JillPamArt

I love paper, always have. In 2018, I began playing with the use of a hole puncher, some magazines and glue. It felt a bit like mosaic meets jigsaw puzzle as I connected with my subjects one small hole punch at a time. A journalist, Jesse Kirsch, referred to my work as modern day pointillism. To date I have created 17 portraits and each one has had meaning in my life (from Michelle Obama to Amanda Gorman). The background and frame of my pieces is equally important to me as the subject. I like to play with the background through a myriad of mixed mediums and bring the essence of my subject on to the canvas. When the pandemic began, it was as important to quiet my mind as it was to busy my hands. I created Mandala designs, up-cycling wood bowls and trays as my canvas. I also began making important statement pieces (e.g., BLM, RBG) and donating profits to charities in need. Over a year ago, we moved South and nature became more of a focus for me. I connected with flowers and landscapes that became my subjects. They offer freedom of color and expression in a way different than portraits are able. Each piece can take me anywhere from 80-200 hours as each hole is carefully chosen, punched and laid onto the background. You might expect that lips are lips, or skin is skin, when in fact, the image might be punched from a home magazine of hardwood flooring, or a landscaping catalog with mulch or flowers. I look at texture and color range to decide where to place the hole punch. I love every image I create. If I don’t, it won’t translate in the piece. What’s great about this medium is that it is forgiving - if a hole is misplaced, another can be placed on top. I’ve had the good fortune of being interviewed by a number of sources, including the Chicago Tribune and Sheridan Road magazine. The most fun I had was a small video for 60 Second Docs. I hope you’ll check it out.