Jill McDougall
Jill McDougall is a mixed media artist in Anacortes, Washington. Originally from Denver, Colorado, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Studio Art. Jill’s unconventional art interprets elements of everyday surroundings in a dreamlike way. Her mixed media pieces include vintage papers and prints, which add a sense of impermanence and serve as a reflection of constant change and transition.
Artist Statement
I’ve always been fascinated with what lies beneath the surface. As a highly sensitive empath, I notice the nuance and small details in everyday situations. My art has always been a way for me to express what I feel deeply as I process my observations and experiences.
Working from intuition, I capture moods, memories, and moments. I deconstruct ordinary images and combine them in unexpected, dreamlike ways. Mixed media elements like vintage papers, paint, drawings, and photography allow me to explore endless possibilities.
My artwork is influenced by the time I spend outdoors, observing nature and details of architecture. I take daily walks in the forest, in town, or along the coast to observe the interplay of light, color, shadows, and shapes. I’m always taking photos—a simple errand often turns into snapping photos of the way the light is hitting the side of a building or the shape of a cloud.
In our increasingly fast-paced world, my work offers moments of calm, curiosity, and reflection.
Contact
https://www.jillmcdougall.com/
jillinspire@gmail.com
@jillmcdougallart
Interview
What inspires your art practice and keeps you motivated?
When I'm creating art, I feel the most like myself. Art is how I process what I feel and observe. The colors, light, shadows, and patterns of nature influence me on a deep level; I marvel at the beauty around me. I want to give it back somehow, to interpret it through my own lens and send it back out into the world as an acknowledgment or a token of gratitude.
How does your mission as an artist influence the work you create?
My mission as an artist is to live and express as authentically as I can, and to encourage others to do the same. Creative freedom can be stifled by our conditioning, and I feel like being in touch with imagination and exercising creativity allows the best kinds of wisdom to surface.
I choose to explore and remain open to all sorts of art mediums so that I can follow my intuition as much as possible. I include drawings, photographs, paint, ink, gelli prints, antique papers, and my photography in my work. I have multiple ongoing series; abstracts, vintage subjects, and florals all explore different curiosities.
Can you share a key part of your creative process that helps you stay focused?
I spend as much time as I can in my studio creating, even if it's just a simple sketch or cutting out collage material. Consistency is the key for me.
What mindset tip do you rely on to overcome challenges in your art career?
Focusing on process over outcome. I have to remind myself of this daily. When I stay rooted in my own creativity, I can access my truest expression. If I get too far ahead of myself envisioning a finished product, I end up in my left-brained analytical mind. It's a constant balance of having goals and allowing free expression.
How do you hope your art impacts the world or your community?
I hope to provide moments of pause, calm, and reflection, to give people a chance to visually explore colors, images, and patterns that are put together in unconventional ways. I hope that my dedication to art and creativity inspires others to explore the ways that they can express their own unique ideas.
