Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jill Poyerd. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jill, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I grew up with a mother who was an artist so I was surrounded by fine art throughout my life. My parents even hosted national painting workshops at their country inn in the Pocono Mountains when I was young. I took some fine art classes in college and then added watercolor to my repertoire by studying under Jean K. Gill, an accomplished watercolorist. But I think perhaps my most valuable step in the learning process was when I branched off on my own and started learning through researching subjects, studying nature, and finding my own solutions to mistakes. This time period of pushing myself and striving was how I feel I was able to develop my own artistic style – something critically important to me. I wanted my own voice. As I got more engaged in research for my online content, I came across a quote by Winslow Homer that confirmed what I was suspecting from my own path. He said, “Look at nature, work independently, and solve your own problems.” With all of the artists in the world, past and present, I feel like it’s one of the secrets to success in painting.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
After working as a professional fine artist for many years, I began to notice a slow decline in the number of non-artists attending art exhibitions. It seemed like the world was growing less and less interested in fine art as society dove deeper into technology. To me, they were losing sight of the value of things kinetic – experiencing art in-person and appreciating the efforts of the creatives around them. So, I decided to take my love of fine art and apply it to video, a growing medium at the time. My thought was that I could create informative videos that were, frankly, not boring. I wanted to make art come alive, so I strove to make my video creations works of art in themselves while at the same time opening the eyes of my audience. Over ten years later, with over five million views and more than 45 videos on my YouTube channel, I feel like my work is in some small way achieving the goal. I’m rewarded when viewers tell me how calming and beautiful a video is or that their visits to art museums have come alive after watching my channel. Making a difference is one of the greatest rewards in this life.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Never in my life did I think of myself as a teacher. It was just never something I even considered. But as I pursued my painting career, I grew tired from all of the effort involved in creating, showing, and selling artwork. It’s exhausting! I think many people outside of the profession don’t realize the mental and physical work involved and all of the various “hats” you have to wear. It is rewarding, of course, but it’s also physically tiring. Around the time that I was getting involved in video work, my husband suggested that I could take one of my art-related video projects and turn it into an online class. This, too, was a growing field. I loved the idea and decided to give it a try. Nearly a decade later, I am one of the top art instructors on UDemy and post my classes on my own website as well. You just never know how life will lead you – even in the most unexpected directions.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Frankly, I want to ignite people’s interest in fine art, whether through presenting the wonderful back-stories surrounding artists from history, revealing methods and tools used by the great masters, or by teaching students how to actually paint through in-depth video instruction. I want to take what sometimes appears dry and make it beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jillpoyerd.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jillpoyerd
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JillPoyerdFineArt
- Other: Online Classes: https://www.jillpoyerd.com/classes
UDemy: www.udemy.com/user/jill-poyerd
UGallery: https://www.ugallery.com/artist/jill-poyerd