I'm still fairly new to Bluethumb and have just started listing some of my paintings here - there's a lot more to come, and lots of variety in my work.
CELEBRATION OF COLOURS
I describe my work as a Celebration of Colours and a way of expressing my gratitude for life, for nature, and experiences. The colours I use seem to be getting brighter and brighter, but in a tasteful way, and I really want the colours to jump out and grab you, and I truly believe colours can lift your spirits. A colourful painting that you love can make you feel good every time you walk past it.
When I first started drawing and painting the ultimate challenge for me was to make things look as real as possible. That’s all I wanted to do was to make things look real. But these days I’m straying from the traditional realism and enjoying the adventure into a more free approach to my painting – with larger than life images, experimental abstracts and sometimes a fusion of realism and abstract.
WHY DO I PAINT?
Because I have to, it’s who I am and what I do. God made me to be a creative person, and I cannot survive unless I am doing something creative. I paint firstly to satisfy my soul, and a painting is not totally finished unless I am totally happy with it.
The second important reason why I paint is so that my artwork will bring joy to others. It is my greatest reward to know that my artwork has provoked a feeling, a reaction, or some sort of connection with a viewer.
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
Art is what YOU see and feel. Sometimes we try so hard to understand what the artist is trying to say when I think it can be more important to have your own personal response – it’s all about what the artwork says to you, how it makes you feel and what you can see.
I do believe that art is subjective and each person may respond to a painting in an entirely different way, and I find it totally fascinating and love it when other people can see things in my paintings that I didn’t know were there, or did not intentionally put there. And at my recent solo exhibition I found that different people could see very different, sometimes opposite things in the same painting. Please message me to let me know what you can see in my paintings. I would love to hear from you!
I paint mostly with acrylics and I love watching liquid as it moves the paint around the canvas with a life of it’s own - exploring a range of subjects, color palettes, mediums, styles - always evolving. I am totally absorbed by what I am doing when there is a paintbrush in my hand.
Being mostly self-taught, I began exhibiting and selling my work in many art shows around Melbourne and rural Victoria in the 1980’s. I began to win various prizes for my work in some of the local and regional art shows (see list of prizes). I was invited to exhibit in several exhibitions, and held a solo exhibition in 1987. (see list of exhibitions) I enjoy finding innovative non-traditional ways to exhibit my art where I can collaborate with complimentary partners – thus my solo exhibition was held in a Morwell Toyota Showroom coinciding with their wine & cheese night to launch a new model car.
In the early 1990's we moved to Canberra which became our home for 25 years. In Canberra I gained experience painting murals and trompe l’oeil as public and community art projects and some as private commissions. In 2016 we moved back to Victoria where we are enjoying our small acreage in Gippsland. I now have more time to focus on my art and am getting back into it in a serious way.
PUBLIC MURALS:
• Woden Early Childhood Centre (ACT)
• Lakeside Leisure Centre - Tuggeranong Swimming (Baby) Pool (ACT)
• Canberra Region Campaign (ACT)
COMMUNITY PUBLIC ART PROJECT MURALS:
• Bus Shelter Mural (ACT)
• Christmas Scene Mural (Combined churches project) (ACT)
• Isabella Plains Neighbourhood House (ACT)
Covid lockdowns have given me more time to develop my style, learn new techniques, experiment and grow to be a stronger more accomplished and confident artist.
In my sunroom/studio overlooking beautiful rural Darnum - I feel connected to nature absorbing the calming influence of my grazing sheep as I create.
“I’m still on a journey through colours, haven’t reached my destination - not sure if I ever will, but my paintings are satisfying my soul and stirring emotions in other people.”
I hope my work brings joy to you – please contact me if you have any questions – happy to chat, and follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
Jill Harris
(Little Bird Gippsland)