Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jill Bergman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jill thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Having worked many different jobs before becoming primarily an independent artist, I’m so happy to have a creative career now. Being a self-employed artist is uncertain and inconsistent, but I’m always surprised by the way things usually do work out in the end. I find variety is important- selling original art, greeting cards, and commissions in a mix of locations- physical stores as well as online, has worked for me. I love the flexibility and creativity of being an artist. People probably imagine there is more art time than business time, but that’s not usually the case. There are so many different tasks to get done each day, but the joy is in getting to create new artwork.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My favorite technique is carving and printing linocuts. I carve an image into artist linoleum using small tools. Then I roll ink over the surface and transfer that onto paper using pressure from an etching press. I can use colored ink, or paint the paper with watercolor after it’s printed. I am always interested in finding ways to incorporate my concern for the environment into my practice. I have worked with environmental organizations including many years of making art for ReTree, a tree planing program of the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council. I have written articles with illustration after interviewing wildlife biologists about their work, including how it relates to climate change. I have also coordinated a collaborative project bringing together artists and wildlife experts to share information about animals, their habitats, and how to get involved in their conservation. You can see many of these projects here on my website- http://www.jillbergman.com/projects You can read some of the articles and poetry here on my blog- http://www.jillbergman.com/this-wild-life-art-science-and-animals-of-the-west

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Take some time to visit galleries and venues in your town and also when visiting other communities. Buying artwork not only supports the creator, but it gives you something unique made by an individual instead of a large production run by a corporation . Going to art openings and performances lets you get to know the creatives in your community.

Spend more time appreciating the work you see daily. Stories, artwork, music, murals, illustration and photography were all created by skilled people. Knowing how these things enrich your life lets you start paying more respect to the artists around you.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I started on Instagram about 10 years ago when there were fewer people on the platform and it was a little easier to connect. I’ve made many online friends and love to scroll through my feed looking at all of the beautiful artwork. Even through platforms and algorithms will always change, I think the keys are to be consistent with posting regularly, stick mostly to artwork if you are an artist, be authentic, share a bit about yourself personally, and have real conversations with people whenever possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.jillbergman.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/jillbergman
• Other: https://www.pinemoonfineart.com/jill-bergman-inventory