biography

Reptiles and amphibians occupy an important place in Jill Moger’s lifelong passion for natural history which has its roots in her early childhood. She has followed expeditions in books and on film of many of the world’s foremost naturalists and has visited numerous zoos and private reptile collections to observe the animals at first hand besides keeping some ‘rescued’ reptiles of her own.

Although other creatures are represented in Jill’s ceramic work, it is for her reptiles that she is best known.

“In their natural state and also in captivity, the scabs and scars of reptiles, the missing claws and spines and the shedding patches of skin, do not detract from their underlying magnificence. I try to create a strong sense of realism in my sculptures whilst at the same time, enhancing their most beautiful and decorative characteristics.”

A self taught artist, Jill set up a studio at her home in York in 1981 and this coincided with her first solo exhibition at York University. Many exhibitions, commissions and Gallery representations later, Jill was elected a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists in 1999, was elected to the Council that year and is currently Honorary Secretary and Editor of the Society’s bi-annual Newsletter. She was elected to membership of the Society of Women Artists in 2001 and won the President’s and Vice Presidents Award for the best work of art in their annual exhibition at Westminster Central Hall in the same year. In 2006 she won the Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award at the SWA exhibition at the Mall Galleries.

Each subject species is carefully researched and then individually made and intricately detailed in stoneware or porcelain clay. The life sized sculptures are fired in an electric kiln and enhanced by further firings (up to five) to fix the various glazes, enamels and lustre's.

Jill has recently had some of her sculpture cast into bronze, feeling that this will enhance her range of work.

Jill Moger’s work has been exhibited and auctioned by Bonham’s in Singapore, she has worked on commissions from leading British TV, Opera and Ballet Companies and has several famous names amongst the many collectors of her work. Besides exhibiting annually with the Society of Wildlife Artists and with the Society of Women Artists at the Mall Galleries in London, she has also exhibited at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Nature in Art in Gloucestershire (her work is in their permanent collection), the Wildlife Art Gallery in Lavenham and the Cheng Kim Loke Gallery at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Gloucester. Her work is permanently represented at the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery in Waterloo, London.