Stop by the Carten Gallery from Jan. 12 - Feb. 20 to view the exhibit, "Jill Christian: To Stop Here at Nothing." 

Artist Statement:

"I have a long-standing practice of sketching from nature. On walks, I draw in a small notebook or take photos when something catches my eye, often scavenging pieces of spent plants or other objects. Back in the studio, a painting often begins with the colors, shapes, and visual rhythms I’ve captured.

Recently returned to Massachusetts after thirty years in New Mexico, it was a natural impulse to reacquaint myself with the landscape by walking, sketching, and photographing Marblehead’s and Salem’s open spaces. This exhibit consists of abstract landscape paintings that respond to observations made while walking local trails.

Interacting with and observing the natural world is a source of solace and wonder. It’s a way for me to think about and connect with myself and the world around me. I believe that aesthetic experiences in nature help create a bond of connection and caring to our beautiful and miraculous world.

It’s easy to forget: nature is right out the front door and down the street. I can stop and look – here, at nothing – for just a moment, and the unnoticed becomes beautiful and significant."

Jill Christian is a visual artist living and working in Salem, Massachusetts. She received a master’s of fine art from the Art Institute of Boston/Lesley University and a bachelor’s of art from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her work is held in public and private collections, including the City of Albuquerque, The Graham Collection, the Amarillo Museum of Art, the State of New Mexico, and the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art at Colorado State University. In 2025, she relocated to her home state of Massachusetts after thirty years in New Mexico. Read more about her at jillchristian.com.