Photo by Robert Dumon
My work examines the results of human interactions – the consequences we encounter by trying to balance our autonomy with the roles society assigns us, or our independent lives with our intimate ones. Portraits tug at the treads of personal narratives, allowing stories to be recalled, rewoven, and contextualized. These images talk about power and privilege, but also vulnerability and perseverance – the experiences that mark our souls leaving both the baggage we tote and the bonds we cherish.
Jill Eberle holds BFA, MA, and MFA degrees, the last from East Carolina University where she also taught drawing, painting, and artistic anatomy for fifteen years. She has led workshops at Penland School of Craft and taught for several semesters in Italy. Her work has been shown around the country at the Butler Institute of American Art in Ohio, the Steamboat Art Museum in Colorado, and the Sedona Arts Center in Arizona. Her portraits and figurative paintings have won numerous awards including from the Lore Degenstein Gallery in Pennsylvania, the Portrait Society of Atlanta, the American Artists Professional League, and the Raleigh Fine Arts Society.
Solo Exhibitions
2017 Durham Art Guild, Durham, NC, Nothing's Black or White
2014 The Arts Center, Kinston, NC, Multiplicity
2013 New Bern Artworks, New Bern, NC, Imaginings
2012 New Bern Artworks, New Bern, NC, Threads: Connections & Conversations
2009 Imperial Centre, Rocky Mount, NC, Real People, Still Lifes
2007 Horace Williams House, Chapel Hill, NC, Recent Work
2004 The Arts Center, Kinston, NC, Recent Works
2003 The Arts Center, Kinston, NC, Bound and Unbound (Graduate Thesis Show)
Group Exhibitions
2023
Bank of the Arts, Craven Arts Council, New Bern, NC, Her Story
2022
Greenhill Center for North Carolina Arts, Greensboro, NC, Presence: North Carolina Figurative Artists
Portrait Society of Atlanta, Sewell Mill Gallery, Atlanta, GA, Fall Exhibition, Merit Award
Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, FL, 13th Biennial National Art Exhibition
Bank of the Arts, Craven Arts Council, New Bern, NC, Face to Face: Seeing Community (with Donna Slade, Julie Larick, and Lee Hood)
2021
Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH, 85th National Midyear Exhibition, (catalog)
Lore Degenstein Gallery, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA, 12th Annual Figurative Drawing & Painting Exhibition, (catalog)
Richeson 75, International Figure/Portrait, (catalog), Richeson Art School & Gallery, Kimberly, WI, Meritorious Entry and Finalist
American Artists Professional League, Online Members Show, Third Place Mixed Media
Hudson Valley Art Association, Old Lyme, CT, 88th Annual Juried Exhibition, (catalog)
Ridgewood Art Institute, Ridgewood, NJ, RAI 41st Annual Juried Show
Portrait Society of Atlanta, Ventulett Gallery, Atlanta, GA, Fall Exhibition
American Women Artists, Spring Online Juried Show
National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society, Associate Members Online Exhibition
Inlet Inn, Beaufort, NC, Three’s a Charm: Donna Lee Nyzio, Jill Eberle, and Georgia Mason
ArtWorks Gallery, Oriental, NC, Circle 10 Exhibition
2020
Sedona Art Center, Sedona, AZ, 31 Women Artists, (catalog), First Place
Richeson 75, International Figure/Portrait (online), Meritorious Entry, (catalog)
Portrait Society of Atlanta, GA, Fall Exhibition (online)
Wayne County Arts Council, Goldsboro, NC, 41st National Exhibition, Best in Show and First Place
Bank of the Arts, Craven Arts Council, New Bern, NC, National Juried Exhibition, Merit Award
2019
Lore Degenstein Gallery, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA, 11th Annual Figurative Drawing & Painting Exhibition, (catalog), Best in Show
Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs, CO. Looking West: An Exhibition Highlighting Works by American Women Artists, (catalog)
Imperial Center, Rocky Mount, NC, Juried Art Show, Merit Award
American Women Artists, Spring Online Juried Show
2018
Bank of the Arts, Craven Arts Council, New Bern, NC, Annual Juried Show, Merit Award
Hillsborough Gallery of the Arts, Hillsborough, NC, Resolutions
Mims Gallery, Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, NC, Contemplate, Concentrate (with Jerry Jackson, Kiki Farish, & Jane Harrison)
Gray Gallery, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Made in Italy
2017
Greenhill Center for North Carolina Arts, Greensboro, NC, Winter Invitational
Fine Art at Baxters, New Bern, NC, Refresh: New Artists, New Views
Bank of the Arts, Craven Arts Council, New Bern, NC, Through the Portal
Tar River Arts Council, Spruce Pine, NC, Inheritance (with Jerry Jackson, Kiki Farish, & Jane Harrison)
2016
Imperial Center, Rocky Mount, NC, Juried Art Show, First Place
Portrait Society of Atlanta, Gallery Hall, Sandy Springs. GA, “Portraits for a Small Wall”, Third Place
2015
Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC, Carolina’s Got Art!
2014
Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC, Women Artists of North Carolina
Caldwell Arts Council, Lenoir, NC, Concertina
2013
Greenhill Center for the Arts, Greensboro, NC, Animated!
Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC, Carolina’s Got Art!
Duffy Gallery, NC History Center, New Bern, NC Homecoming
Theater Art Galleries, High Point, NC, Surfacing Connections
Wilson Arts Council, Wilson, NC, Uncommon Ground
2012
Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC, A Women’s Place
Bank of the Arts, Craven Arts Council, New Bern, NC, Annual Juried Show, First Place
Caldwell Arts Council, Lenoir, NC, Friends
2011
Imperial Center, Rocky Mount, NC, Juried Art Show, Merit Award
Wilson Arts Council, Invitational Show
2010
Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC, Paul Hartley Legacy
Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC, Paul Hartley Legacy
2009
Bank of the Arts, Craven Arts Council, New Bern, NC, Three Women
2008
Wilkes Art Gallery, North Wilkesboro, NC, Eye Candy
2007
Imperial Center, Rocky Mount, NC, First Fifty
Bank of the Arts, Craven Arts Council, New Bern NC, A Woman’s Voice
2005
Caldwell Arts Council, Lenoir, NC, Beneath the Surface
2004
Raleigh Fine Arts Society, Raleigh, NC, Artist Exhibition, Best in Show
2002
University of Nebraska Art Museum, Lincoln, NE, The Liquid Language of Book Arts
Emerge Gallery, Greenville, NC, 30 Odd Barbies
2000
Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC, Women Only
Residencies, Grants & Honors
2022 Signature Status, American Women Artists
2021 Grant recipient, North Carolina Arts Council Artist Support Grant
2019 Resident Artist, Jentel Arts, Banner, WY
2019 Resident Artist, Winter Residency, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
2018 Grant recipient, North Carolina Arts Council Regional Artist Project Grant
2017 Resident Artist, Winter Residency, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
2017 Curator, "Refresh: New Artists, New Views", Fine Art at Baxter's, New Bern, NC
2017 Panelist, Art Biz Breakthrough (Alyson Stanfield), Golden, CO
2016 Resident Artist, Winter Residency, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
2013 Studio Assistant for Steve Early Figure Painting Workshop, Artspace, Raleigh, NC
2012 Studio Assistant for Beverly McIver & Michael Dixon, Portrait Painting, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
2012 Grant recipient, North Carolina Art Council Regional Artist Project Grant
2012 Studio Assistant for Steve Early Figure Painting Workshop, Artspace, Raleigh, NC
2010 Cecilia Beaux Forum sponsored mentorship with Linda Tracy Brandon
2009 Grant recipient, North Carolina Arts Council Regional Artist Project Grant
Corporate & Public Collections
Nash Community College, Rocky Mount, NC
City of Rocky Mount, Rocky Mount, NC
Hatteras Yachts, New Bern, NC
First South Bank, Washington, NC
Teaching: University
2003-2018 East Carolina University School of Art & Design, Greenville, NC. Adjunct Professor, Taught freshmen through graduate students.
Courses included: Artistic Anatomy, Figure Drawing, Drawing, Painting, Illustration, Design, and Independent Studies
2014, 2015 Italy Intensives, ECU’s semester abroad program in Certaldo, Italy. Instructor, Taught upper-level undergraduate students.
Courses included: Drawing, Painting, and Illustration
Teaching: Workshops & Short Courses
2024 J.C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC, 1-week workshop: Painting Flowers (upcoming)
2018 Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC, 2.5-week workshop: Anatomy & Écorché
2017 Hollins University, Roanoke, VA, Guest Artist, Mixed Media Drawing
2016-2017 Craven Community College, New Bern, NC, 18-hour Adult Enrichment Courses:
Figure Drawing, Portrait Drawing, Content & Composition
2013 Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC, 2-week workshop: Drawing Bodies, Figuring It Out
2012, 2011 Bank of the Arts, ArtFest, New Bern, NC, 1-day workshops: Painting Composition, Figure & Portrait Drawing
Community Involvement
2021 Juror, NC Arts Council, Regional artist’s support grants
2019 Juror, Johnston County Arts Council, Annual Juried Show, Smithfield, NC
2017 Presenter, Twin Rivers Artist Association, New Bern, NC
2016 Juror, Carolina Artists Gallery, Plein Aire Show, Morehead City, NC
2016 Presenter, Twin Rivers Artist Association, New Bern, NC
2015 Juror, Scholastic International Regional Awards, Barton College, Wilson, NC
2013 Juror & public critique, Art from the Heart, Morehead City, NC
2012 Guest critique, Twin Rivers Artist Association, New Bern, NC
2012 Juror & public critique, Art from the Heart, Morehead City, NC
2011 Juror, Coastal Carolina Pastel Society, New Bern, NC
2011 Guest critique, Twin Rivers Artist Association, New Bern, NC
2010 Guest critique, Twin Rivers Artist Association, New Bern, NC
2009 Juror, Onslow Art Society 48th Annual Show, Jacksonville, NC
2008 Juror, NC Arts Council, Regional artist’s project grants
2008 Juror, Chowan University, Visual Art Department, Student Show, Murfreesboro, NC
2004 Juror & public critique, Lenoir County Art League Annual Show, Kinston, NC
2004 Juror, Circle 10 Art Gallery Miniatures Exhibition, Oriental, NC
2003 Guest Critique, Lenoir County Art League
2003 Juror, Twin Rivers Art Association Annual Members Exhibition, New Bern, NC
Publications
Labadie, John, editor. Journal of Creative Arts and Minds, Jill Eberle, Volume 5, No. 1, Summer 2019, p.69-82
Burger, Johnathan. New Bern Now. Through the Portal Glimpses into the Minds of Four Artists, Sept. 6, 2017
Hall, Charlie. Sun Journal, New Bern, NC. Artist Teams with Students to Give Them Statewide Recognition, May 12, 2013
Joyner, Amy. News and Record, Greensboro, NC, First Graders are Inspiration to Artist Jill Eberle, Jan. 2, 2013
Education
MFA, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC. Claire E. Armstrong Merit Scholarship, 2003
MA, New York University, New York, NY. Full Fellowship and stipend, 1981
BFA, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY. Magna Cum Laude, Departmental Honors, 1977