Asbury Park, NJ

Jill Ricci generally begins to work with elements that she responds to intuitively rather than with a final vision in mind. This method lends itself to multiple layering and the creation of intricate textures. Through a variety of media (including paper, paint, gold and copper leaf, fabrics, and venetian plaster), patterns, structure, and theme organically emerge.

Once satisfied with the foundation, Ricci develops the composition in a more intentional manner and merges any disparate sections. Confinement and the division of space, as well as the relationship to intrinsic figures and motifs, are a dominant theme in her work.

There exists an obvious struggle between the natural world and that which we build and construct. Living in the modern world forces us to find a balance. Ricci's work accomplishes just that: it's at once elegant and gritty; urban and earthy. And the real treat of Jill's pieces, is that each time you revist the piece, you will likely find something you had never noticed before.

Ricci received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and then nearly two decades later, received a degree from Sheffield School of Interior Design. She has also curated many of her own shows in Monmouth County, featuring herself and other artists. Ricci is playful and risky in her life, which comes through vibrantly in her wonderful creations.