Jill Wells
Iowa based artist Jill Wells is best known for her dynamic and colorful narrative paintings investigating race, history, stereotypes, accessibility and the human condition. Born in 1980 in Des Moines, Iowa, Wells was raised in Indianola, Iowa.
She studied at Drake University (BFA 2005). An award-winning painter, Wells has been in practice for more than 18 years, with public and private works in Iowa, Mississippi, Arizona and New Orleans.
Her artwork is represented in the permanent collections of: Disability Rights Iowa, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Blank Park Zoo, YMCA of Greater Des Moines, The Annette Nature Center, Polk County Jail (west wing) and Creative Visions Human Development Center. In 2020, Lavender and Lime profiled Wells in an online published portrait manifesto series, Black Lives Matter Portrait Manifesto. Most recently, Wells was the recipient of the Iowa Creative Incubator Fellowship through Mainframe Studios. Currently Jill Wells serves on the Board of Directors for The After School Arts Program and works as a full-time Artist.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
My practice begins with a sound, a song, a sent, a texture, a look or glance, an emotion or injustice, a celebration, problem, or memory. Once inspiration strikes, I then move to creating: creating through materials, mediums, space, research, investigating, developing a narrative, creative-thinking and creative problem-solving. I am very mindful when creating and this involves thinking as well as “not thinking.” My practice is somewhat ritualistic when it comes to the actual production process. Art, for me, is about narration, connectivity and addressing needed areas. It is about having internal and/or external conversations with others, and making connections through one’s thoughts, emotions, space.
