Jill Carver

“Nature. I prefer nature’s inspired tangled-ness rather than tidiness. I enjoy the iconic intimate scene rather than the grand vista. I notice details, patterns, relationships, and change. The rotten log that finally buckled and broke under the weight of last winter’s snow; the subtle course-change of the meandering stream; the fading crescent moon that mimics the curve of the lake; the latest re-model project of our local beaver, his favorite pond being mine also. Rather than go out into the landscape with the notion of ‘seeking’ a painting, I find that the stronger ideas appear to me when I am hiking, walking my dogs, fishing, or meditating – when I am utterly ‘present’; when I am the student, the observer, and the recipient; when I ‘listen’ rather than impose my will. I then return to the scene as a ‘hunter-gatherer’ and make numerous field studies and notes before I develop the idea further in the studio. For me a painting should be evidence of a process of observation, conversation, exploration, and acquired knowledge, rather than a concluding statement.”