BIOGRAPHY

Jill Ehlert holds a Diploma of Visual Arts from both the Ottawa School of Art in Ontario and the Victoria College of Art in British Columbia. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions across British Columbia.

She has taught visual art at the Vancouver Island School of Art, led private and group classes in her studio, and conducted workshops throughout Vancouver Island, including for the Federation of Canadian Artists.

Based in Cobble Hill, BC, Jill’s creative practice focuses on experimental works that combine mixed media, drawing, and collage. She draws inspiration from nature, organic forms, and cellular structures, exploring their intricate patterns and transformations in her work.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a mixed-media artist based in Cobble Hill, British Columbia, drawing inspiration from the natural world and its constant cycles of change and renewal. My work explores transformation, regeneration, and the intricate relationships found in organic forms, particularly in the Pacific Northwest’s tidal zones.

The landscape—its textures, colours, and rhythms—plays a significant role in my creative process. A strong sense of place guides my work, as I use the environment for sketching, gathering materials, and observing changes over time. This approach deepens my connection to the natural world and informs my artistic decisions.

My practice is rooted in process—researching, gathering, sorting, and experimenting. These foundational steps shape my intuitive approach to drawing, painting, and collage. They allow me to explore materials and ideas with curiosity and spontaneity.

Over the past 40 years, I have specialized in experimental water-media, drawing, and collage, supported by formal training at the Ottawa School of Art (1988) and the Victoria College of Art (1992). Grounded in design and a deep understanding of materials, I continually push my work’s boundaries, reflecting the natural world’s transformative power.

“All things in this creation exist within you, and all things in you exist in creation; there is no border between you and the closest things, and there is no distance between you and the farthest things, and all things, from the lowest to the loftiest, from the smallest to the greatest, are within you as equal things. In one atom are found all the elements of the earth; in one motion of the mind are found the motions of all the laws of existence; in one drop of water are found the secrets of all the endless oceans; in one aspect of you are found all the aspects of existence... Your life has no end, and you shall live forevermore.” -Kahlil Gibran