Gallery 12's Featured Artist for November is painter Jill Stromberg The title of her exhibition is: "Life Well Traveled"

The opening reception will be on First Friday November 3rd from 6 - 9 PM. Also exhibiting with Jill will be local ceramist David Long.

Artist Statement:

A LIFE WELL TRAVELED:

MY PASSION FOR TRAVEL BEGAN AT A VERY YOUNG AGE WHEN MY FATHER TOOK OUR FAMILY ON ANNUAL SUMMER TRIPS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. SOME SUMMERS WE TRAVELED BY CAR, SOME SUMMERS WE TRAVELED BY TRAIN, BUT WHATEVER THE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, WE WERE ALWAYS MOVING TO NEW SIGHTS, NEW ADVENTURES, NEW VISTAS, AND EXPERIENCING NEW PLACES AND CULTURES.

WE LIVED IN LOS ANGELES, BUT MY PARENTS FAMILIES LIVED ON THE EAST COAST. EVERY YEAR, MY FATHER WOULD CHART MEANDERING ROUTES THROUGHOUT THE INTERIOR OF THE COUNTRY, WITH THE GOAL OF VISITING AS MANY STATES AS POSSIBLE WHILE HEADING ON OUR GREAT JOURNEY EAST. FROM A YOUNG AGE, MY PARENTS PLANTED THE SEED OF EXPLORATION TO ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE MY IMAGINATION COULD THINK OF. MY IMAGINATION SOON TURNED TO DETERMINATION TO VISIT PLACES AND PEOPLE I'D ONLY READ ABOUT.

I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO TURN THESE GOALS INTO ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ANTARCTICA, I HAVE TRAVELED TO EVERY CONTINENT IN THE WORLD. I'VE SEEN GREAT WONDERS OF THE WORLD, DINED ON VARIOUS CUISINES WITH THE MOST INCREDIBLE PEOPLE AND IMMERSED MYSELF IN MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES. WHEN MY PAINTING CAREER STARTED IN THE LATE 1980'S, I USED THESE EXPERIENCES AS INSPIRATION IN MY PAINTINGS.

ALTHOUGH I DO NOT HAVE A PAINTING FROM EVERY PLACE I'VE VISITED IN THIS EXHIBITION, I'VE INCLUDED SEVERAL OF MY VINTAGE PAINTINGS FROM MY EARLIEST YEARS AS A PAINTER AND GLOBAL TRAVELLER. I HAD GREATER ASPIRATIONS AND MUCH BETTER VISION BACK THEN AND TYPICALLY PAINTED ON LARGE CANVASES. MY PAINTING TECHNIQUE AND COLOR PALETTE HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS, BUT MY TRAVELS AND KANSAS LANDSCAPES CONTINUE TO BE MY FOCUS FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.

I AM PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL TO MY HARDWORKING HUSBAND, MAC AND MY THREE INDULGENT SONS WHO AFFORDED ME THIS PRIVILEGED LIFE OF GLOBAL TRAVEL. I LOVE AND ADORE MY FAMILY. I LOVE TO TRAVEL AND I LOVE TO PAINT. WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THIS “LIFE WELL TRAVELED”.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND SUPPORTING THIS JOURNEY WITH ME.

Normal Gallery hours are Noon to 6 PM Tuesday to Saturday.

Gallery 12 is an Artist Cooperative Gallery which first opened in 1977. The Gallery has 20 Member/Partners and over 20 consignment artists exhibiting in the gallery. Art works range from 2-D: Paintings, Prints, Photographs, Mixed Media and 3-D: Ceramics, Pottery, Sculpture, Enamel Works and Jewelry. We have a wide range of price points and we offer a free lay-a-way program for our customers & clients.