About the Artist - Jill Neal
Jill Neal
“The universal spirit of women transcends background, and I believe we are all created in God’s image, so race, size, religion, etc. are not important, as we are all loved in our present form. Women are a diverse potpourri, a bit edgy, fun loving and the sum of many parts. I want to capture that spirit, to empower, celebrate joyfully, the whole woman.” —Jill Neal
Jill Neal earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from Oregon State University and also studied sculpture with Frederick Lipman at Portland State University. Jill’s love of sculpture, combined with hours of life drawing, gave her a love for the roundness of form. She found that women’s bodies were sculptural in nature and wanted to use her knowledge and skill to highlight the female form. By exaggerating feminine allure through the use of color, shape and body language, she is able to reflect the wild but tasteful essence of feminine beauty from a woman’s point of view, all while capturing the vivacious and exuberant spirit that women embody.
Jill finds her inspiration from watching her circle of friends, whether they are hanging out around the campfire, sharing a bottle of wine, or dancing—she sees their spirit and their movement as art. Initially, Jill makes somewhat realistic sketches. Then, as she free-hands, she concentrates on the roundness and form creating the movement she wants to portray. She allows herself the freedom to sketch quickly and freely, adding to the personality of each piece, taking time to add in details later, like hair and other fine lines. She adds color to her paintings using watercolor, acrylic, ink and gouache.
Jill portrays the essence of women as joyful, sexy, and full of life, even through their struggles. “Chemo Queens” and “Pink Martinis” both feature beautiful women with bald heads, gathering together in support of each other as they celebrate life.
Jill exhibits in numerous galleries and participates in art festivals throughout the Northwest. Her voluptuous women, with their big booties, bountiful breasts and luscious locks, are gaining attention and making sales. These Wild Women are available on mugs, dessert plates, tapas plates, coasters, T-shirts and totes. Her art is also available in lithographs and giclees, including limited editions of each.
“Wine Diva,” our cover art, has been a label for several wines including Menopause Merlot used by Bitner Vineyards. At last count, Jill’s art has appeared on more than 600,000 bottles of wine.
To learn more about Jill Neal, or to order products, visit www.jillnealgallery.com. Jill can be reached at 541-617-6078 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..