NEW YORK, NY.- The paintings Jill Brantley is presenting in her solo exhibition, now opening at Touchstone Gallery, Whimsy, were created during and after the Covid-19 Pandemic lockdown. Brantley explores a variety of materials, such as acrylic paints, alcohol inks, oil pastels, charcoal, crayons, various papers, and found objects. She uses this mix of media to create abstract works full of color, patterns, lines, and textures that are both imaginative and whimsical.

“During the pandemic, we were all burdened by the restraints and restrictions placed upon us. Painting provided me with a way to feel some freedom during that time. I was free to paint whatever, however, and whenever I wanted without the production time constraints of an upcoming art show or class,” says Brantley. “I paint because it brings me joy; I hope the artwork in Whimsy brings some joy to the viewer too!”

Whimsy will be on view from May 3 - 29, 2023. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, May 6 from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. There will also be a Meet the Artist event, in conjunction with Marcia Coppel, on Sunday, May 21 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

Jill Brantley has been involved in some form of artistic expression all of her life. After moving to Alexandria, VA in 2000, Brantley began by taking studio art classes at The Art League School, located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Her artwork has been juried into many regional and national art shows, receiving awards on several occasions. She has studied under DeannaSchwartzberg, Rob Vander Zee, and David Carlson. Jill has been a member of Touchstone Gallery since 2013. Her previous solo exhibition was SITUATIONS (2019).

JILL BRANTLEY
Artist Statement

My paintings are about color, pattern, texture and found objects all working together to create an image that evokes curiosity and visual excitement in the viewer. My use of collage has been a way for me to incorporate these elements into my art. It enables me to not only manipulate and build the surface of a painting but also add part of the real world into it as well. The things I use as collage are objects we are all familiar with. Things that speak of their history, my history or someone else’s. As I place different papers and other objects on my canvas, I feel like I am putting together a puzzle. Frequently a story tends to develop, created from these things with old or different lives being given new ones in my image that perhaps stimulates a memory or sense of place in the viewer.

Jill Brantley , a native of Boston, Massachusetts, resides in Old Town Alexandria, Va. with her dog Sophie.She started painting in 2000, taking studio art classes at the Art League School located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria. She began with drawing classes and then branched out into watercolor and oil eventually settling on painting in acrylic with mixed media collage, as her preferred medium. Since 2010, she has also been a member of the Robert Vanderzee School of Painting located on Lee St. in Alexandria. She has participated in workshops with many local and nationally known artists. She regularly enters juried and group shows. Jill enjoys traveling when the opportunity arises and has made several painting trips to Europe, South America and many U.S cities. She believes new places, smells and cultures stimulate her creativity. She feels the process of that creativity, of making art, for lack of a better word, connects her to the deepest aspects of herself.