Abbreviated Bio

Jill Trappler has worked as an artists and craft person in various projects over the past thirty years. These include, Thupelo, Greatmore Street (she is a founder member of both) and Bag Factory studios. (She was a Board member of all three). Jill served on the Board of the Ava gallery and the NAC.

Jill established the Philani weaving project and the Intle cooperative project in Site B and Philippi; the Philani clinic in Khayelitsha has a sustainable weaving project. The art studio initiative at Valkenberg grew out of workshops coordinated at the hospital. (This project started as an Outreach initiative of the AVA gallery)

She has worked as an unqualified OT at Baragwaneth (1976/77) and at Groot Schuur OT department as a part time lecturer. Jill has lectured at UCT summer school.

She exhibits regularly in group shows nationally and abroad. Her solo exhibitions are numerous and continue to be a priority in her practice.

The combinations of project work, teaching and personal practice has a significant impact. Interactive, exchanging skills and ideas with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences plus daily involvement in making art/craft push the levels of creative life style, education and product development.

1957 – 4 – 15 Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa

Full Bio

Education

1975- 1979 Bill Ainslie, Johannesburg Art Foundation,

1975- 1978 UNISA, three years BA and FA subjects

Apprentice in various craft studios, including weaving, ceramics, dying, spinning, knitting, fabric painting/printing, embroidery, sewing, beading.

Projects

Warren Editions -2014

Cavesham Press – 2014, March, 5th – 7th,

3 Day Residency Prince Albert Festival –

2012 & 2014 Group Exhibition @ the Residency of the Spanish Embassy –

2010 Ariel Worker’s Day Festival –

2013 Summer School – 2013 (previous years)

Philani Project Khayelitsha

2012 Contemporay South African ArtistS 2, DMEC, Devon Learning & Development Partnership

2011 Creative Blocks – 2010 on going Thupelo Workshop Project – 1

1985 on going Greatmore Street Artists Studios – 1998 on going Bag Factory Artists Studios

Water and me; partnership with Greatmore street studio s and UCT Chemical engineering department.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

The Association for Visual Arts Gallery ( AVA Gallery), Cape Town. (1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008) 1990

Gallery International, Cape Town 1995

Prime Art Gallery, Cape Town. 2000

Tatham Gallery, Pietermaritzburg, KZN 2002

Fordsburg artist’s studio (Bag Factory Gallery,) Johannesburg 2003

Bellville Art, (Art B) Cape Town. 2006

Kwazulu, Natal Association of Arts Gallery (KZNSA), Durban 2007

Bag Factory Gallery, Johannesburg. 2007

Studio exhibition, Orange Street Studios, Gardens, Cape Town 2008

Joe Wolpe selects Jill Trappler’s work for show at the AVA, Cape Town 2008

SMAC Stellenbosch, Abstract art in South Africa, pre 1990. 2009

Irma Stern Gallery, Cape Town 2010

SMAC Stellenbosch 2010

Casa Labia gallery, Muizenberg, Cape 2012

Knysna fine arts Gallery, Knysna, Western Cape 2013

AVA, Unfolding her May 2015

Canteen Arts on main, May/June 2015

The Cape Town Art Fair, Seippel gallery (C3), February 2016

That Art Fair, Cape Town, February 2016

Gallery Mojo, Dubai, February 2016

Kim Sack Gallery Johannesburg, February 2016

AVA gallery Cape Town, February 2016

Group Shows Include:

November 2017, Threads run through us; backpackers, Buitengracht street, Cape Town.

November 2017, Through lines; Curated by Lindsey O’Connor for Greatmore street event space.

October 2017, Pieces of Eight, Africa Nova

September 2017, Abstraction. For the Marilyn Martin lecture series. Greatmore street event space.

September 2017, Drought, Artvark, Kalk Bay, Cape Town.

August 2017, AVA Salon exhibition

2017 Cape Town art fair; Seippel gallery

2017 Greatmore street studios; @large group exhibitions.

2017 Turbine art fair; LL editions.

2016 Cape Town Art Fair (Seippel gallery)

2016 Irma stern gallery. Unfolding into spring.

2016 AVA gallery. Eunice Geustyn and Jill Trappler, half-light and shadows.

2014 Seeking Eden Casa Labia, Muizenberg

2014 Equus gallery, Cavalie estate. Cape Town

2013 Imibala, Somerset West

2013 Somerset West, Western Cape. Imibala Gallery

2013 Cape Town Art Fair (INC) 1990, 1995, 1996, 2005, 2007, 2011 Thupelo workshop exhibitions

2012 In Bloom 2 Casa labia gallery Cape Town

2012 Cape Town, Casa Labia Gallery

2012 Prince Albert festival. Western Cape (Vulnerable Landscape)

2011, 2012, 2013 JHB Art Fair/Seippel gallery 2011 WATERS/VASIA, Finland

2011 Finland (waters/Vasia)

2011, 12,13 Johannesburg Art Fair/Seippel gallery

2010 Thupelo, Greatmore street Cape Town 2010 WATERS/VASIA, AVA Cape Town, Durban Art …JHB Bag Factory.

2010 Cape Town, Durban Art space Gallery …JHB Bag Factory. (Vasia/waters)

2010 Stellenbosch, Spier Gallery (end conscription Campaign)

2010 Cape Town, (these four walls)

2010 Cape Town, Greatmore street Gallery

2009 7th annual British International mini print exhibition

2008 Group show of non figurative work, Seippel gallery JHB

2007,08,09 Lessedra contemporary art projects, Bulgaria.

2008, 09 7^th British international mini print exhibition.

March 2008 2004, “time, memory and desire” Standard Bank gallery JHB

2004 “strangers” a group show including artists from SA, New Zealand and Canada.

2004 Cape Town; SA, New Zealand and Canada. (Strangers)

2004 Johannesburg, Standard Bank Gallery, (time, memory, desire)

2002 The mythic image, Bellville, Cape 2001 3/3 AVA

2002 Cape Town ART B, (the mythic image)

2002 Wales (Spirit of the place).

2001 Brain Storm, Cape Town

2001 Cape Town AVA Gallery. (Spirit of the place)

2001 Cape Town AVA Gallery (Brain storm)

2001 Cape Town AVA Gallery (3/3)

2001/2002 Spirit of the Place, with artists from Wales

1999 Workshop show, Kampala, Uganda.

1998 Group show in Switzerland

1996 Thupelo International workshop exhibition, Michaelis School of Fine art UCT

1994 Group show in Munich Switzerland 1991 Newtown gallery, JHB

1988 Johannesburg FUBU Gallery, Newtown

1991 Johannesburg Newtown Gallery

1994 Switzerland, Munich

1996 Cape Town. Michaelis School of Fine art, University of Cape Town

1998 Selected artist show at Munich Book Fair. Switzerland

1999 Uganda, Kampala.(Workshop exhibition)

Work Experience Teaching

1976, 1977 (FUBA) The Federated Union for Black artists.

Johannesburg Art Foundation Johannesburg School for Autism Johannesburg, Newtown Indian primary school.

1981 to 1984 Cape Town, Private studio and CAP

1998 Pietermaritzburg, KZN Tatham Gallery Workshop for local artists.

2000 Zurich Workshop for Peace movement.

2000 2005 Cape Town South African National gallery Annex. Part time classes.

2003, 2008 Cape Town, Orange street open studios.

2009 ongoing Art Source studio Observatory

2011 Philani employment project

2013, 2014, 2015 Thupelo coordinator

Thupelo assembly for Triangle network participants

Print workshop with Joe Leshoka at the Bag factory studio

2017 UCT summer school

2017 FynArts festival Hermanus; workshop

January 2017; part time director Greatmore street studios/Thupelo workshop projects.

Coordinating

1980 Co founder Thupelo Cape town workshops

1986 Thupelo International Art Workshop Project.

1995 Launch of Greatmore street Studios project

1998 Transfigurative exhibition, AVA

2007 Triangle Africa Arts Trust conference in Cape Town.

2010. 2012 Group exhibition at the Spanish Ambassadors’ Residence, Cape Town

Thupelo, managing trustee for the project including Nyanga workshop 2017

Consulting

1991 Cape Town Exhibition coordinator. Valkenburg hospital at UCT

1997 Switzerland for Pro Helvetia; studio exchange programs

2009, 2010 Echo shelter project. Coral, crocheting project.

2009 Real stories gallery website; HIV in the SADAC region

2010 Philani employment project

2016/2017 Greatmore street studios.

Lecturing

2006 Occupational Therapy Department, Groote Schuur Hospital

2010 Drawing project. Ruth Prowse School of art. Cape Town.

2013 Part time lecturer Michaelis art school, UCT Lecturing at UCT Summer School, (2000 to 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014, 2015)

Research

2006 Documentary video on GMS and Thupelo

2005, 2007 Research and interviews for book about Bill Ainslie

2007 Appointed to attend a donors meeting in Amsterdam, Arts Collaboratory

2012/2014 Publications x 3 Mike Gardiner, (Bill Ainslie) Robert Loder, (various local artists) Bag Factory; (Greatmore street.)

2012 Benetton’s; 10 x 12 @ SA

2015 Making art in Africa, Polly savage.

Workshops

1981-84 Cape Town Community Arts Project (CAP) Facilitator

1995 Uganda, participant and facilitator

1996 Johannesburg.. Thupelo (participant)

2014 Mauritius Triangle workshop; I was not able to attend. Cavasham press, KZN; two weeks print making

2015 Triangle New York. Salem September

Studio employment

1975,76 Professional weaver for Peter Soldartis, Helen de Leeuw plus private Clients

1976,77,78 Baragwanath hospital, Soweto, (occupational therapy department)

1980 Devon UK. The Care Village; art/craft studio facilitator London; Adult Institute Islington (weaving) St Helena Island and Tristan de Cunha island

1981 Hannes Hares, weaving studio Cape Town.

1981 Philani Nutrition Clinics Crossroads and Khayelitsha.

1980 Established the Intle weaving co-operative, Crossroads. Cape Town Establishing the Wolani papier-mâché project for HIV

1987 Cape Town Flagship, printmaking Employment project,. Crossroad

1995,96 Cape Town Facilitator De Lorentz Clinic

1995 Cape Town Established art studios at Valkenburg hospital..

1998, 2008 Cape Town Philani nutrition clinic, Greatmore street studios

2014, 2015 and 2016 Resident artist at Greatmore street studios

Committees

1996- 2007 Association for Visual Arts (AVA), Cape Town. 1

996-2009 Trustee and committee/founder member: Greatmore Street Studios.

1988 on going Coordinator of the Thupelo workshops Cape Town.

2002 03 Appointed to the Board of the National arts Council

2007 ongoing Board member of Bag Factory Studios, Johannesburg

2007 Selection panel, Commonwealth foundation awards

2009 Chair of Africa region Commonwealth Foundation awards

Bibliography

Making art in Africa isbn 9781848221512

South africa: 10 x 12@SA isbn 9788898764099

Abstract by Nature Oct 2005 AVA in partnership with Spier

Artthrob.co.za/01sept/listings-cape

Notions of being/moments of being isbn 9783940440

William (Bill) Ainslie isbn 9780620655972

Mantis volume 26 Number 2 winter 2015

waters-Vasia-amanzi 2010-2011

Busan Biennale 2008 Expenditure

Art South Africa August 2015, Marilyn Martin

Abstract art form the isolation years; 9780620442091

Cambridge Scholars Publishing – Practices of Abstract Art

Unfolding into spring 2015/2016 ISBN 978-3-940440-22-8

Assembly 2016, Thupelo Cape Town. The Triangle net work

South Africa, the art of a nation. John Giblin and Chris Spring
The British Museum ISBN 978-0-500-29283-9

Collections

Various private, locally and abroad; Corporate and public collections including:

South African National Gallery (SANG)
Vodacom,
SABC.
Investec.
Nandos UK.
University of Cape Town
Spier Foundation
Creative blocks
British Museum. London
British Museum. London, (Cosmos 2) and Yellowwoods collection