Portfolio Jill Padberg

I am Jill Padberg, a 19 year old artist who is currently studying Fine Arts at Willem De Kooning academy in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
I grew up in Leiden where I assembled a weird but lovely group of friends who inspire me every day to make art.
The things we experience together or even a small conversation can give me an idea for my art.



In my work the themes relate to human behavior, how bodies move, how minds act and what feelings we hide and show.
Our society revolves around emotions but even though we are exposed to these expressions every day, we tend to hide our own. We are afraid to speak our truth, to tell the people around us how we feel, even if it is an expression of love or kindness.
I am intrigued by this mind game we play with ourselves. How can we communicate our feelings in a better way?
How can we make others aware of our emotions?
I try to do this with my art. Who are we and how can I capture this in my work? Others can use my art to relate to so they know they're not the only one with these feelings and I can express mine through the works.



My two main mediums are drawing and painting.
I’ve been using them since
I was a child. By using paint and making multiple layers
I can express my emotions in the best way possible. Whether I use water colours or acrylics, the layers give more depth to my work.
I like to experiment with poetry and photography.
There is a sense of passion and relief in my poetry.
By taking snapshots of people in the streets, seeing their movement and their behavior, a picture becomes more interesting.