Between
48 x 60 in.
Oil
$14,000
Available from Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA. To purchase, please call Clint Mansell, Director, at 703.739.9326.

National Judge recognizes Between, 48×60. This painting is one of Jill’s larger pieces that was recently recognized as a Finalist in the master’s category of Artmuse Contest. Judge Rick Delanty writes “…this painting masterfully illustrates the three primary ingredients of a visually powerful landscape: light/space; edge-treatment, and paint application. The 2/3 sky, 1/3 land proportion in is format recalls 17th Century Dutch compositions, but the loose, varied paint application feels very modern. the fact that believable atmosphere and sense of place can be accomplished with such economy of color and means is intriguing. Painterly!”

Jill is captivated by the drama of clouds above the flat horizon of brackish marshes near her home on the Chesapeake Bay. The marsh in Between adds a perfect lead in, first to the sliver of distant Bay, then up to the building clouds and heavy atmosphere often present in a Chesapeake afternoon, and to the light filtering between the layers of clouds. The limited palette enabled Jill to focus on the drama and light of the scene, and not be distracted by major color shifts. Jill adds, “I often think that what needs to be said on an emotional level, can be said best with a limited palette”.

Jill Basham has had some major shifts in the trajectory of her work. Since 2015, she has “doubled down” on her studio time and is concentrating on larger pieces. “An immersive experience” is what Clint Mansell, the Director of Principle Gallery, Alexandria, Virginia, says of Jill Basham’s large-scale landscapes. He goes on to say that Jill “truly captures the essence of the moment, not only the beauty of a scene.” Calling her paintings “perfectly balanced and engaging compositions, using confident, loose brushwork, and brilliant highlights.”

In order to inform her large studio works, Jill uses plein air studies as well as her memory. She is painting nearly every day. By devoting a great deal of time to exploring possibilities she has made discoveries that would not have been uncovered in the field alone. She say’s “It has allowed me the flexibility to return to a piece of work time after time, putting it aside to give myself opportunity to become more objective about it.” In the studio, Jill presently has about 20+ pieces in process. “I don’t want to let a painting go until I am absolutely satisfied with it, sometimes this occurs quite quickly and seemingly easily, and other times it can take weeks, months or years.”

“The studio really is my laboratory, where I am using any means possible to uncover new processes and ways of creating. Glazing, scumbling, scratching the surface, and using whatever tools available in order to create the mark or look I am interested in achieving.  Along with this comes the in depth exploration of color, texture, values and design. Sometimes, I will begin a painting not knowing at all where it will go, literally putting paint down until I “see” a path. This can include turning the canvas, exploring ideas, and moving on to other ideas if the path is not to my satisfaction.  I suppose I am treating the canvas almost like a chalkboard. I know that I create paintings that I could not have imagined until after seeing “something” in the design and proceeding forward. Fun stuff, and it keeps me from getting bored.”

Jill finds that by absorbing and really truly looking at the everyday outdoor landscape whether plein air painting or not, creates emotional impressions that can be translated to the canvas in the studio.”With these paintings I am able to sift out the unnecessary information and retain the essence of the scene and my feelings for it.  My plein air work has become more intuitive, with a greater focus on design and feeling.”

Simplistic and expansive landscapes have a strong appeal to Jill, but she does not want to limit her subject matter, and feels pushing boundaries, including subject choices is a good thing.

Jill will continue her explorations, and hopes to bring new surprises for her collectors. It’s when she feels “settled” that she then knows it’s time to move on.

Look for Jill Basham at these upcoming top National events in 2019:
Door County Plein Air in July, 2019, where in 2018 she was awarded Best in Show by master artist C.W. Mundy.
En Plein Air Texas in October, 2019, where she has won “Artists Choice” and the “Museum Purchase” award, as well as other awards.
Landscape Today Exhibition in Indianapolis, Indiana. Featuring 40 of the best landscape painters in the USA. Opening September 6, 2019 at The Harrison Center.
And in September 2020, she will be sharing the walls with national artist, Kim VanDerHoek at Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA for a unique take on the landscape…stay tuned!

Read her blog for OPA and article for OutdoorPainter.com:
http://blog.oilpaintersofamerica.com/2018/07/for-the-love-of-it/
https://www.outdoorpainter.com/my-little-plein-air-painting/

Check out more of her work and learn about Jill on her website.
To add yourself to Jill’s email list or to contact her, click here.

Jill is an artist member of The Salmagundi Club, AIS, OPA and Washington Society of Landscape Painters.

Galleries:
Principle Gallery, Alexandria VA
Reinert Fine Art, Charleston SC
Handwright Gallery, New Canaan CT
Crown Gallery, Blowing Rock NC,
Crystal Moll Gallery, Baltimore MD

During Plein Air Easton in July, Jill will be a guest artist at The Trippe Gallery, Easton MD

Follow Jill on Facebook “Jill Tascher Basham” and Instagram @jilltascherbasham.