My work is similar today as IT has always been with this exception; I’ve come to play more with abstract shapes in recent years.

Interview with Jill Carnes

Updated in January 2025

Jill Carnes in an artist living and working in Athens GA. Notable shows include The Art of E6, part of Athens Celebrates Elephant Six, Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia

John Lee Matney: Comment on the Athens GA art scene over the years

Jill Carnes: The Athens Georgia art scene is as present as it ever was. So much going on here. Lots of great art of all sorts being made here. It’s a very welcoming community and one that largely enjoys those with idiosyncrasies and a yearning to explore the possibilities for future art endeavors.

Jill Carnes, *Midnight Owl,* Drawing, PRIVATE COLLECTION

*Tree of Life*, Drawing, Private Collection

John Lee Matney: Comment on your friendship with Jeremy Ayers

Jill Carnes:I loved the dickens out of him and I always will. What a great thing to have his spirit be a constant in all of our lives. Just a wonderfully pleasant and understanding soul.

Jill Carnes, *Two Birds Talking About The Old Days*, 2022, 100% wool on monks cloth, 11 × 14 in | 27.9 × 35.6 cm.

John Lee Matney: Comment on your fiber works

Jill Carnes: The fiber works are very fun to design and construct. The satisfaction I feel throughout each one’s entire process is quite cathartic. The fabric, thread and color choices are limitless - such a great palette for the imagination to run with.

John Lee Matney: Comment on your career as an artist

Jill Carnes: I’ve been making my art for well over forty years - I’ve been told by more than a few that my approach has its own distinct style and that my proven prolific nature is evident by the forty-plus-year marking of time. My work is similar today as has always been with this exception; I’ve come to play more with abstract shapes in recent years.

Jill Carnes, *Advice From a Broken Clock*, 2022, Prismacolor marker on bristol board, 11 × 14 in | 27.9 × 35.6 cm.

Jill Carnes’ work has been shown in diverse locales including Athens, Asheville, Atlanta, Austin, and New York City and in exhibitions alongside Lonnie Holley, Thornton Dial, Clementine Hunter, Bill Traylor, Howard Finster, Mose Tolliver and Jimmy Lee Sudduth. Jill Carnes' artistry is a vibrant tapestry of color, pattern, and innovation. Her paintings and drawings have adorned the album covers of bands such as Neutral Milk Hotel and cd inserts for projects featuring R.E.M., Indigo Girls, Madonna, Vic Chesnutt, Victoria Williams, Pearl Jam, Garbage, Kristen Hersch, Soul Asylum and Hootie and the Blowfish. Her work has been exhibited in the Georgia Museum of Art in association with the Elephant Six Collective, a group of American musicians that gave rise to numerous prominent indie bands of the 1990s, including the Apples in Stereo, the Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf Power, of Montreal, and Circulatory System. Her contributions have also been featured in esteemed publications like Rolling Stone and Creem and projects for Sony Music. Jill’s talents extend beyond visual art; she also captivates audiences musically as Thimble Circus, incorporating whimsical instruments like the toy piano and trombone kazoo into her performances. Michael Stipe included Jill’s name in an art piece in his 2021 book of photography.