Jill Meager
Art captures a passion and communicates it to the viewer. Every time I see an animal or a bird, I immediately want to involve myself in its existence, to describe its form and presence, and to uncover its identity. The eyes are always my starting point: once I have those in place, I feel I can see into the soul and find the path to the portrait.
Although I work across all media, I particularly like the roughness and grittiness of charcoal and pastel – organic materials to describe organic beings. Over a few weeks, I add, take away, add more again until I am happy with my invention. My studio floor becomes a heap of dust and rubber flakes, broken pastel and charcoal sticks and the discarded wrappings of many erasers.
Some of my favourite birds are in the Corvid family and I have been travelling round the UK looking at the intelligent, resourceful and frequently hilarious antics of various rooks, ravens, magpies and crows. For their portraits, I have been using ink: it coincides so beautifully with their dark and graceful fluidity.
From ink, I have moved into collage for my latest series. I love the slightly 3D, sculptural effect of layering paper and card over and over until the subject comes alive and seems ready to stride off the page. My desk fills up with pots of glue, brushes, scalpels, and tweezers, the studio awash with sheets of coloured paper – bought, painted, torn from magazines, or randomly sourced when I am out and about. Magpie-like, I have an eye for glitter and booty to bring back to my nest.

Wildlife at The Shard
Hare 20, Coal tit and Frigatebird are on show as part of the Shard Elevate_Art exhibition from February 7 – April 30 2019. A radical

Cyril
Cyril is my latest piece. He was commissioned for a small girl after she became fascinated by the squirrel activity in her back garden. Cyril

Animals, birds and children
If there’s a particular creature you love and you would like to have a portrait made of them, please get in touch to discuss .

The Story of the Hares
This year, I have been taking my hare images to exciting new places. They are now available as limited edition prints, 100% cotton tea towels

The Studio
If you would like to come to the studio and see the current work, then do get in touch to make an appointment.
Biography and Exhibitions
I have loved animals and birds since I was a small child and I spent much of my childhood drawing and painting them, seeking out any wildlife I could find – any passing dog, the cows in the field on the way to school, or the hedgehog in the back garden. Coming from a background where art was not considered a sensible career choice, I studied Modern Languages at Cambridge University but from there I resumed my creative activities and embarked on a career as an actor before finally returning to study at Putney School of Art and Design.
I have been a finalist in the National Open Art Competition, a finalist in the V&A Inspired by exhibition and a finalist in the Morley Gallery Draw More competition. I was also selected as a Featured Artist for the House and Garden Magazine 70th Anniversary Edition.
Hare 4 has been used as the illustration for a Michael Morpurgo short story and Hare 1 was selected as the Christmas card image for the charity Farms for City Children in 2015
A selection of my work is held at the Jane Newbery Gallery, 84 Dulwich Village London SE21 7AJ
I take part in the annual West London AAH Open Studios event June 14th-16th:
I am member of ARTCAN


Finalist, National Open Art Competition
Somerset House, London 2014

Jane Newberry Gallery
84 Dulwich Village SE21 7AJ
February 6-April 30
Selected works at Duff and Phelps, The Shard.
June 14-16
AAH Artists at Home, Chiswick
September
Chiswick in Pictures, Clayton Hotel, London
From the Studio Floor, Mill Lane, Cambridge
ArtCan, at 44 Hallam St, London
Chiswick in Pictures, Clayton Hotel London
Laveli Chiswick
AAH
Chiswick in Pictures, Clayton Hotel London
AAH
Laveli
Christmas exhibition, Oil and Water Gallery London
Birds, Beasts and Butterflies, Oil and Water Gallery London
Portrait, Espacio Gallery London
AAH
Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Oil and Water Gallery London
artFix inaugural show, London
AAH
National Open Art Competition, Courtauld Gallery
Touring to Minerva Festival Theatre, Chichester
Making Seen, Espacio Gallery, London
AAH
