Jill Joy

Jill Joy Gallery | Opening Day

Los Angeles, CA

Written by Genie Davis

Jill Joy creates vivid, large, abstract oil paintings. Infused with the light of her Southern California home, Joy references both sea and sky in her new series “Consciousness – New Paintings,” which she describes as “an expression of the unseen worlds of spiritual and emotional energy.” While the focal point of each piece is its vibrant, transcendent color, darker areas punctuate the paintings. The visual momentum of dark to light represents moving from unconscious to conscious awareness according to the artist, who views each piece as a meditative experience. These pieces are fierce, evoking images of nature, change, the natural world and the spiritual world, and incorporating elements of surrealism, minimalism, and abstract expressionism. Joy says that she creates her work while in a meditative trance.

The self-taught artist has developed a strong following in what she refers to as secondary markets including San Diego, and throughout Texas and Florida. To establish a home base in Los Angeles, Joy has opened her own gallery space, the Jill Joy Gallery, at 6124 Wilshire Blvd. in the heart of Museum Row. The gallery itself will be a showcase not only for Joy but eventually also for other artists whose work supports Joy’s vision of self-awareness and spiritual evolution.

We Choose Art visited Joy’s bright, spare gallery and her luminous paintings at the gallery’s opening on January 16th.

We Choose Art: Tell us about your art, and in particular, this series of paintings.

Jill Joy: This series, “Consciousness,” is one of three bodies of work which are all related to the spiritual evolution of human consciousness. My next show will be “Emotion” and the third, “Illumination.” Each of my series deals with how we evolve in our emotions, with karma, and reincarnation. Creating my art is a spiritual process for me, I feel an emotional or mental disturbance and I use painting to transform that.”

We Choose Art: Opening your own gallery is a big step. What influenced you to take that step at this point in your career?

Joy: It was a huge financial investment, but I felt pushed to present my work in a beautiful environment so that people could fully experience it. Opening this space is a personal mission, really. My work can be difficult to present to dealers, and I wanted it to have a home where viewers can have a meditative experience.

We Choose Art: You’re planning to open the space to other artists as well as exhibiting your own work?

Joy: I’m definitely considering exhibiting other artists in late 2016 or early 2017. I will generally include artists who are addressing spiritual evolution or an evolution of consciousness. I’m open to having that element of the gallery manifest.

We Choose Art: Your work has a very powerful quality visually. There’s a sense of emotion that seems to move off the canvas and directly at the viewer. Can you describe the meaning behind one of your works? How about “Samskara?” The dominant color is red, but the black and gold in the center are very compelling.

Joy: The word “Samsakara” refers to a way to work things out, things that are stored and released. This painting is a statement that my work, my inner vision, has value. The dark area is the last residue, the letting go of the idea that I don’t have worth, the last remains of a negative pattern, and its release.”

We Choose Art: Why do you choose art? 

I choose art because art evolves me spiritually. That evolution brings me mental and emotional peace. In sharing the by-product, the painting, I have the opportunity to radiate that experience out into the world and make it a more truthful and harmonious place.

An expression of unseen worlds and the evolution of the soul, Joy’s “Consciousness” series fully lives up to the artist’s description of the exhibition, that “art evolves consciousness” and “consciousness evolves art.” Viewers can be enlightened through February 13th.

For more information about Jill Joy, visit JillJoy.com

Photos by Baha H. Danesh
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Genie Davis
Genie Davis
I choose art because art is a window to the soul of the world. I choose art because I would rather feed my heart and feast my eyes than go out to dinner on opening nights.
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