Jill, who perceives charm in the grotesque, draws attention to the zest and quirk of the characters she illustrates. Playfully amplifying people’s sense of superficiality, the artist rolls out timely, humorous, and occasionally inspiring anecdotes through a series of sour-looking, amorphous faces. Whether or not we manage to see past the purported ugliness, Jill’s musings underscore society’s frequent inability to peer into people’s spirits when cloaked in unflattering forms. Her work challenges the audience to look beyond face value in order to truly see.
Without the anchor of inner peace and self-love, our bodies, no matter how beautiful, exist to feel like empty, fragile shells. Jill’s design emphasizes the importance of prioritizing mental health in our day to day lives. Just as we tend to the insides of a house to create a home, we need to feel interiorly safe, calm, and secure before we can healthily give of ourselves to others.