Jill Baker Gower

Jill Kathleen Designs

"I have a passion for working with my hands, and I lovingly make each piece one at a time in my Wisconsin studio. Ethically sourced materials and sustainable practices are at the heart of my work. When purchasing something from me, you know it will be exceptionally crafted out of high quality, carefully sourced materials, and made to last for generations to come."

A maker at heart, Jill Gower creates jewelry that is bold, feminine, and comfortable for everyday wear. Her designs are inspired by crochet and lace patterns, and she is drawn to historical decoration and ornamentation from the Baroque and Victorian periods. She captures the sentiment of these inspirations, yet translates them in unique, contemporary, and understated ways.

Gower's pieces are crafted from ethical materials such as Fairmined gold and Fair Trade gems. She creates each piece by hand using both traditional and modern techniques. She values the methodical processes of hand carving wax and fabricating metal wire or sheet. Occasionally, she employs 3-D modeling when the design calls for the precise and repetitive lace qualities she desires.

Jill Gower earned a BS in art education from the University of Wisconsin and an MFA in metals from Arizona State University. She is a former artist-in-residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. For the past decade, Gower was an associate professor of art metals/jewelry at Rowan University in New Jersey. In 2018, she and her family moved to Madison, Wisconsin, taking a bold leap to pursue their dreams.

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Selected Exhibitions & Awards
Reflection (Solo Exhibition - Tributaries Series), Metal Museum, Memphis, TN, 2019
Retouched (Solo Exhibition), Ombre Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, 2017
Shadow Themes, R/R Gallery , New York City, NY, 2016
Dermal (Solo Exhibition), Heidi Lowe Gallery, Rehoboth, DE, 2015
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, Virtual, Philadelphia, PA, 2020
Collections
The Enamel Arts Foundation , Los Angeles , CA, 2010
Metal Museum, Memphis, TN, 2018
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, 2007