Submitted by Mary Cooper
Feb 3, 2022, VOL. 3 ISSUE 12
Local artist, Jill Macdonald, a Ridgeway resident for the last nine years, was awarded second place in the Emerging Artists category of the 2021 Dakota Pastels Competition. With a total of 3,243 entrants for the competition, this was no small feat.
In the words of the judge, her entry, “Sunflower Concentration” was recognized for “its skillful mark-making, emotional use of colour and expressive design that yields a powerful visual impact. The close-cropped view of the subject provides a fascinating visual experience as we see bits of turquoise peeking through the sunflowers to contrast cool colour against the warmth of the flowers. Ultimately, the mark-making is just so rewarding that it provides wonderful energy and expression to the work.”
Jill attended the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Banff School of Fine Arts. She has been coaching new and experienced local artists here in Fort Erie for the past eight years in three main media: oil, acrylic and pastel and also accepts commission work. Taking her cue from the words of Alberto Giacometti, “The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity,” Jill’s paintings are strikingly vibrant.
