JILL WELLS ART

Iowa-based artist, advocate and mentor, Jill Wells (she/her) has firmly situated herself within art and advocacy work. A 2005 graduate of Drake University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, she is well known for her dynamic, colorful, and tactile multimedia works investigating race, history, stereotypes, accessibility, and human experiences. By exploring the powerful alignment between arts integration and Universal Design, Wells' work seeks solutions for innovative pathways into accessible art.

 

Without shying away from the complicated socio-political histories relevant to the world, Wells’ interactive, multimedia works “are transforming the art scene through social engagement and she is building a future of advocacy through the arts.” - Black Iowa News

In her practice, Wells engages with individuals of all abilities, through various interdisciplinary art workshops and talks to create new modes of working through the arts, that is truly inclusive and representational. ​Jill Wells has created public art,  exhibitions, and cultural programs for the last 20 years. She is currently a Harkin Institute Fellow, who is the first artist chosen to be a fellow in the organization’s history. Wells will be conducting research and programing focused on accessibility in art, breaking from the mold of what fellows have done in the past and leading discourse about accessibility from a new perspective.

CV