Jill Flyer was born in Chicago, Illinois where her architect father taught her how to draw at 5 years old. Her parents believed they should encourage her artistic abilities, so, along with drawing lessons at the Art Institute of Chicago, she studied piano for many years, as well as ballet and acting lessons. Playing the piano is still a major passion. In order for her to practice she is looking to find an inexpensive piano. Anyone with an extra or inexpensive piano, email Jill ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or leave a note for her at LCS. This is important because Jill is aching to return to music.
Graduating from the University of Illinois, with a Masters degree in French literature, minor in German, and years later, almost a second Masters in Urban Planning. Her professional career has run the gamut from Transportation, Independent Politics, and Commercial Real Estate to Wireless Communications, but Art has always been the biggest part of her life.
When Jill discovered photography, she decided that, although she might possibly become a decent artist, she maybe could become a great photographer. You could find her with camera in hand from that point on, and the results are powerful, gorgeous, and a collector's choice. She started photographing in black and white in the early 80's, working in a kitchen darkroom. Even when she wasn't actively printing, she never stopped reading about photography, viewing photo exhibits, and exploring and assessing images. Jill eventually found her way to the Evanston Art Center, near Chicago, where she worked with advanced printing techniques made available by the Center. During this time, she was selected to present in many shows in the U.S., the most important of which was judged and curated by the Assistant Curator from the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The lady was stepping up.
In the late 90's she started traveling to Mexico and South America where she found more creative energies in photographing the people and the landscapes than taking photos in Chicago. On a one-day excursion to Ajijic from Guadalajara, she found out that the Ajijic community had many galleries available in which she could exhibit her art. So the next time she returned she brought her portfolio and showed it to art entrepreneur Maria Di Paola. Maria selected eight exquisite images and invited Jill to participate in a show of women artists and photographers. It was very successful.
While it is necessary for her to travel, the Lake Chapala area continued to beckon her return, and so she did, permanently, in 2003. Jill has participated in many shows locally, with one-woman shows at Galería Di Paola and La Puerta. In late October 2007, she and another Lakeside artist, Marci Boone, did a two-artist show at the Centro de Cultura, Ajijic, with a Day of the Dead theme. This exhibit also proved very successful.
Evolving, Jill started experimenting with hand painting her black and white photos. While painting photos has existed for more than a hundred years, the usual object was to reflect true colors. Instead, Jill thought it would be greater fun to invent fantasy colors -- painting, for example, mauve fish with green lips, blue horses and purple & yellow skies. Her choice became a signature.
As her darkroom 'evoluted' into digital color photography, the newness of this adventure became a great and intriguing challenge. She believes that the lessons she learned in her black & white days have helped her in color photography, straight into digital. To be a good black and white photographer, one has to understand form and structure, and gradations in intensity of colors. The object is then to apply this knowledge to the computer world. As with most artists, all of her photos are altered in some way using new techniques made available by computers, allowing myriad adjustments. But, because of all the manipulations, she often asks the question, "where does photography leave off and art begin or vice versa?" Clearly, many of the manipulated photographs are greatly altered from the original. Are they art, are they photography, or are they both? A question without an answer!
Jill has recently started a 7-day Photographic Workshop for people who would like to combine a trip to this area while learning to take great pictures. The great thing about these workshops is that they give people who do not live here an opportunity to see and experience parts of Mexican life that they would not normally be able to see as a tourist. Most visitors usually do not speak Spanish and would be shy about renting a car to explore the small villages and magnificent landscapes around the lake. With her workshop, participants have an opportunity to photograph unusual scenes and experience a bit of real Mexican life. There are hands-on-instruction and seminars and a review session at the end of every day. By the 7th day, Jill guarantees that the level of everyone's photos will increase immeasurably, to say nothing of the participants having had a great vacation. For local people who would like to learn photography, Jill is planning a 2-day workshop.
She is represented professionally in Ajijic by La Puerta Gallery, Colon #13, and will soon be represented by Galería Vallarta, in Puerto Vallarta.
Jill's website is accessible, and contains all the information on itinerary, prices, etc. at: www.mexploration.net, by typing in the address in the upper left corner of the screen. She lives in San Antonio Tlayacapan, with her adorable dog, Canela, whom she acquired from the Animal Shelter. She teaches French at the Wilkes Education Center in Ajijic, and plays an advanced game of tennis 3 times a week. If you wish to contact her, write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . It is an encounter you will long remember.
