Jill Baker Gower

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  • I draw inspiration from decorative elements found in ornate historic wallpapers, architecture, ironwork, metalwork, lace, and crochet. These influences are then combined with contemporary ideas on glamour, femininity, beauty, and the body drawn from society, the media, and advertisements. Materials such as vitreous enamel, silver, jewels, pearls, velvet, lace and fur have not only been deemed glamorous for centuries, but throughout time have indicated social status and rank.

    I combine these precious and non-precious materials, decorative inspirations, and contemporary influences to create thoughtful, aesthetically beautiful, and well-crafted one-of-a kind works.
  • Jill received a BS in Art Education with an emphasis in metals from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She continued formal training at Arizona State University, earning a MFA in Metals. She was then artist-in-residence at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN.  Currently she is an Assistant Professor of Art on the faculty of Rowan University in New Jersey. There she teaches classes in all levels of Metals and Jewelry. Her work has been shown in many juried and invitational exhibitions and has been published in books and periodicals.
  • 2010
    “Realizing the Neo-Palatial”, National Ornamental Metal Museum,
    Memphis, TN, Invitational
    “Metal Inclinations II”, International Online Exhibition organized by the
    Society of Midwest Metalsmiths, www.smm-metalinclinations.org/, Juried
    “YEA Emerging Artist Project”, Gloucester County College, Sewell, NJ, Juried
    “American Craft Week”, Tenth Muse Gallery, Maplewood, NJ, Invitational
    “Earrings Galore”, Group Show Featuring The Earring, Heidi Lowe Gallery,
    Rehoboth, DE, Juried.
    “Make Me Something Beautiful”, 2010 Craft Arts Annual, Newark Museum,
    Newark, NJ, Juried
    “Baby Doll”, Broadway Gallery, New York, NY, Invitational
    “Monmouth Museum’s 3rd Annual New Jersey Emerging Artist Series”,
    Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ, Juried, Solo Exhibition
    “Baby Doll”, Arts Guild of New Jersey, Rahway, NJ, Invitational
    “Hard Brilliance: Diverse Approaches in Contemporary Enameling”,
    Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, WA, Invitational
    “Extremities: Exploring the Margins of the Human Body”, In conjunction with
    the SNAG Conference 2010,The Jung Center, Houston, TX, Juried
    “31st Annual Juried Art Exhibition”, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ,
    Juried, Juror’s Award
    “Refined VI: Back to Basics”, Biennial Juried Art Metals/Jewelry Competition
    and Exhibition,
    The Cole Art Center, Reavley Gallery, Nacogdoches, TX, Juried

    2009
    “State of the Union: Contemporary Craft in Dialogue”, Philadelphia Art Alliance,
    Philadelphia, PA, Curated by Melissa Caldwell, Invitational
    “Perspectives”, New Jersey Metal Arts Guild Members Exhibition, New Jersey
    City University, Jersey City, NJ, Curated by Ulysses Grant Dietz, Invitational
    “Earrings Galore”, Group Show Featuring The Earring, Heidi Lowe Gallery,
    Rehoboth, DE, Invitational
    “Surfacing”, The 12th biennial International Juried Exhibition sponsored by the
    Enamelist Society,The Oakland Art Gallery, Oakland, CA, Award Winner, Juried
    “Craft-ed”, Works by Arrowmont’s Artists-in-Residence (2003-2008),
    Dunedin Fine Art, Dunedin, FL, Curated by Catherine Bergmann, Invitational
    “Jewelry in Motion”, Live exhibition in conjunction with SNAG Conference 2009,
    The Grand Stair Hall of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA,
    Curated by Gail Brown, Invitational
    “Neoteric Matter: New Studio Jewelry”, In conjunction with the SNAG Conference 2009,
    Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, Curated by Daniella Kerner, Juried
    “Philadelphia Metalsmiths”, In conjunction with the SNAG Conference 2009,
    Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA, Curated by
    Leah Douglas, Invitational
    “10th International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibition”, University of Hawaii
    at Manoa Art Gallery, Honolulu, HI, Juried

    2008
    “CraftForms 2008”, 14th International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Craft,
    Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
    “Hello”, Rowan University Department of Art Faculty Exhibition,
    High St. Gallery, Glassboro, NJ, Invitational
    “Girls Play Games”, Facere Gallery, Seattle, WA, Invitational,
    Curated by Gail Brown
    “Neotereric Matter: New Studio Jewelry”, Long Beach Island Foundation
    of the Arts & Sciences, Long Beach Island, NJ, Juried, Curated by Daniella Kerner
    “Pop Culture Collision”, Shaw Jewelry, Northeast Harbor, ME, Juried,
    Curated by Sam Shaw
    “Co-laboratory”, In conjunction with the SNAG Conference 2008,
    Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA, Juried
    21st Annual “Materials: Hard & Soft Exhibition 2008” National Contemporary
    Craft Competition and Exhibition, Meadows Gallery: Center of the Visual Arts,
    Denton, TX, Juried
    “The Matter at Hand”, Memphis College of Art, Memphis, TN, Invitational,
    Curated by Jennifer Sargent
    “Blue Ridge Residencies”, Center for Craft, Creativity & Design,
    Hendersonville, NC, Invitational, Curated by Melissa Post

    2007
    “Craft Forms 2007” 13th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Contemporary
    Crafts,Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA, Juried
    “Seed Bud Bloom”, Craft Emergency Relief Fund Donation, (raffle for CERF
    to benefit Artists in need), piece raffled and exhibited at SOFA Chicago 2007,
    Invitational
    “Multiples” The Jewelry Studio - Gallery Lowe, Rehoboth Beach, DE, Juried
    “Fusion” The Eleventh Biennial International Juried Enamel Exhibition,
    Cultural Arts Center, Columbus, OH, Juried
    “Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts 2007 Resident Artist Exhibition”
    Sandra J. Blain Galleries, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
    “10 X 10” (Brooch less) In conjunction with SNAG Conference 2007,
    Metal Museum, Memphis, TN, Juried
    “13th Sevier County Biennial Juried Exhibition”, Sandra J. Blain Galleries,
    Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, Juried
    “Resident Artists” Ongoing Rotating Exhibition, Loggia Gallery,
    Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
    20th Annual “Materials: Hard & Soft Exhibition 2007” National Contemporary
    Craft Competition and Exhibition, Meadows Gallery: Center of the Visual Arts,
    Denton, TX, Juried
    “Handcrafted”, The 9th Annual Juried Exhibition of Ceramics, Fiber, Glass,
    Metal, and Wood, Rocky Mount Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC, Juried


    OTHER GALLERY REPRESENTATION
    Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN


    BIBLIOGRAPHY
    Clark, Garth. “Neo-Palatial.” Metalsmith Vol. 30 No. 4, 2010: 36-37.
    Le Van, Marthe. 500 Plastic Jewelry Designs, Asheville: Lark Books, 2009.
    Wheaton, Hazel L. “Gallery,” Art Jewelry Vol. 5 Issue 5, July 2009; 47.
    Zwilling, Jennifer. “Neoteric Matter.” Metalsmith Vol. 29 No. 2, 2009: 53.
    Le Van, Marthe. 500 Enameled Objects, a Celebration of Color on Metal,
    Asheville: Lark Books, 2009
    Johnson, Pat. “So New, It’s Neoteric.” The Sand Paper 6 August 2008, Section 2.
    Le Van, Marthe. The Art of Jewelry: Plastic & Resin Asheville: Lark Books, 2008.
    Wheaton, Hazel L. “Gallery,” Art Jewelry Vol. 3 Issue 5, July 2007, 48.
    Kindred, J.J. “Artwork ‘Pokes Fun’ at Feminine Obsessions.” The Mountain Press 14 January 2007, A3.
    Merten, Jeannette. “Artists Give Students the Ins and Outs.” The Oshkosh Northwestern,
    22 December 2006, Area C2.
    Breeding, Lucinda. “No Assembly Required.” Denton Time 26 January 2006,
    Cover Story 10.
    LaFave, Kenneth. “Artist of the Month.” Phoenix July 2005, 34.
    Dononhoe, Victoria. “From Near and Far, Crafts Help Define Fresh Artistic Vision.”
    The Philadelphia Inquirer 12 December 2004, Section L.


    PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
    Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
    The Enamel Arts Foundation, Los Angeles, CA


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