Atlanta native Jill Steenhuis has lived in Aix-en-Provence, France since 1980, painting in the landscapes of Provence. After graduating from Sweet Briar College with a BFA in studio art, she attended The Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing in Aix. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Jill was one of the rare artists to have a studio at the Château Noir, where Cézanne had his studio in the late 19th century.
Today, Jill continues to paint daily, either en plein air or in the light-filled studio of her country home, capturing the essence of Provence with her own personal poetry. The historic method of lithography is kept alive in Jill’s studio as she and her sons collaborate to use the 1880’s era press to print her images directly from the stones.
Jill is an experienced, inspiring, and endearing public speaker. Among her public speaking engagements, in 2013, Jill was invited to be the keynote speaker for the Hope and Healing Center and Institute’s annual luncheon, with 450 guests and at which Mrs. James Baker III was the honoree. Subjects of her presentations have included “Art in Provence”, “Art and Healing”, “Nature and the Artist”, “Art and Faith”, “Women as Artists Today” and “Van Gogh and Cézanne seen through the Artist’s Eyes”. Jill often performs live painting demonstrations for the benefit of a charity organization.
Jill has served as a Cézanne and Van Gogh specialist for several museums including the Oakland Museum (California), the Clarke Art Institute (New England), the High Museum of Atlanta, the Harvard University Museum, and The Smithsonian Institute for the 100th anniversary of the painter’s death.
All of Jill’s exhibitions are organized to benefit different non-profit organizations, which gives more meaning to her journey as an artist. Her solo shows have been in New York City, Greenwich, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington DC, Dallas, and San Francisco, among other major American cities, as well as in Melbourne, Aix-en-Provence and Paris. Her work is part of the permanent collections of several museums and important private collections in America and in France. Jill taught painting courses at the American University of Provence for 10 years and continues to teach private and group painting workshops. Jill appeared on “Good Morning America” and was featured in International Artist Magazine for her exceptional journey as an artist and an art ambassador.
Jill’s book, Art, Soul & Destiny: An Artist’s Journey from America to Provence, was first published in 2012, and is in its second edition. Read more…
GALLERY
