Jill Skulina

I was brought up in Freuchie in Fife with dreams of becoming a big cup of creative juice. Art, craft and design were my joys, from fashion design to painting. I was in love. I moved to Edinburgh in 1991, where my wonky and ever creative career path started. While in Edinburgh I studied theatre, sculpture, life drawing, welding, illustration and media design. I worked in theatre for a few years before I moved to Dundee in 1999 to study Interior and Environmental Design with the plan to go into theatre set design. I left with a First Class degree and a strong urge to abandon design and become the artist I always dreamed of. Three years after the birth of my daughter, I graduated with a Masters in Fine Art in 2007.

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The birth of my daughter and becoming a mother has featured heavily in my work and I would characterise my practice as one of self healing, vulnerability and of quiet activism. My work portrays emotional strength and transformation through candid and vulnerable narratives. I tackle memories of life events: memories which may be inaccurate, misremembered or one-sided. Alongside the misshapen narratives there are sensual ceramic forms digging into personal trauma; the evolving relationship with myself and how it shows up in the body in many forms including physical pain or weight gain; I seek out joy and deeper connections; deal with depression, emotional pains, menopause; self hate; self love, and healing.

 

Clay, textiles and drawing are my primary mediums. Textiles and drawing are skills I have honed since a young age and are reliable mediums. Ceramics came much later in life and has progressed my practice like no other medium before it. I found I could explore new subjects with the visual aesthetic it provided. I am consistently striving to know clay better and understand its possibilities. I'm particularly drawn to its ability to hold expressive marks, molds, impressions and drawings for eternity and the never ending ways in which it can be used expressively and practically, including where the two intersect. 

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If you would like to buy any pieces or work with me you can contact me at jillskulina.artiststudio@gmail.com. If you see something you want to buy that’s not in the shop yet please email for information and prices. I welcome enquiries from galleries, curators and any other big and exciting opportunities. 

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