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My Fine Art Education

Foundation at St Albans School of Art from 1974-5, where I spent most of my time in the life room with Quentin Crisp as a frequent model.

This was followed by 3 years at Falmouth School of Art resulting in a BA Hons Fine Art (Painting) in 1978 and a growing interest in landscape subjects.

As a student I exhibited at the RA in the annual Stowells Trophy exhibition, Newlyn Gallery and at Harlow Library.

Landscape Architecture

A growing interest in the landscape lead to a change of direction and I graduated from Sheffield University in 1985 as a Landscape Architect. I have been a member of the Landscape Institute for over 25 years, during which time I worked for Sheffield City Council from 1986 until March 2012.

Amongst many other projects I was the lead designer for the Town Hall Square which is a part of the award winning Heart of the City Millennium project.

During this period I also undertook many private garden design commissions, for the love of it!

Jill Ray

Artist and designer

"I have been a practicing Artist and Designer for over 25 years. I was born in Sheffield and returned to live here in my twenties. I trained first in fine art then followed a career as a Landscape Architect until 2012 when I launched Jill Ray Landscapes to combine my design and fine art skills.

I paint in oils on canvas and I create prints digitally. I developed my print technique whilst practicing as a Landscape Architect, providing clear, accessible images for consultation events which could be quickly updated as projects developed. I discovered what a great drawing tool my PC was. I really love the way layers of translucent blocks of colour can build up an image.

My passion for making images this way combined with a rekindling of my previous love of painting in oils on canvas and I really enjoy exploring both old and new technology in the development of my work. I often use an iPad as a portable sketchbook as well as using photographic references.

My main concerns are colour, light and the rhythms of landscape. I am fascinated by the way similar shapes and patterns echo and repeat in the landscape as can be seen in both the striking and bold style of my prints (which often resemble the effects of overlaid layers of tissue paper) and in a more subtle and textural exploration in my paintings.

The hills of the Dark Peak and the woodlands in Sheffield provide most of my subject matter with occasional winter forays to the east coast." - Jill Ray