Artist Interview - Jill Sutherland
Artists often don't fit the mold. You are an excellent example! When did you first realize it?
As a child, I didn’t fit into the usual boxes—I was often told there was something “wrong” with me. After my mother took me to several specialists, it turned out I didn’t have a learning disability but rather a high IQ with a different way of learning. This revelation inspired my mother to become a teacher and advocate for alternative learning styles.
Being told I was "different" at a young age pushed me to embrace my neurodivergence. I became a rebellious spirit, questioning authority and following my own instincts. That defiance and independence have been key to shaping the artist I am today. Over time, I’ve learned to transform the wounds of being labeled "not enough" into a driving force, turning those challenges into the inspiration to stay true to myself, no matter what.
Mural Artist
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There were lots of other ways you grew up "different." Right?
I was born in Long Beach, California, in 1982. My mother had a dream that we needed to move to Santa Fe, New Mexico, despite never having been there before. So, we packed up our belongings and moved to the southwestern desert and mountains. After growing up in the diverse culture of Long Beach, I found myself one of the few white students in my school in Santa Fe. I spent the next 13 years in this "wild west," connecting with the land and helping co-create the renegade electronic music scene. School was sporadic for me—I often learned through my experiences.
Eventually, life threw me some challenges, and I realized I needed a change. I reached out to my father, who lived in California, and asked for his help. He offered me a job with our family business, Sutherland Presses, which my grandfather founded in 1946. The company specializes in metal stamping and forging solutions, working with tier-one and tier-two suppliers, making the machines that make the machines for the automotive, aerospace, military, and other sectors. I had to learn how to navigate the male-dominated world, earning respect through hard work and attention to detail.
Except maybe for certain sculptors, heavy industry isn't a typical tangent to fine arts. How did that work for you?
Over my 16 years in the metal-forming industry, I gained a deep respect for my father’s business and the innovation behind it. I successfully straddled the worlds of masculine power and politics while yearning for the feminine creativity