Jill Paine, A Life Inspired by Nature, Art and Spirituality

Mary Lewis

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1844019845 ISBN 13: 9781844019847

Publisher: Athena Press, 2007

I have compiled this book as a tribute to my mother, Jill Paine. It is a celebration of a life that was inspired by nature and spirituality as much as by art... Jill loved life in all its many aspects. She loved her family and friends. She loved the places she lived and the places she visited. She loved the birds and the flowers, the sea and the hills, stones and pebbles, and above all she loved God. This way of seeing life that holds together nature, art and God is revealed in Jill s diaries. A quotation from Froebel at the end of her 1990 diary says, As the spirit of the artist is in the work of art, so is the spirit of God in nature. And it is this vision that transforms Jill s work into a celebration of life itself. Illustrated in colour throughout by Jill Paine s own work, this is a fascinating and informative account of the artist s life.

Review:

This book is a record by a daughter of her mother's spiritual journey, accompanied by a vast number of the paintings, sketches and notes she made during that journey. It goes beyond a personal memoir or sketchbook as it considers the spirituality of someone who lived adventurously, and whose spirit of creativity and joy is revealed throughout the book... the illustrations are a fascinating record of her life, from her time in India before the Second World War, to her final sketches in North Uist... It is the quotes from the Bible and other sources, along with Jill's own personal thoughts, which make the book more than a compilation of images... the book will inspire those who strive to integrate their creative activity with their relationship with God... it could provide a resource for ideas and inspiration for those who come to a creative day or an art-based retreat

Review:

A beautiful book