Thursday, March 8, 2012

31/31: Jill Zaheer


31 artists...31 days. Spend every day of March with me at The Altered Page to meet the 31 spotlight artists in my book The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed. See their beautiful faces, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what they each mean to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Pulse of Mixed Media.
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I turned and the clock flashes 11:11 (the date my mom passed away), rainbows shine with the blink of an eye, I think of someone and they appear... these are all synchronistic events which play a major role in my creativity. I incorporate these occurrences into my works.


My art is an expression of who I am - reflected in my work through color, vibrancy, varied materials, layers, textures and ultimately, the optimism and excitement I have in life which can be seen in my smile.




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Jill is the only contributor to the book that I knew in my life before becoming an artist. In fact, we have known each - in one form or another - for nearly 20 years. We both live in NYC and originally met because many years ago we lived on the same block and saw each other every morning while we waited to take the same bus to the same location, as we both worked in the same place. Much has changed since then but when you fast forward many years, there is still something that we share: art.

Jill is a talented artist who has shown that she can create art in any media she works with. Her positive spirit is infectious and is reflected in her mixed media work that is full of joy, passion, energy and color. Her more serious side can be seen in her representational works of portraits and both urban and natural landscapes. We collaborated together, along with 4 other artists (Supria Karmakar, Veronica Funk, Rita Vindedzis and Roxanne Evans-Stout), on an altered book project called Inner Works. We worked together on a Global Guerilla Knit Project. And more recently, we collaborated on a poetry and art altered book project which you will soon hear more about.

Jill is generously hosting her own giveaway for this blog tour: a giveaway of a piece of my original art. So leaving a comment on her blog post gives you a chance to win twice! Thanks Jill.
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GIVEAWAY

NOW CLOSED

45 comments:

ArtPropelled said...

The first image is a great way to introduce us to Jill. I can feel the joy and passion.... qualities I picked up on while reading her comments in the bloggersphere. Another great post Seth!

sukipoet said...

Jill's work does feel full of energy and excitement and radiates her smile just as she says. how lovely you have known each other for so long. and can't wait to see the altered book/poetry project. i think about five years ago, i was a yahoo member of your group and we began to alter my novel Catching the Light/?? I think it was yourself. I only ended up altering two pages, LOL. Ah, well.

Kathryn Dyche said...

Love the energy and joy that comes through in Jill's work. I keep trying to work with brighter colors but haven't been able to manage it yet.

michelle ward said...

We continue to be amazed as you reveal more about yourself while introducing us to your contributors. I have enjoyed learning more about Jill too. Loved hearing that you knew each other before your enlightenment.

Numinosity said...

What a great bio to go with a vibrant artist. Thanks for highlighting her work,

Anonymous said...

I love her art! It's overflowing with details. So much to discover!

jinxxxygirl said...

OOOoooo some insight into the Seth before Art. :) Thank you for introducing me to another great artist!

steen said...

Thanks Seth for making it possible for us to see and learn about all these amazing and creative artists that change the art scene and “ go where no one has gone before” :) Jill´s work is unique – we can see immediately that it is hers, and it seems that she can do whatever she wants to do. While everyone will praise her mixed media art creations today, I will here say that we should not forget her talents and wisdom when she tells us her stories. Like fairy tales with many layers of wisdom and fun. And there are always ideas and thoughts for the mind at the end. Remember her “Layers” , “Rights of Passage” ,” Life signs and street sign”s, “Time” and many more. She can ask us if there is a connection between visual arts and music and makes us think …..and that´s what it is all about.

Unknown said...

bright works!!! would look by hours!:)

lindjoy said...

Her work has so much energy and yet it is so contemplative. Thanks Jill!

lindjoy said...

Jill's work has so much energy - with depth and contemplative elements. Love it.

Rebeca Trevino said...

I have seen Jill's work before. Today I enjoyed reading her words and am thrilled to see that she is one of your 31.

Parabolic Muse said...

Color! color color color!

(I love those hooks)

More synchronicity... you two working in the same building.

eb said...

joy
passion
smiling...

I am delighted
to learn more about Jill,
her work
your friendship
and yes
to her deep listening
to synchronicity,

xox - eb.

Unknown said...

you know this series of artist spotlights can be a book in and of itself!

How interesting that you and Jill have known each other for such a long time and it has culminated in this art life.

Karen Cole said...

Yes Jill, I see the beauty coming through, your face, your work. I am so looking forward to our meeting.

Seth, your taste is impeccable.

Lynn Cohen said...

Does each new artist you introduce us to just get better and better or is that possible, no, they are all terrific but the meeting of still one more awesome art maker is so so exciting. Jill's color and wildness in her art is so exciting! I am over the moon with joy seeing it here and on her blog as well. The story of your friendship is fun too.
You know where to find me if I win anything here, but hey, I feel like a winner each time I get to meet one more of the fabulous artists in your book! Really!!!!

elle said...

Her smile is definitely leaking into her art!

Storyheart said...

Jill's work is really exciting to me and I can't wait to explore her blog. I'm enjoying so much learning about all these wonderful artists. Thank you, Seth.

Unknown said...

Seth, it is heartwarming to hear of your longtime friendship with Jill. A shared history tastes so good! Aged. Well now I need to make a cuppa and go visit your links, especially Jill's! *smiles* Norma

Caterina Giglio said...

Jill is such a dearheart, so glad to see her passionate work featured in your book and to know that you have been friends for so long... wonderful...

Maggie Crawford said...

Fantastic Art work something different to see every time you look at it

onesmallstitch said...

synchronicity indeed, fascinating.

Marit said...

Glad to see wonderful Jill smile at me from the screen, and that she's part of your book.

Bill said...

Wow. I love Jill's work! I love all the color, the zaniness, and, well, everything.

layers said...

These glimpses into the artists featured in your book are an extra special bonus.. Jill has such a zest for her art and life.

Lisa H said...

Thanks to YOU, I've met Jill via the Blog. Every note, comment and correspondence with Jill is a joy. A JOY, I tell ya!
Her strong and positive spirit is always like taking a breath of clean, fresh sea air. Opening my window now just to see if I can catch the breeze....

Jo Murray said...

It's great to meet (virtually) all these wonderful artists via your blog, and Jill is worth every moment spent looking at her work. Such enthusiasm, and detail!

Robert said...

As many have said, already, here, Jill's amazing artwork is lush with color. She also has an interesting way of organizing compositional space, that completely unifies the many contrasting elements of color, texture, and idea that permeate her work. It is always fascinating to find artists who can, so successfully, combine disparate imagery, and/or materials into a piece in such a way that makes the end result far greater than the sum of it's parts. Jill is obviously one of those! Seth, I think it's incredible that you and Jill have been friends all these years! I would say that she definitely sounds like a "keeper!"

Terrie said...

Another artist to fall in love with - love that there are just so many styles represented.

Laura said...

Ha, the number thing I so relate to. I do it all the time. Loved your art also.

Anonymous said...

i absolutely adore jill -- she is the most upbeat, kind, generous, infectiously happy, beautiful soul i've ever met online and am proud to be doing a collaboration with her. she is at the top of the short list of people i will meet in person before i die -- love that lady!! i think it's such a wonderful story of how the two of you met and that after all these years you've remained close and collaborated together, etc. she inspires color -- i'm loving our collaboration and her artistic influence on me and my limited pallet.

Anonymous said...

Love this blog. Found you through Pintrest.

Melissa N said...

You are so right Jill's art does make you smile! Thank you.
Melissa N

rivergardenstudio said...

It is so wonderful that you and Jill have been friends for so long, and that you both find art making so joyous. For me, Jill and joyousness go together! And I am so proud to have some of her art from our Innerworks collaboration!!
roxanne

Emma said...

Bright works, bright smile!

Denise said...

Love the exciting, vibrantly colorful energy of Jill's work. thank you for introducing her to us! ~Denise

Fallingladies said...

I had never seen her work before but it's so FULL.... I would so like to see it in person!

Sharmon Davidson said...

I don't know Jill as well as some of the other artists, but whenever I have had any contact with her (only on the internet, of course), her sweet nature and generosity are evident. Her work shows the same personality- full of joy and exuberance.

Suzanne Bouchard said...

jill has a great sense of color and I like her busy compositions full of life!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Absolutely wonderful mix of color in the art work chosen here , Beautiful Jill!

Jen Crossley said...

Jills work is amazing

susan in seattle said...

Dear Seth, Thank you for introducing us all to these wonderful artists! SA

larkd said...

These works are just beautiful. Thank you Jill for sharing

Rusted Wings said...

what a great story of getting to know this amazing artist...thanks for introducing her to us (me)!