Jill Hammes

Jill Hammes is a native of Meridian, Mississippi. Her educational background consists of an associate’s degree from Meridian Junior College (now Meridian Community College), Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from Mississippi University for Women, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in textile Arts from the University of Arizona.

She is a past recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission. Jill has recently been named a fellow of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi for her works utilizing fiber. She is currently an adjunct art professor at East Central Community College, located in Decatur, Mississippi. Other honors include being nominated twice for Who’s Who Among Teachers in America’s Colleges and Universities.

Past exhibitions include:

Friends of Art. Meridian Community College. Meridian, Mississippi, 2007.

Mississippi Art Faculty: Juried Competition. Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, 2005.

Fresh Inspiration II, The Challenge of Peace. Sponsored by Mississippi Catholic newspaper, 2004.

Fresh Inspiration, Catholic Art 2000. Sponsored by Mississippi Catholic newspaper, 2000.

Small Expressions. Sponsored by the Handweavers’ Guild of America. Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS., 1999.

Fiber Wall Hangings. Casteel Gallery of Art. Meridian Community College. Solo show, 1996.

Spotlight ’96. Kentucky Art and Craft Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky, 1996.

Fiberart International ’95. Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1995.

Emerging Traditions. The Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1995.

Fiber Celebration ’95. Sponsored by Northern Colorado Weavers’ Guild. One West Art Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, 1995.

Small Expressions. Sponsored by the Handweavers’ Guild of America. Tohono Chul Park Gallery. Tucson, Arizona, 1995.

Small Expressions. Sponsored by the Handweavers’ Guild of America. Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1994.

Fiber 94. Textile Arts Centre, Chicago, Illinois, 1994.

16^th Annual Vahki Exhibition. Galeria Mesa, City of Mesa, Arizona, 1994.

7^th National Fiber Arts Show. Creative Arts Guild, Dalton, Georgia, 1994.

And numerous other exhibitions.

Publications include:

Mississippi Catholic. Vol. 46, No. 35. September, 2000.

Shuttle, Spindle, & Dyepot. Vol. XXX, No.4, 1999.

Meridian Star. September 7, 1996.

Fiberarts. Vol. 22, No. 2, 1995.

Shuttle, Spindle, & Dyepot. Vol. XXV, No. 4, 1994

Fresh Inspiration II. Exhibition catalog, 2004.

Small Expressions. Exhibition catalog, 1994.

IIe Triennale Internationale de Mini-Textiles. Exhibition catalog, 1987.

Artist’s statement:

In my work I feel a connection with those artists from the past whose work was identified as craft. In particular, I am interested in what was called “women’s work”, usually needlework, quilting, weaving, embroidery, etc. I have recently found myself merging my printmaking and fiber backgrounds to produce artworks that often blur the boundaries of fine art and craft. I pay homage to the past, but intend to pursue new ways of working with traditional materials.