Rising Stars: Meet Jill Stevens of Chicago

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jill Stevens.

Hi Jill, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began creating wood art in my garage about 10 years ago. I had this idea to take beautiful woodgrains and different wood species and mix them together to make art. It was a slow start, experimenting with finishes, dyes and structure.

I do not have a formal education in art, however, I come from a family of very creative people. Once I figured out my process, I joined an art organization and exhibited locally. Through my art organization I have also been able to meet several experienced artists that have given me guidance.

About 4 years ago, after my kids were grown and settled, I started selling my art. I bought a used canopy and ProPanels for a booth and started doing art festivals. I’ve been fortunate to have participated in Art Fair on the Square in Madison, WI, Old Town Art Fair in Chicago, IL and Ann Arbor Original in Michigan, to name a few.

Recently I made the big move out of my garage. I bought an old building in historic, downtown Cambridge, WI. It took me about a year to rehab it, but I’ve been blessed with a beautiful, light filled space full of history and warmth.

I am just a girl in a studio who loves art and design and likes to make really cool things. I am always evolving my craft and enjoying the journey.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being any kind of artist is always about being constantly judged. All the exhibitions and art fairs are juried, then your art is judged again once at the exhibitions and art fairs. Then there are the consumers that judge your art. There is a level of rejection I think every artist experiences. Art is so personal. It has taken a lot of strength to move through the rejection.

I did not go to school for art, so I didn’t know how to start selling art. There is so much beyond creating good art, like photographing your art, pricing your art, marketing, social media, building a website, running a small business. There is no single book or resource that tells you how to do these things. At my second art fair ever, I sold my first piece of art for the day for $2.50, when it was a $250.00 piece of art because I forgot to input the zeros. That was a lesson! These last four years have been a huge learning experience for me with countless struggles. I look at it as my four year degree, but I still have a lot to learn!

I think if you are not struggling you are not challenging yourself. So I am actually thankful for the struggles.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I call myself a wood artist. I create 2D wood relief art composed of multiple pieces of wood. Each piece of wood I use has its own story based on shape, thickness, wood species, grain direction, color and finish.

I think what I am most proud of is my use of wood dyes. My technique is my own, developed over years of working with wood. I enjoy creating vibrant colors and effects on the wood with them.

I think what sets my art apart is that you need to a a specific skill set to create it, and a lot of expensive tools. I have been collecting tools for decades. Beyond composition and design there is a long process of cutting, sanding, staining, finishing and assembly. I use multiple mediums and multiple finishes on the wood.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I am not a huge risk taker, but I wish I was and wish I had taken more risks at a younger age. Risk is how you grow. Failure is how you grow.

Five years ago I got a divorce. Up until that point my life had been pretty safe. Between that and starting an art career I guess I was ready for some risk. I had been a homemaker, but now my kids were grown up and independent. So needed to figure out a job or a career. I decided to make a career with my wood art. I had no idea what I was doing. I just started knocking down tasks one at a time.

I had this handmade card I found hanging in my garage studio that says “The jump is so frightening between there I am and where I want to be. Because of all I may become I will close my eyes and leap.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jillstevenswoodart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillstevensart/