Meeting Jill, an artist

from w
Yesterday I went to a 'Life Conversations' program at Wesley Church in Geelong where a local artist, Jill Shalless, told us her story of many years of painting portraits and landscapes. Her style is realist and she mainly uses oil paints and pastel, her studio upstairs at the Wintergarden Cafe. Some of her work yesterday was on dsplay, mainly borrowed from the owners. She gave a captivating informal talk to a small group of people, and related how special moments of grace or serendipity occured - though she didn't use those words - particularly in relationships with people whose portraits she made. One powerful series of paintings related to Marysville, the beautiful small town that was almost completely burnt out during the terrible bush-fires over a year ago. Jill's plein-air group (painting on the spot, easels and all) had gone to Marysville nearly two years ago, and when the exhibition was opened at the Wintergarten, a day later the fires came. Later this Geelong painting group went back to Marysville, talked with the people, made more paintings, and gave one was given to a cafe owner there. I took a few photos yesterday and here are the results.