InSight Gallery | October 3-24, 2025 | Fredericksburg, TX

Visions of Hill Country

Kenny McKenna presents new work at his first show at InSight Gallery in Texas.

By Michael Clawson

Wherever Kenny McKenna goes, he is inspired by the natural light and atmosphere of the world around him, whether it’s the deserts of Arizona, the canyons of Northern New Mexico or even the California coast. For his newest show, the New Mexico artist turns his attention to Texas Hill Country, the famous region known for its luscious beauty and stunning light in the heart of the Lone Star State.

Sun Setting on Sierra del Carmen, oil, 24 x 50 in.

From Hill Country to High Desert, which opens October 3, is presented by InSight Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas, which is surrounded on all sides by Hill Country. The show will be the artist’s first at the gallery.

McKenna has painted in Texas before, including in Hill Country, Big Bend National Park and Palo Duro Canyon. He notes that the light is unique in every location he paints, but is especially strong in Texas. “Light is always different, and the humidity has everything to do with it. I remember when I started studying with Dalhart Windberg, he would exaggerate the haziness and thickness of the air, and it was always exciting to see his paintings come together,” McKenna says. “When I first started painting New Mexico, I wasn’t sure how I was going to give the illusion of distance because everything is so crystal clear. That’s not the case in Texas, which has remarkable light. Some of it just comes down to color temperature, which I first explored when I was looking at work by the Hudson River School painters—people like Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Church or Thomas Moran. They dealt with light and made it real dramatic for romanticized paintings. It was effective and that was the appeal.”

Passive Day, oil, 20 x 24 in.

Bell Towers of Concepcion, oil, 24 x 24 in.

The artist adds that the quality of light at these locations—whether New Mexico, Arizona or Texas—is what makes painting enjoyable. “The fun part is not doing the same thing every time,” he says.

Works in the show will also include two of the five famous Spanish colonial missions in San Antonio: Mission Concepción (Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísma Concepción de Acuña) and Mission San José (Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo).

“McKenna beautifully blends light, atmosphere and emotion. The show…marks a rare solo presentation of McKenna’s work, and highlights his signature use of diffused light and soft edges,” says InSight gallery owner and director Elizabeth Harris. “The 13 showpieces are unified by a sense of stillness and an almost tactile warmth.”