Jill Tuttle the Artist

The title of this new section of my blog, is very important. Jill Tuttle the Artist. I have always considered myself an artist, but have never decided to fully dedicate time to becoming the artist that I am capable of being. It is difficult, finding that balance of the millions of things you want to be and the millions of things that we just are.

I am going to begin working on this balance. It might even teeter and wobble a little bit. Let's see how it goes!

I have always been an artist. From a very young age, I was interested in cartooning. My dream until High School was to be a cartoonist for Disney. They in my High School art class, my amazing teacher introduced me a whole new world of possibilities, and helped to expand and refine my skills. Because of him, and how he inspired me, I decided that was my new life goal, to be an art teacher. Thank you Mr. Brown. You made a big difference in my life. :)

I applied to NSCADU, and began my B.F.A. Here is some of my artwork from my first two years of university. Most are missing, or stored in a parents house, but the photographs will preserve their beauty!

"Tigerlilly" (3ftx4ft) acrylic and chalk pastel on paper
 SOLD

"Torn and Assembled" (6ftx3ft) acrylic paint, small canvas, string, fabric and other mixed medias on canvas 

Detail of "Torn and Assembled" 

"Rebuild" (4ftx3ft) oil paint and sharpie on canvas

"Lost Identities" (5ftx4ft) oil paint on canvas

"Tears" (1ftx2ft) acrylic paint and hot glue on silk and panel board

"Interpretation of a Rant" (3ftx2ft) charcoal and chalk pastel on paper

In my third year, I began studio work (self guided work). I began a series using women's corsets from the Victorian age, but it wasn't progressing well, and even though I loved it, my professor at the time hated it, and made me move on to something different. I then began painting the colorful landscape of Moab after an awesome trip with my mom and sister.

"Fin Rocks" (11/2ft x2ft) acrylic on canvas 

"Balancing Rock" (11/2ftx2ft) acrylic on canvas

"Double Arches" (3ftx2ft) acrylic on canvas
(currently hanging in my mom's living room / Jill Tuttle art gallery) 

"Arches National Park" (5ft x5ft) acrylic on canvas
(Poor quality picture, but is stunning to see. Currently hanging in the front hallway of my sisters home)

Detail of "Arches National Park" (5ft x5ft) acrylic on canvas

Detail of "Arches National Park" (5ft x5ft) acrylic on canvas

My professor still hated this series. He said it looked like "color by numbers". I continued with it regardless because I was enjoying it!
In my fourth year, I took another studio course, and had a professor who encouraged me to go back to the original series that I had begun the pervious year. Thanks to his encouragement, I produced some of my most interesting work, and I am still to this day exploring a similar process. Here are a few pictures of my first "Balancing Act" pieces from fourth year university.

"Balancing Act #4," (1ftx3ft) photocopy transfer on canvas board

"Balancing Act #5," (1ftx3ft) photocopy transfer on canvas board

"Balancing Act #6," (1ftx3ft) photocopy transfer on canvas board

"Balancing Act #7," (3ftx6ft) photocopy transfer on un-gessoed canvas

Detail of "Balancing Act #7," (3ftx6ft) photocopy transfer on un-gessoed canvas

Process picture of "The Living Room" (6ftx4ft) photocopy transfer and sharpie on canvas

Process picture of "The Living Room" (6ftx4ft) photocopy transfer and sharpie on canvas
(this is the last picture I have of this art work, as it was taken out of my studio... so sad) 

Detail of "The Living Room" (6ftx4ft) photocopy transfer and sharpie on canvas

And that brings us to the present day! I am a teacher by day, and an artist by night, and trying to keep it all balanced.
 Keep checking back under my other two pages "Artwork in Progress" and "Current Artwork" to see what I am currently working on!