We recently connected with Jill Stewart and have shared our conversation below.

Jill, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I began painting as an outlet for self-expression. The feeling it gave me fed my soul. I wanted more of it. And I wanted to share it with the world. I told my husband my aspirations and he laughed.

He’s not laughing now.

To his credit, after he observed my commitment to the pursuit of career as an artist and the fulfillment I receive from painting, he became, and remains, my biggest fan – always helping with the heavy lifting and moral support!

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?

It had never occurred to me that I would one day be an artist.

Because my father made a living for part of his life as an artist, I was convinced I could never follow in his footsteps.

My initial career path was marketing and communications, which gave me a platform to express my creativity in many ways.

After encountering and recovering from serious health complications, art came along when I was open to the possibilities of how it would feel as a way of self-expression.

There was an instant resonance when the paint brush first touched the canvas, and in almost an instant I was forever committed to creating soulful connections through portraits.

What didn’t come instantaneously were the skills required. Paint management, color theory, brush control all takes understanding and practice. I started by learning fundamentals on my own. From there I sought one-on-one and group instruction. Today, I’m on a rewarding path as an artist to evolve and expand my creativity to form soulful connections.

As a portrait artist surrounded by natural beauty in Colorado,

I specialize in capturing the soulful expressions of farm animals including pigs, goats, cows, roosters, hens, roosters, horses and more. Beyond the original painting, these images are produced on flour sack towels, greeting cards, and magnets.

I absolutely love helping others to paint portraits by leading painting parties for groups of 4-10 participants around the Denver Metro Area with my retro-modern mobile studio, “Art and Soul On Wheels”.

The most fulfilling part of being a portrait artist is when I’m asked to do a pet portrait commission. Pets are family members and when I capture a pet’s soul with acrylic on canvas, it is a tremendous privilege and honor.

My aim is to put art within reach for everyone. By offering a variety of items produced from my original portraits, most anyone can own a piece of soulful art.

For those wanting a more interactive experience, I lead portrait painting parties for team building, celebrations, date nights and more.

And when I am asked to paint a portrait of a pet who has passed on as a bereavement gift it is an ultimate privilege and honor. The comfort of a soulful portrait can dry a tear and help heal a hurt.

I am a self-taught portrait artist. I embarked on this path after turning 50 and haven’t looked back. All aspects of painting portraits feeds my soul. I encourage you to find what feeds your soul and feast on it!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My aim is to create a soulful experience for others. Brining joy, comfort, a smile, or even a treasured memory to life is why I paint and it embodies my purpose.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I could not have imagined that I would one day find myself embracing life as an artist.

In 2009, I was overcome with sudden and dramatic changes in my (otherwise perfect) health.

When the dust settled. my life (as I knew it) was forever changed. I couldn’t imagine living any other life than the one I had known.. But I quickly realized my life was going to change and I would have to work to create something different.

Pivoting was hard, but so is anything that feels new and different. Putting myself out there little-by-little, day-by-day is how I found courage and gained my confidence to paint. From the moment I first touched the brush to the canvas, painting has fed my soul. Painting portraits was never my plan, but it ended up being the ultimate gift to myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jillstewart.art
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillstewartportraitart
• Other: other instagram (pop up mobile shop) https://www.instagram.com/artandsoulonwheels/ Email: [email protected]

Image Credits