Jill Baker Gower

Jill Kathleen Designs

"I have a passion for working with my hands, and I lovingly make each piece one at a time in my Chicagoland studio. When purchasing something from me, you know it will be exceptionally crafted out of high quality, carefully sourced materials, and made to last for generations to come."

Jill Baker Gower creates jewelry that is bold, feminine, and comfortable for everyday wear. Her designs are often inspired by crochet and lace and she aims to capture the sentiment of these inspirations, yet translate them in unique, contemporary, and understated ways.

Gower's pieces are crafted from ethically sourced materials whenever possible, and she creates each piece by hand using both traditional and modern techniques. She values the methodical processes of hand-carving wax and fabricating metal wire or sheet. Occasionally, she employs 3-D modeling when the design calls for the precise and repetitive lace qualities she desires.

Jill earned a BS in art education from the University of Wisconsin and an MFA in metals from Arizona State University. She is a former artist-in-residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Gower currently resides in Chicagoland where she has a studio and teaches jewelry/metals at the College of DuPage.

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Selected Exhibitions & Awards
Reflection (Solo Exhibition - Tributaries Series), Metal Museum, Memphis, TN, 2019
Retouched (Solo Exhibition), Ombre Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, 2017
Shadow Themes, R/R Gallery , New York City, NY, 2016
Dermal (Solo Exhibition), Heidi Lowe Gallery, Rehoboth, DE, 2015
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, Virtual, Philadelphia, PA, 2020
Refined, Stephen F. Austin State University Galleries, 2023
Collections
The Enamel Arts Foundation , Los Angeles , CA, 2010
Metal Museum, Memphis, TN, 2018
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, 2007
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, 2022