Enlightenment 2D
In this work I’m investigating light, perception, and the somatic impact of chromatic fields through the lens of New Transcendentalism and Light and Space. Through luminous fields and emanating surfaces, I invite viewers into altered states of awareness and an experience of the sublime.
Jill Joy, Anahata 530THz, oil on canvas, 30x30”, 2026
Jill Joy, Orange Yellow Emanation, oil on canvas, 24x48”, 2026
This series explores the intersection of the geography and mysticism unique to Southern California and San Diego. Deeply rooted in this liminal, aqueous environment, the work channels the spiritual expansion that took hold here in the 1960s and 70s through yoga and the consciousness movement. In these paintings the infinite, brilliant quality of coastal light merges with the metaphorical light of enlightenment, transforming a specific time and space into a portal for expanded consciousness.
Jill Joy, Blue Horizon, oil on canvas, 24x36”, 2025
Jill Joy, Yellow Emanation horizontal, oil on canvas, 18x48”, 2025
Jill Joy, Sat Nam, oil on canvas, 30x80”, diptych, 2024
Utilizing the visible light spectrum (ROYGBIV) which maps to the chakra system, each painting is created to be experienced rather than merely observed — a visceral atmosphere that envelopes the viewer rather than sits apart as a static object, guiding perception from fragmentation to coherence.
Jill Joy, Higher Gradient, oil on canvas, 10x10”, 2025
I’m interested in the impact of light, color, and movement on neurochemistry, brain plasticity and consciousness. I employ a restrained palette to evoke the quiet simplicity of an expanded perceptual experience. Inspired by Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), I compose with restraint and intention, moving my brush from side to side, applying thin layers of oil paint. The fields of pure, unadulterated color pulse subtly and ask the eye to slow down like the oceanic horizon stills us to presence.
Spatial rhythms suggest continuity beyond the edge of the canvas, toward the infinite.
Jill Joy, Yellow Horizon, acrylic on canvas, 10x10”, 2024