Hilary Watkinson is known for her contemporary, abstract, and colorful interpretations of gardens in motion. She began her painting journey in her late 60s, overcoming physical limitations like arthritis and difficulty gripping a paintbrush. Instead, she employs acrylics on canvas with a kitchen spatula and pouring paint techniques to evoke memories of gardens and explore the influence of wind on plant energy. In 2022, while hospitalized with COVID-19, Hilary experienced substandard care that resulted in a coma. Despite being unable to move, she could hear the world around her. It took eight hours for her daughter to bring attention to her condition, leading to a diagnosis of PTSD. Through her recovery, Hilary turned to poetry as a means of processing her experiences, initially sharing them only with her psychiatrist before gradually opening up online.
Fear
Fear is my friend
My best friend
He must be
Because he follows me
Everywhere
Growing in size
As I grow weaker
Taking control
He loves me
He must do
Because he’s always at my side
Behind
In front
And inside me
He lives behind my eyes
In the place
Vacated
By Happiness
He lives
And grows stronger