黑料福利社

鈥淚鈥檓 attracted to lightness in form. My works tend to be very minimalistic. Steel has its own integrity, which will allow this.鈥�

Boxx Gallery is proud to present a new exhibition by Portland-based artist, educator and musician Jill Torberson. 鈥淪pringtime鈥� is a fresh collection of Torberson鈥檚 steel sculptures and paintings on steel plates.

Torberson鈥檚 life has always been defined by creativity and the arts. Since childhood, she has created and built things. Construct, reconstruct and deconstruct; study and understand how things work. And she has always been deeply drawn to music.

Having earned a degree in music performance, Torberson played the French horn professionally for over 40 years. Her creative life was profoundly influenced by the complex, lyrical compositions of the orchestral stage. During this time, her deep understanding of harmony and structure found a new medium:steel.

Torberson鈥檚 journey with steel began while working in a brewery as a cellar keeper, and she began designing and drafting valve connectors. Torberson found herself fascinated by the way her sketches were brought to life by welders. That spark of curiosity led her to a basic welding course at her local community college, and she never looked back.

Torberson is now a licensed contractor and certified welder. Her company, Weld Metal Works, is known for high-quality works in steel, seen in businesses, homes, gardens and public places throughout the Pacific Northwest. She creates various kinds of custom fabrication, all unique, reflecting her aesthetic of simplicity, lightness and grace.

Always interested in exploring new creative endeavors, Torberson began to paint. She studied with two very fine artists and learned classical techniques. From one of her instructors she learned a technique of building transparent layers of acrylic paint to achieve realism in the old masters鈥� style. Steel plates serve as a very unconventional painting surface. Her paintings utilize the natural texture and oxidation of the metal to create a feeling that is both modern and nostalgic.

鈥淣aturally, I鈥檝e chosen to paint on steel because that was the material I had on hand," she says. "I started painting during the pandemic, taking online courses. I had no canvases! So I painted on what I had. Steel plates. I tried canvases later, but came to prefer the smoothness of the steel and the background I can create with that material. I understand steel.鈥�

Visit 鈥淪pringtime鈥� at Boxx Gallery in April to see the harmony in Torberson鈥檚 works in steel. From the light and elegant organic forms of the sculpture to the layered depths of the paintings, the exhibition offers a comprehensive look at an artist who has truly mastered her medium.