Meet Jill Alexander, Illustrator of Little Owl in the Big City

171 Main Street,Manasquan NJ 08736

28 November, 2021

Description

Meet local art teacher and illustrator of Little Owl in the Big City Jill Alexander ABOUT THE BOOK Little Owl in the Big City is based on the true story of a Northern Saw-Whet owl found in the boughs of the Christmas tree transported from upstate New York to Rockefeller Center in 2020. According to the author, “When I first heard about the little owl hidden in the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, I was convinced that it was no accident. Little Owl intended to get to the Big City to see the lights, hear the noise, and experience the excitement. I wanted to share Little Owl’s adventures with the children who are also thrilled by the wonder of the season.” Children, ages 3-8 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jill Alexander is an award-winning artist and educator. Earning her MFA from The School of Visual Arts in 2006, Jill graduated with honors, and was the recipient of the Pete Hamill Award. Since that time, Jill has been honing her skill of portrait realism-painting while traveling and documenting various cultures including Egypt, Morocco and Cuba. With control and precision, she works closely from her photographs, using multiple images to create one work. These paintings ask the viewer to contemplate “Why travel anywhere if everything is the same?” They celebrate the places where, despite modernization, the vibrant simple life continues as it has for generations. Jill’s portraits employ vivid saturated colors, unusual compositions, and often, an added bird or two. It is no wonder that you will find one of our feathered friends in the works, as Jill’s late mother, Carol, held the nickname “Bird” for her strength, wisdom, and spirituality. Jill teaches drawing and painting at her alma mater, Wall High School, in the city of Wall Township, NJ, where she lives with her husband, John, and Yorkshire Terrier, Macy. Jill has had many successes during her tenure at Wall. In 2019, Jill was honored by Congressman Chris Smith for her work as the most active art teacher in the Annual Fourth District Congressional Art Competition. The same year, Jill received an official proclamation from the mayor of Wall Township, Kevin Orender for her personal art achievements. In 2021, Jill was selected by the student body to be the first art teacher ever inducted into the Wall Chapter of the National Honor Society based on her representation of character, scholarship, leadership, and service. Also, she was named The Outstanding Educator in Visual Arts of 2021 by Monmouth Arts, the leading independent art advocacy organization in Monmouth County. Lately, Jill has been spending her evenings after school illustrating. She recently completed the illustrations for two children’s books, both of which feature birds. The first, “Little Owl in the Big City” will be ready for publication in early November 2021, and the second, “On Eagles’ Wings” which is projected for some time next year. A Local Independent Bookstore in Manasquan NJ, just minutes from the beach!