Abbreviated Bio
Jill Trappler has worked as an artist 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 Baragwanath (1976/77) and at Groot Schuur OT department as a part-time lecturer. Jill has lectured at Summer school, UCT.
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 have 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 lifestyle, education and product development.
Jill Trappler
1957 – 4 – 15 Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa
Full Bio
Awards
Annual cultural affairs awards, Western Cape cradle of culture. Contribution to Visual, audio-visual and interactive media.
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, dyeing, spinning, knitting, fabric painting/printing, embroidery, sewing, beading.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
February /March 2021: 6 Spin street gallery, Exhibition of children’s work in partnership with Home from Home and Orange art project
February /March 2021: 6 Spin street gallery, Exhibition of Orange art group
February /March 2021: 6 Spin street gallery, Water and the Moon
November 2019: AVA, Reverberations
February, March, April 2019: Gallery South exhibition, Title, “Stoep”
February 2016: 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
May 2015: AVA, Unfolding her
May/June 2015: Canteen Arts on main
2013: Knysna fine arts Gallery, Knysna, Western Cape
2012: Casa Labia Gallery, Muizenberg, Cape Town
2010: Irma Stern Gallery, Cape Town
2010: SMAC Stellenbosch
2009: SMAC Stellenbosch, Abstract art in South Africa, pre-1990.
2008: Joe Wolpe selects Jill Trappler’s work for a show at the AVA, Cape Town
2008: Studio exhibition, Orange Street Studios, Gardens, Cape Town
2007: Bag Factory Gallery, Johannesburg
2007: Kwazulu, Natal Association of Arts Gallery (KZNSA), Durban
2006: Bellville Art, (Art B) Cape Town
2003: Fordsburg artist’s studio (Bag Factory Gallery,) Johannesburg
2002: Tatham Gallery, Pietermaritzburg, KZN
2000: Prime Art Gallery, Cape Town
1995: Gallery International, Cape Town
1990 – Ongoing every two years: The Association for Visual Arts Gallery (AVA Gallery), Cape Town
Selected Group Shows:
January 2020; Canvas Workshop residency at Zeitz Mocaa with Lionel Davis and Garth Erasmus
November /December 2019 Nel gallery, Cape Town
December 2018: AVA
October 2018: Greatmore Sheet
Nov 2018: Africa Nova
July 2018: Artvark
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 Artspace 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: 7th 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: BrainStorm, Cape Town
2001: Cape Town AVA Gallery. (Spirit of the place)
2001: Cape Town AVA Gallery (Brainstorm)
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
2020: Monday session at Ruth Prowse
January 2020; Summer school, UCT
2017: Summer school, UCT
2017: FynArts festival Hermanus; workshop
January 2017: part-time director Greatmore street studios/Thupelo workshop projects
2013, 2014, 2015: Thupelo coordinator
Thupelo assembly for Triangle network participants
Print workshop with Joe Leshoka at the Bag factory studio
2011: Philani employment project
2009: ongoing Art Source studio Observatory
2003, 2008: Cape Town, Orange street open studios
2000 – 2005: Cape Town South African National Gallery Annex. Part-time classes
2000: Zurich Workshop for the Peace movement
1998: Pietermaritzburg, KZN Tatham Gallery Workshop for local artists
1981 to 1984: Cape Town, Private studio and CAP
1976, 1977: (FUBA) The Federated Union for Black artists.
Johannesburg Art Foundation Johannesburg School for Autism Johannesburg, Newtown Indian primary school
Coordinating
2017: Thupelo, managing trustee for the project including Nyanga workshop
2015: Water and me; partnership with Greatmore street studio s and UCT Chemical engineering department
2014 March, 5th – 7th: Caversham Press, 3 Day Residency Prince Albert Festival
2013: Summer School – 2013 (previous years)
2012 & 2014: Group Exhibition @ the Residency of the Spanish Embassy
2012: Contemporary South African ArtistS 2, DMEC, Devon Learning & Development Partnership
2011: Creative Blocks – 2010 on going Thupelo Workshop Project – 1
2010: Ariel Worker’s Day Festival
2010, 2012: Group exhibition at the Spanish Ambassadors’ Residence, Cape Town
2007: Triangle Africa Arts Trust conference in Cape Town
1998 – 2010: Ongoing Bag Factory Artists Studios
1998: Transfigurative exhibition, AVA
1995: Launch of Greatmore street Studios project
1986: Thupelo International Art Workshop Project
1985: Part-time to 2013 Philani Project Khayelitsha
1985 – To date: Thupelo Workshop project
1985 – 2018: Greatmore Street Artists Studios
1980: Co-founder Thupelo Cape town workshops
Consulting
2016/2017: Greatmore street studios
2010: Philani employment project
2009: Real stories gallery website; HIV in the SADAC region
2009, 2010: Echo shelter project. Coral, crocheting project
1997: Switzerland for Pro Helvetia; studio exchange programs
1991: Cape Town Exhibition coordinator. Valkenburg hospital at UCT
Lecturing
2013: Part-time lecturer Michaelis art school, UCT Lecturing at UCT Summer School, (2000 to 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014, 2015)
2010: Drawing project. Ruth Prowse School of art. Cape Town.
2006: Occupational Therapy Department, Groote Schuur Hospital
Research
2015: Making art in Africa, Polly savage
2012: Benetton’s; 10 x 12 @ SA
2012/2014: Publications x 3 Mike Gardiner, (Bill Ainslie) Robert Loder, (various local artists) Bag Factory; (Greatmore street.)
2007: Appointed to attend a donors meeting in Amsterdam, Arts Collaboratory
2006: Documentary video on GMS and Thupelo
2005, 2007: Research and interviews for a book about Bill Ainslie
1997: Research studio exchange projects in SA and Switzerland for Prohelvetia
Workshops
2015: Triangle New York. Salem September
2014: Mauritius Triangle workshop; I was not able to attend.
2014: Cavasham press, KZN; two weeks printmaking
1996: Johannesburg, Thupelo (participant)
1995: Uganda, participant and facilitator
1981-84: Cape Town Community Arts Project (CAP) Facilitator
Studio employment
2014, 2015 and 2016: Resident artist at Greatmore street studios
1998, 2008: Cape Town Philani nutrition clinic, Greatmore street studios
1995: Cape Town Established art studios at Valkenburg hospital
1995,96: Cape Town Facilitator De Lorentz Clinic
1987: Cape Town Flagship, printmaking Employment project,. Crossroad
1980: Established the Intle weaving co-operative, Crossroads. Cape Town Establishing the Wolani papier-mâché project for HIV
1981: Philani Nutrition Clinics Crossroads and Khayelitsha.
1981: Hannes Hares, weaving studio Cape Town.
1980: Devon UK. The Care Village; art/craft studio facilitator London; Adult Institute Islington (weaving) St Helena Island and Tristan de Cunha island
1976,77,78: Baragwanath hospital, Soweto, (occupational therapy department)
1975,76: Professional weaver for Peter Soldartis, Helen de Leeuw plus private Clients
Committees
2009: Chair of Africa region Commonwealth Foundation awards
2007: Selection panel, Commonwealth foundation awards
2007: ongoing Board member of Bag Factory Studios, Johannesburg
2002, 03: Appointed to the Board of the National Arts Council
1996-2009: Trustee and committee/founder member: Greatmore Street Studios.
1996- 2007: Association for Visual Arts (AVA), Cape Town. 1
1988 to 2018: Greatmore street/Thupelo (not ongoing)
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
Unfolding Her copyright Jill Trappler 2015
Familiar places. copyright Jill Trappler 2015
Familiar places. copyright jill Trappler 2012
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 network
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