Jill Trappler

Born 1957
Lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa

Jill Trappler has worked as an artist and craft person on various projects over the past fifty years. She attended the Bill Ainslie Studios and JHB Art Foundation. Participation in the Triangle Network included Thupelo, Greatmore Street Studio (she is a founder member of both) and Bag Factory Studio. She has attended workshops in Broedestroom, Uganda, Upstate New York and Mauritius.

Jill served on the Board of the AVA gallery, Bag factory and the NAC. She is currently on the Board of Ruth Prowse and Orange art project. The workshops project, Siyabonana initiated with Zeitz Mocaa education is ongoing.

During the 1980’s Jill established the Philani Weaving Project and the Intle cooperative project in Site B and Philippi.  The art studio initiative at Valkenberg grew out of workshops coordinated by AVA outreach.

She has worked as an unqualified OT at Baragwaneth (1976/77) and at Groote Schuur’s OT department as a part-time lecturer. Jill lectures at UCT summer school and teaches open, drop-in sessions and weekend workshops.

Jill has exhibited regularly in group shows nationally and abroad. Her solo exhibitions are numerous and are a priority in her practice.

The combinations of project work, teaching and personal practice are interwoven into an interactive lifestyle where curiosity and possibility lead her to exchanging skills and ideas with people from various backgrounds and experiences.

Daily involvement in her studio practice is essential to internalizing and maintaining a valuable relationship with the “imaginal”.