"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures."
Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)
"I no longer call myself a dabbler. I am an artist!"
ART - MY PASSION
I love art. I have a great affection for art from the beginning
of time and the paintings of early man up to and including the
many talented artists of today.
With the passing of time, my artistic boundaries have
stretched to include forms of art that I never would have
imagined. I paint in acrylics and enjoy painting just about
anything from conventional art to metaphysical pieces to
abstracts with a few mixed media works thrown in for good
measure.
I have a love affair with color. For me, color is the heart, the
pulse, of a work of art. Color attracts the eye and creates an
effect upon the viewer, whether the effect be subtle or a shout.
I play with color and enjoy using it unconventionally, often
boldly.
I invite you to see for yourself the versatility and colors of my
art. Please make yourself at home, browsing and enjoying at
your leisure. Feel free to contact me with any questions or
comments that you may have.
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Yours....Jill |
My Journey to Art
I can remember being about six years old and making my first attempts at drawing by looking at Charlie Brown cartoons and trying to reproduce them. I drew Charlie Brown flying his kite and it was acceptable for one so young.
I continued to doodle and draw, and my mother saw potential although I don’t know exactly when it was that I actually first considered being an artist. I knew by the time I was in high school and could take art, that I had made the determination to make a career of art. I would graduate high school then go to John Heron Art School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Maybe become a commercial artist.
My high school art teacher was very encouraging of me in particular, although there were others in the class that I considered much more talented than I. I later learned that his attention to me was due to the fact that I showed much more interest than the others. Looking back, I suppose, being an art teacher, he could also see a potential of which I was unaware. My art esteem wasn’t very high and remained low for many years later.
I was horrified and indignant when, after my freshman and sophomore years of art classes, the school cut art from the budget and cancelled the classes.
Graduation came as did a fellow and then marriage and then babies. John Heron Art School and my artistic aspirations as well as even more of my confidence dimmed and retreated, giving way to coping daily with life and it’s challenges.
Many years and another marriage later, an event occurred that dramatically changed my life. I had experienced occasional surges of the need to paint, and would have a frenzy that produced a few works, then the surges would recede, again bowing to the demands of daily living as well as my belief that I wasn’t really that good and was indeed merely a “dabbler”.
Then the change occurred. One evening I went upstairs to wake my husband after his long stay in the hospital battling leukemia. He wouldn’t wake up; he was no longer of this world.
I thought he took my life with him when he went, and for a time he did. But it was given back to me and with it came many changes and gifts. The greatest gift was the surge for art that has never again receded. The passion for painting would no longer be denied and has wonderfully asserted itself in my life.
Along the way of my new, artful path, I have been so gratified and nurtured by the kindnesses and support I have received for my art. I have met many art angels in the past few years that have given me great encouragement and helped to bolster my self esteem as an artist.
So, here I am. Many paintings later, with my art on many places on the web and with my own art business venture.
