About Jillian

Jillian's artwork reimagines natural landscapes, plays with abstract forms and vivid colors, and incorporates texture to tell a story. Painting allows her to transform a blank canvas into something new and beautiful – whether it be an evocative rendition of a real-life subject or an intuitive reflection of something more ethereal. 

Acrylic paint is her preferred medium, paired with a wide range of brushes, palette knives, wedges, sponges, textured media and spackles, and more. A life-long learner, she enjoys exploring new techniques and constantly learning more about the artistic process. Jillian is self-taught but regularly sources knowledge from creative workshops, the local art community, and social media.

Jillian has always had a love of fine art, as far back as she can remember – largely thanks to her schools' emphasis on art appreciation and her hometown's proximity to the Art Institute of Chicago. During lunch breaks at her summer job, she would visit Monet's haystacks and Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

At the University of Pennsylvania, Jillian majored in communication, with an emphasis on visual communication. Minors in cinema studies and French complemented her artistic interests, along with coursework in fine arts and art history.  These secondary focuses gave her more opportunities to admire the European masters and visit impressionist meccas like the Musée d'Orsay.

Over time, Jillian's career trajectory has taken her more into the technical realm than visual arts. She is currently the senior portfolio manager for Duke University's centralized web and mobile teams. Even in the IT department, she still always finds a way to incorporate more creativity into her roles. You can learn more about her professional path at jilliankuhn.com.

Jillian also has plenty of opportunity to integrate creativity into her home life. She is a single mother of two daughters, and they are very involved in their community and the arts. Jillian likes to recharge by spending time in nature, staying active, taking on home improvement projects, and exploring her adopted home state of North Carolina.

In 2020, Jillian's appreciation of fine art blossomed into a passion for creating it. After a few successful "paint & sip" experiences, she had the confidence to tackle an original painting during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic... And she hasn't stopped since!

Childhood nicknames of "Jilly Bean" and "Jilly K" led to her Instagram handle, @heyjillypaints, where you can follow along on her artistic journey.

Years in the making, Hey Jilly Paints was officially established as a registered business in 2026 – when Jillian was accepted into the inaugural Emerging Artist Showcase at the prestigious Cary Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival.