Latest news
May 2026
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Jill currently has a small exhibition, Directions, at Cacao House, 2, Bedford Street, Stroud, Glos, GL5 1AY. It is the instructions for a spiral ritual which Jill created for an exhibition last year in Bristol, now enlarged to be its own exhibition. It is open until the end of May
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In 1982/83 Jill was filmed on super8 by Bruce Lacey at Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas and Samhain at 4 different parts of the Avebury complex in Wiltshire. The project was Jill’s concept. Because their personal and working partnership ended, the film, though processed, was never edited. The 14 reels remained in a tin on Jill’s wardrobe for decades. She recently had them digitised and they have been edited into a complete film by artist/film-maker Izzy McEvoy. There is a version that can be shared and a higher quality version which can be projected onto a large screen. For details contact Jill.
November 2025
Jill has contributed written and drawn instructions for the layout for ‘Spiral Ritual Performance’ which will be carried out by others at 12 noon Saturday 8th November at Centrespace Gallery, 6 Leonard Lane, BRISTOL, as part of ‘A Homage to Woman Magic: Celebrating the goddess within us 2025’, an exhibition which runs from 7th-13th November.
October 2025
Jill has two pictures in ‘Art Without Borders’, an Open exhibition at Dùsgadh Baile na Cille, Timsgarry, Uig Isle of Lewis. It runs until 31st October. Open 10am-4.30pm
MARCH 2025
There will be an exhibition of Jill’s Zodiac Journey at An Lanntair, Stornoway from February 8th – March 1st 2025. Photos by Mhairi Law on the walls, together with Jill’s zodiac journey diaries, and installations of the dyed cloths, wooden signs, outfits and most of the objects used during the actions
December 2024
From December 5th-10th 2024 there was an exhibition of Zodiac Journey at Fruitmarket, Edinburgh, with an installation in the Warehouse gallery, accompanied by a running sequence of projected images of Mhairi Law’s photographs, and Jill’s recorded voice reading the diaries. Jill also gave a talk, with Mhairi Law, fand later in the week a coloured zodiac sign cake event.”
October 2024
On Friday 25th October Jill will be giving a special reading of 354 names of all the women who have participated in exhibitions at Fruitmarket, Edinburgh over the past 50 years (beginning with her own name when she was Jill Bruce). This is part of a month-long exhibition by Holly Davey. The event is free and from 6-8pm. It also includes a discussion of Holly Davey’s work. Fruitmarket is at 45 Market Street, Edinburgh. (near Waverley station).
September 2024
Pre Order The Zodiac Journey – This publication presents Jill’s diary of the year, from Virgo 2023 to Leo 2024, alongside commissioned documentary photographs from Mhairi Law. An introduction from curator Iain Morrison, and a list of Jill’s ritual journeys from 1982 to the present.
The book will be launched early in December 2024 and posted from the Fruitmarket Bookshop to you then.
June 2024
Jill will be giving a short talk about her current Zodiac Journey project at An Lanntair, Stornoway at the latest artist’s gathering. 6pm 21st June. Also featured is Mhairi Law, the photographer who is documenting Jill’s project.
November 2023
Jill was recently interviewed for Future Radio by David Eastaugh. The interview is now a podcast – available on https://www.c86show.org/e/jill-smith
September 2023
On September 6th Jill began a year-long Zodiac Journey on Lewis and Harris in the Hebrides by celebrating Virgo with some friends at the Achmore stone circle on Lewis. She has been asked to carry out this project by the Fruitmarket in Edinburgh as part of their 50th birthday celebrations next year. Her diaries and a picture by photographer Mhairi Law of Island Darkroom will appear on the Fruitmarket website about a week after each zodiac action – see https://www.fruitmarket.co.uk/jill-smiths-zodiac-journey/ .
May 2023
On Tuesday 16th May ’23 Jill will be giving her presentation Life, Performance, Journeys, Art at Room 253, the Yudowitz Seminary Room in the Wolfson Medical Building at Glasgow University, from 5-7pm. The evening will begin with Jill and the poet Jane Goldman reading Jane’s poem THE MANIFESTATIONS OF THE OBSESSIONS AND FANTASIES OF BRUCE LACEY AND JILL BRUCE IS A ONE-MAN EXHIBITION BY BRUCE LACEY.
November 2022
Andrew Logan’s Alternative Miss World.
Jill took part in several of these wonderful shows back in the 70’s so was delighted to be invited to judge in the 50th Anniversary of the show.
You can view the entire show on YouTube – HERE
An Lanntair in Stornoway
My talk at An Lanntair in Stornoway is on 5th November at 2pm as part of the Faclan book festival. I’m very pleased to be part of this event this year. It is always good with lots of interesting talks. The theme this year is Witchcraft and I will have quite a bit to say initially about ‘labeling’ people. A boy on the school bus this morning asked me if I was a witch as his Dad had said I was!!!
Further Info
October 2022
On October 28 Jill was thrilled to be one of the judges at the Andrew Logan 50th anniversary Alternative Miss World at the Shakespeare’s Globe in London. The first time she’d attended one since making the last of her 5 early appearances as a contestant in 1981.
September 2022
Jill had a picture in the Grinneas nan Eilean open exhibition at An Lanntair Arts Centre in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Also exhibiting are 2 pictures by her son Taliesin Smith.
June 2022
Jill will be presenting her richly illustrated talk LIFE PERFORMANCE JOURNEYS ART on 7th June 2022 at the Eston Arts Centre near Middlesborough. 176-178 High Street, Eston, Middlesborough, TS6 9JA.
Feb 2022.
Jill will soon be appearing at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh. She will be giving a performance ‘Re-emerging’ on Thursday 24th February from 11-12 midday, and her talk/presentation ‘Life, Performance. Journeys, Art on Friday 25rh February at 7pm. The Fruitmarket is at 45 Market Street Edinburgh.
Jill will have a new piece of art-work included in the Dark Skies exhibition at An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. This is the first Dark Skies exhibition as part of the now annual Dark Skies Festival. 7 artists have all produced new work for the show. Jill’s piece is a sculpture/painting entitled Black Hole, and is unlike most of her recent work. The exhibition runs from 28 January until early March
2020
Once again some of Jill’s artwork is included in the beautiful Astrodairy 2021 published by Astrocal
2019
Jill currently has two pictures in the Grinneas nan Eilean open exhibition at An Lanntair Arts Centre in Stornoway
On Wednesday, November 13th Jill will be giving a slide show and talk at The Edge cafe, Aird Uig, Isle of Lewis HS2 9JA at 7pm. She will talk about her life, work, art, journeying and how it is all part of her book The Gypsy Switch and other Ritual Journeys
Once again some of Jill’s artwork appears in the Astrodiary
Jill launched her latest book – The Gypsy Switch in July this year.
Further information and purchase details can be obtained via the Books page.
2018
Jill will be sharing a stall ‘Spirit of the Land’ with Taliesin Smith and Saffron Paffron at the Boudicca’s Brocante Craft Fair at Silver Rooms, Silver Road, Norwich NR3 4TB on Sunday, October 22nd. Opens 10 am.
A slide sequence of Jill’s early performance work etc will be continuously running in a ‘Hummudruz’ exhibition at the Newlyn Art Gallery in Cornwall from 3rd March – 2nd June. www.newlynartgallery.co.uk for further information
2017
Once again, Jill’s work appears in the Astrodiary for 2018, a wonderful diary, not to be missed. For details please see www.astrocal.co.uk.
Jill had two works in the current Grinneas nan Eilean exhibition at An Lanntair in Stornoway. The exhibition closes on July 31st”
2016
Jill has recently been telephone interviewed by Rupert White and the interview (with photos) appears on the ArtCornwall website. It focusses on her work with Bruce Lacey and progresses on to a bit of her life since then.
“Book: Artists in the City, SPACE studios; Chapter by William Fowler – Industrial Ritual Performance SPACE, Pgs 109 – 123. Photo of Jill P 116”
Once again, Jill’s work appears in the Astrodiary for 2017, a wonderful diary, not to be missed. For details please see www.astrocal.co.uk.
Jill’s book Mother of the Isles is now back in print and available from her – click here for email and postal address. Alternatively, this book is now available online from the Calanais Visitor Centre website: www.calanaisvisitorcentre.co.uk. Look under “shop online” on side menu.
2013
Jill has returned to one of her old passions – knitting. She has been knitting pieces from Harris wool based on traditional fishermen’s Gansey patterns.
Her daughter Saffron has made these up into cushions. These are for sale at:
Paffron & Scott,
4, Briston Road,
Melton Constable,
Norfolk
NR24 2DA
August 10th, 2009
Jill has moved to an address on the Isle of Lewis. For new address, see Jill’s contact page.