“Painting the Invisible” is a documentary film that follows Jill Steenhuis as she navigates the landscapes of Provence in search of inspiration for her creative practice. Shot by her son, James Ruffato, over the course of three years, the film gives intimate glimpses into the world of Jill’s prolific, creative, spiritual energy.
In this letter to her father, Jill writes about her first experience oil painting in the streets of Aix.
In her book Art, Soul & Destiny, Jill writes about how fate brought her to meet her husband Serge in the streets of Aix on her second day in France.
Samuel Bjorklund taught Jill to always draw, focusing on the process rather than the outcome. François de Asis challenged Jill to paint quickly in order to achieve a spontaneous, fresh and authentic brushstroke. Both artists inspired Jill in her artistic journey and helped shape her into the artist she is today.
Home, happy and with plenty of space to create, Jill has been working on a new body of work with the vibrant colors and textures of Provence in the springtime. She shares some of her inspirations, images of new work and a link to the full collection.
Jill recounts some of the challenges and doubts that she was confronted with as she charted her course as a full-time artist. She describes her determination, discipline, but above all her blind faith – trusting her insticts that the path she was on was guiding her to exactly where she needed to be.
Jill highlights the importance of stepping away from her to-do lists in order to enter a creative, meditative, soulful state. She explains how pre-mixing her palette helps her in this process.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jill is cancelling her spring tour. Stay tuned for further updates.
Meet the very first person Jill encountered when she arrived in Aix-en-Provence (and no, they are not sisters if you can believe it!)
Jill unfolds her recent meditations on the practice of receiving and being silent.
Paving the path back to Atlanta from Provence: through family friends and art lovers, Jill starts showing and selling her work.
After Jill’s two-year hiatus from oil painting in order to focus on drawing and watercolor, she picked up her oil paints again, and started an entirely new chapter of her life as a newlywed and young mother.
As a way of celebrating her 40 years of living in Provence, Jill is publishing a series of blog posts in which she highlights significant and memorable moments in her journey.
Jill sends her warmest greetings for 2020 as she enters her 40th year of living in Provence. She reflects on her artistic pilgrimmage and life journey as an American living in France. She also shares some of the highlights of the past year and mentions some of her upcoming events in 2020.
Jill, Sergio and crew swept through New England and made their way down South on their most recent tour. The tour included several art shows, talks and workshops, a documentary screening preview on Jill, and a plein air art competition.
This summer Jill ventured out to the American West, in the heart of the the Rocky Mountains where she and Sergio gave art shows in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.