Jill Trappler sees her work like water. Fluid, yet caught between earth and sky - it flows as narrative - finding its way into vision and image.
In creating this exhibition, Trappler was confronted by a deep central thread of echoes and reflections - an ongoing interplay of effect and resonance running through her past and current work.
In her new work, there are powerful echoes of the past which, in its own time, clearly predicted the strength and vision found in her current work. Trappler identifies this interface of past and present as Reverberation. It began in 2015 when she worked in a Triangle workshop in upstate New York which allowed her to engage with new artists and explore galleries and museums. On her return to South Africa, Trappler drew from her experiences in New York helping her to widen the scope of her life-long community work as well as revisit her artistic practice with renewed vigour.
I was able to look back without distraction, and allow specific images to surface. While working on a few experimental pieces the ideas began to describe the way a new body of work would come together.
I wanted to bring what is seen in the mind’s eye, first into consciousness, and then into images and forms - particularly sculpture - that I had not fully explored. I found great meaning in simply coming home, where I can work alone yet collectively with family and friends.
Text reworked from "A Dialogue between Alex Learmont and Jill Trappler."
Read the full piece here.
BIOGRAPHY
Jill Trappler has worked as an artist and craft person in various projects over the past thirty years. These include Thupelo, Greatmore Street (she is a founder member of both) and Bag Factory studios. (She was a Board member of all three). Jill served on the Board of the Ava Gallery and the NAC.
Jill established the Philani weaving project and the Intle cooperative project in Site B and Philippi; the Philani clinic in Khayelitsha has a sustainable weaving project. The art studio initiative at Valkenberg grew out of workshops coordinated at the hospital. (This project started as an Outreach initiative of the AVA gallery)
She has worked as an unqualified OT at Baragwaneth (1976/77) and at Groot Schuur OT department as a part time lecturer. Jill has lectured at UCT summer school.
She exhibits regularly in group shows nationally and abroad. Her solo exhibitions are numerous and continue to be a priority in her practice.
The combinations of project work, teaching and personal practice has had a significant impact. Interactive, exchanging skills and ideas with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences plus daily involvement in making art/craft push the levels of creative lifestyle, education and product development.