Jill Soukup Biography

Jill Soukup was born in Buffalo, New York. Shortly thereafter, her family moved to Colorado, where she still resides. Jill’s affinity for horses as a young girl resulted in countless drawings and studies of them, which made for a strong drawing foundation. As a teen, she started a pet-portrait business, acquired jobs painting murals, and designed logos for local organizations. She graduated from Colorado State University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Fine Art. There, she received awards for illustration and design and worked as an illustrator and designer for the university. She initially pursued a career in graphic design while continuing to paint part time. After 11 years as a designer, she made the switch to full-time painting. Her work continues to gain recognition as she receives awards, appears in national publications, and shows in important juried and one-woman exhibitions.

Resumé

Education

• Art Students League of Denver, various classes —1991 to present
  
• Bachelor of Fine Arts, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO — 1991
  Related Work Experience
  
• Illustrations for Colorado State University campus newspaper
  
• Corporate identity and graphic design for Monigle & Associates
  
• Print and web design for Denver Museum of Nature & Science
  Solo Exhibitions
  
• Abend Gallery, Denver, CO — 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
  
• "Compelled by Structure," University of Northern Colorado School of Art & Design Galleries, Greeley, CO — 2007
  
• Timmons Gallery, Rancho Santa Fe, CA — 2004, 2006
  Selected Group Exhibitions
  
• Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale, National Western Stock Show, Denver, CO — 2009, 2010
  
• Windows to the Divine Exhibition & Sale, Madden Museum of Art, Greenwood Village, CO — 2009
  
• Colorado Gold, The Wildlife Experience, Parker, CO — 2009
  
• Colorado Art Open, Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO 2009
  
• Salon International, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX — 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
  
• Nomadas Del Arte Exhibition & Sale — 2008, 2009
  
• WAOW (Women Artists of the West) 39th Annual National Juried Exhibition, Saks Galleries, Denver, CO — 2009
  
• Foothills Art Center, Glitter in the Garden Gala, Golden, CO — 2008
  
• Society of Animal Artists, Art & the Animal Annual Exhibition — 2007, 2008
  
• Oil Painters of America West/Southwest Mountain Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, South Wind Gallery, Topeka, KS — 2007
  
• Oil Painters of America Annual National Juried Exhibition — 2001, 2003, 2007
  
• Colorado Governor’s Invitational Art Show and Sale, Loveland Museum — 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007
  
• California Visions, Long Beach Museum of Art — 2005
  
• Oil Painters of America West/Southwest Mountain Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA — 2003
  
• VSA (Vision, Strength, and Artistic) Fine Art Auction, William Havu Gallery, Denver, CO — 2002, 2003, 2004
  
• Public Education & Business Coalition, Colorado Artists for Youth Art Sale and Auction, Colorado History Museum — 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
  
• Northern Colorado Artist Association 11th National Art Exhibition and Sale — 2002

Awards

• Two finalist awards in the animal art category, The Artists Magazine 23rd Annual Art Competition — 2006, 2008, 2009
  
• Jury's Top 50, Salon International Museum of Contemporary Masters — 2006, 2007, 2008
  
• Third place in the animal art category, The Artists Magazine 20th Annual Art Competition — 2003
  
• Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America West/Southwest Mountain Regional Juried Exhibition — 2003
  
• Honorable Mention, Northern Colorado Artist Association 11th National Art Exhibition and Sale — 2002
  
• Colorado State University Creative and Performing Arts Award — 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
  
• National Scholastic Portfolio Competition New York Scholarship — 1987
  
• National Scholastic Arts Award — 1985, 1986, 1987

Memberships

• The Society of Animal Artists (Signature Member)
  
• Oil Painters of America (Artist Member)

Publications

• Landscape Painting by Mitchell Albala, page 108, 2009
  
• Denver Woman, “Meet Jill Soukup: A Portrait in Duality & Balance,” December/January 2009
  
• The Artist's Magazine, “Competition Spotlight: Jill Soukup,” May 2007
  
• American Art Collector, “Jill Soukup: Drawn to Horses,” March 2007
  
• The Cultural Times, “Jill Soukup: Sharing Her Vision,” January 2007
  
• Art-Talk, “Summer Art Destinations: One Day There,” June/July 2005
  
• Southwest Art magazine, “Urban Patterns,” August 2004
  
• Elightened Woman Magazine, “Women in Art,” March/April 2004
  
• The Artist’s Magazine, “2003 Art Competition Model Artists,” December 2003
  
• Art Revue: Rocky Mountain Fine Art News, “Interview: Jill Soukup at Abend Gallery,” October 2003
  
• Southwest Art magazine, “Painting Colorado,” January 2003
  
• Art Revue: Rocky Mountain Fine Art News, “Talent in Revue,” October 2002
  
• U.S. Art magazine, “Introducing,” May 2002
  
• Southwest Art magazine, “Artists to Watch,” December 2000

Collections

• Cherry Creek School District
  
• Honeywell, Inc.
  
• Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep Society
  
• Children’s Hospital (Denver)

Artist’s Statement
From the dishes in my sink to a bustling city scene, I find inspiration everywhere: in the interplay of shapes, values, edges, textures, and colors. Intuition and a sense of composition bring these elements together. Thematically, I find myself returning again and again to the juxtaposition between rigid, mechanical, man-made objects and the fluid, organic aspects of nature—discovering that despite their contrasts, they share and exchange the same tendencies.

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