Community directory

Jill Margaret Smithen - Painter / Illustrator (Welwyn Garden City)

Contact Mrs J M Smithen

17 The Valley Green
Welwyn Garden City
Herts
AL8 7DQ

Phone: 01707 325277
Fax: 01707 325277
email: Jill@JillSmithen.co.uk

Web pages: www.jillsmithen.co.uk

Summary Telephone to arrange a viewing of art work or to discuss commissions.

Artist's statement:
Jill continues to enjoy exploring the use of a variety of media to create pictures of wildlife, domestic animals, people, objects and places which she finds inspirational, interesting and thought provoking. She undertakes commissions and frequently produces a collection of art work based on a trip. These have included the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, China and Monet's Garden at Giverny, France, Butchard Garden Victoria, Canada and the Baltic Cities and Norway, the Mediterranean, Cornwall and Italy. She has produced supporting texts in the form of a catalogue for each main collection. Currently she is creating a collection on America and the UK, and exploring fabric and silk painting, as well as a series of abstract pictures on various topics. Additionally she undertakes Commissions mainly of animals, children and homes. Her most recent trip has been crossing America in Autumn 2006 and has a digital photographic record and is creating a travel booklet to support her American paintings.

Jill has had exhibitions of her work, she belongs to an art club, partaken in Open Studios, exhibited at Leisure Centres including Stevenage and the Maynard Gallery in Welwyn Garden City, Garden Centres, Outdoor Markets and entered varied competitions. She has had articles and paintings published and printed in The Professional Gardening Journal and Hertfordshire Life magazine and has written and illustrated children stories and Poetry (as yet unpublished). Jill has created many calendars over the years, as well as hand-painted blouses, waistcoats, ties and scarves. Produced decorative boxes, greeting cards and bookmarks. Her art work is displayed as far afield as California and New Ireland.

She invites you to visit her art website www.jillsmithen.co.uk where there are regular updates, or phone to arrange a viewing.

Awards:
* Finalist Runner-up in P.A.W.S. competition 2003 of "Snow Picnic-Panda".
* Highly commended - Paint a Wildlife Competition by Roy Chaffin.
* Its a Fine Balance (Kangaroo and child from Australia / NZ collection).
* The Majestic Kodkaburras (Bird in Tree).
* Snow Picnic (Panda); Certificate of Merit-runner-up.
* Artists Yearbook 2003, Royal Society of Arts summer exhibition (Consideration for hanging Catagory).
* "Meeting the Newcomer" "The Red Hot Centre" "Seaview".

Commissions:
* Rooftop view, Italy;
* Mill Green Mill, Hatfield;
* Vinyard Trio - oil on canvas;
* Emma (the women to come);
* Red Lion Pub Digswell Hill, WGC;
* Sharon's Cat;
* Meeting the Newcomer;
* Dolphins Dance;
* Earth's Guardian'
* Pet Dog;
* Guitar Respite.

Exhibitions:
* Maynard Open Gallery, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, (2003-4)
* Images of Australia, New Zealand and Canada at the Theatre Foyer-Arts and Leisure Centre, Stevenage (May-June 2000 & 2003)
* Open Studios at home in WGC (Sept 2000, 2001 & 2003)
* Barn Theatre Foyer, WGC (2000, 2001 & 2003)
* Hitchin Market Display (2002)
* Maynard Gallery, Campus WGC (2002)
* Wyevale Garden Centre, Codicote (2003)
* ArtVanGo, Knebworth (2003)
* Welwyn Garden City Art Club - generally annual event
* Society of Feline Artists Annual London exhibition & Llewellyn London Gallery
* Recent exhibition 2006 at Dame Flora Robson Gallery 6th March to 18th April 2006 at Campus West, Garden City Leisure Centre during normal opening hours 'Italian Memories' paintings and pencil sketches.
* A new exhibition at Dame Flora Robson Gallery on 6th April to 31st May 2009 is planned

Qualifications:
Main study of Art (Painting) during CertEd/Youth Workers Certificate at Putteridge Bury College, Luton. BEd (hons) at Hatfield Poly, now Hertfordshire University.
Various evening classes using a variety of Media.
Almost 20 years experience teaching primary, secondary, lecturing employed by Herts C C.

Publications:
Quarterly Journal for the Professional Gardener Guild (issues 84, 86, 91, 93, 98);
Professional Gardener Magazine;
Open Studios Handbook (2000, 2001, 2003);
Hertfordshire Life and Local newspapers (relating to exhibitions and Open Studio events).