried Art Competition, Art Room Gallery, selected works, Three Roses and Thorns and Abundance.
2022, Finalist Winner, 8th Annual Leaves and Petals Art Exhibition, Fusion Arts, August 2022, selected work Three Roses and Thorns, 24" x 30" and Blooming, 9" x 12".
2022, 2022 All Botanicals, International Juried show, award additional winner, selected work Three Roses and Thorns, 24 x 30"
2022, Bronze Award Winner, Flower Power 2022 International Juried Show, Camelback Gallery, selected work Grace, 20 "x 24".
2022, Colors of Humanity Art Gallery, International Juried Shows "Botanicals" (August 2022), selected work Three Roses and Thorns.10% of the entry fee has been donated to the Nature Conservatory.
2022, Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine- 8th Issue, selected work entitled Three Roses and Thorns Oil on Linen, 24" x 30"
2022. Finalist Award Winner July 2022, Artavita Contest to exhibit Spectrum- Red Dot Miami Art Fair during Art Basel Week in Miami, FL, USA.
2022, Honorable Mention Award Winner, 2022 Botanical Online Art Show, Grey Cube Gallery, selected work, Grace, oil on linen mounted wood panel, 20" x 24", 2022, Three Roses and Thorns, oil on stretched linen, 24" x 30", 2022
2022, Honorable Mention Award Winner, June- July 2022, 4th Flowers Exhibition, Art Show International Gallery, selected work, Grace, oil on linen mounted wood panel, 20" x 24, 2022
2022, Merit Award, February 2022, The Nature Show, Grey Cube Gallery, selected work, Three Roses and Thorns
2021, Accepted into the "In Gallery", Botanical Art and Illustration Exhibition, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, selected work, Rose Petals and Leaves Dancing in Morning Light
2021, Merit Awards, 2021 Floral Online Art International Juried Online Show, Grey Cube Gallery, selected work, Three Blooming Light Peach Roses and Light Peach Roses and Rose Petals and Leaves Dancing in Light, oil on linen panel.
2021, Finalist, 7th Annual Leaves & Petals Art International Juried Art Exhibition-October 2021, Fusion Art. selected work, Three Blooming Light Peach Roses, oil on linen panel.
2021, 8th Annual Small Works National Juried Exhibition, selected works, Window of Leaves, Oil on Linen Panel, 6" x 12" and Light Between Leaves, Oil on Linen Panel, 8" x 8", Clifton Springs, New York
2021, Honorable Mention Award Winner, Grey Cube Gallery, 2021 Monochrome Online International Juried Art Show for the work entitled Drawing of Three Light Pink Roses, water-soluble graphite on aquabord.
2021, Bronze Award Winner, Camelback Gallery's 2ND Annual Black and White 2021 Visual Arts Competition, for a work entitled Drawing of Three Light Pink Roses, water-soluble graphite on aquabord
2021, Finalist Award Winner, International Artist Magazine (Art Prize Challenge No. 125) Florals and Gardens, for a work entitled Three Roses and Thorns, Oil on Linen Panel Published in Issue 141- Oct/Nov. 2021 Magazine
2021, Honorable Mention Winner, 2021 3rd Annual Botanical Art Exhibition, A Contemporary Art Room Online Gallery for the work entitled Three Light Pink Roses, Oil on Linen Panel, 8" x 8"
2020, "In Gallery" Exhibition "6th Annual Botanical Exhibition", Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, for work entitled Hydrangeas selected work exhibited in the gallery in Laguna Beach, CA.

Workshop, Art Auctions, Talks,
2026 July, Paint Water and Sky: Plein Air Landscapes in Water Mixable Oils Workshop, (Crystal Springs and Mori Point, Pacifica) San Carlos, CA.
2026, April, Organized the Third Annual Figure Drawing Marathon, Foothill College Community Education, Los Altos, CA
2025 Golden Hour Gala Auction, Berkeley Marina, CA, Neev Kolte & Brave Ronil Foundation, Proceeds of my auctioned painting "Gold" will support childhood cancer.
2025 May, Organized the Second Annual Figure Drawing Marathon, Foothill College Community Education, CA,
2024: Hidden Villa Outdoor Landscape (PleinAir) Painting Workshop, Taught a one day garden painting workshop at Hidden Villa, Los Altos CA,
2024, July, "Women Artists Making their Mark, Online Art Exhibition, Juried by Donna Seager and Priscilla Otani, O'Hanlon Center for the Arts (Mill Valley, CA) selected work "My Heart".
2024 May 15th 2024, Artist Talk, at the reception for "In Bloom", a solo show, Foothill College
2024 April, Organized the Figure Drawing Marathon at Foothill College for the Peninsula, CA,
Juror Experience
2023, PJCC, Community Art Show, Foster City, CA
2014, Wet Paint, Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA
2005, Student Exhibition, Los Medanos Community College, CA
2004, Shadow and Light, Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA
Curator Experience, Attended Gallery Artist Talks
2023: Curated East Palo Alto Academy High School Dual Enrollment Drawing exhibition, Foothill College Library
2023, Attended the artist talk for Flora Borealis, Elizabeth Barlow and Susan Manchester at the Andrea Norris Gallery, Burlingame, CA.
2016, Artist Talk on First Friday, Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA
2014, Curator, Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment, Women History Month Art Exhibition, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA
Scholarships and Fellowships
2006, Teacher Grant, The Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
1998-2001, Pelzer-Lynch Scholarship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
1999-2001, Studio Arts Teaching Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
1993-1997, Full Merit Scholarship, Cooper Union, New York City, NY
1991 & 1992, San Francisco County National Congressional Art Winner
1993, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Fellowship Winner, San Francisco, CA
1991 & 1992, San Francisco Art Institute Figure Drawing Scholarship, San Francisco, CA
1990 & 1991, C.S.S.S.A (California State Summer School for the Arts) Scholarship, Mills College, CA

Residency Experience
2027, July, Casa Posidonia, Oliva, Spain
2009, April-June Centrum Art Residency, Port Townsend, WA
Memberships
Member: Filoli Gardens, Woodside, CA
Member: De Young/Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA
Member: Coastal Art League Gallery, Half Moon Bay
Upcoming and Past Workshops Attended
2024 April: Paul Rosiak- Color Workshop with Plein Air-2024, (BACAA), Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier, San Carlos, CA
2021: Kathleen Speranza painting rose workshop, (BACAA) Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier, San Carlos, CA
2012: Sadie Valeri Figure Drawing Workshop/course, Sadie Valeri Atalier, San Francisco, CA
2008: Aldo Lira, Magic Realism Oil Painting, Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA

Collections
Fahrenheit Gallery, Kansas City, MS
University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City, IA
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital, NY, NY
The Cooper Union For the Advancement of Art and Science, NY, NY
Foothill College, Los Altos, CA

Portfolio: