Page 30 - San Diego Woman Amy Haber Issue

Women of Distinction

old mosaic artist, struggling
but determined to get her work
Jill G. Hall into galleries. The second story,
a 1960s historical, followed the
trials and tribulations of an
introverted heiress, Sylvia Van
By Shelley Burbank Dam. “I didn’t know they were
connected. I just kept writing,”
Photos courtesy of Jill G. Hall says Jill.
One day, out thrifting for
Jill grew up in Point Loma artists using The Artist’s Way her own art projects, Jill found
and attended Point Loma by Julia Cameron. And then, a beautiful black velvet coat.
High School. From there, she fortuitously, she explored the She went home that night
attended the University of idea of writing. “I wanted to do and dreamt that her charac-
San Diego, earning B.A. and a quiet form of art and creativi- ter, Anne, wore the coat and
master’s degrees in education. ty,” she says. discovered a mysterious key
Later, she attained a doctorate She joined a prompt-based in the pocket. When she went
in education from Northern writing group with the idea to the Brown Bag meeting the
Arizona University in Flagstaff. of writing children’s books or following day, Jill’s character,
Whether penning a novel, Writing, she says, was never possibly a memoir of her expe- Sylvie, started shopping at Tif-
fashioning a piece of mosaic a career she considered until riences as a teacher. The Brown fany’s looking for a pin to wear
art, teaching a workshop, or much later. “Growing up, I Bag Writing Group, founded by on that same velvet coat. “And
serving on a committee to raise really wanted to be a teacher. It Jill’s mentor, Judy Reeves, met-- then I realized, oh my gosh, it’s
funds for local arts initiatives, was my calling. I loved it.” and still meets--every Tuesday. the same book. It’s one book!”
award-winning author and Following college, Jill It was during these Brown Bag She didn’t know it at the
artist, Jill G. Hall believes in taught performing arts and sessions that Jill’s characters time, but the type of book she
living and working intuitively history in several San Diego popped into being. “They came was writing is a genre called
and creatively while encourag- inner-city schools. She found onto the page from nowhere. dual-timeline historical fiction.
ing others to do the same. “My that she loved working with They just appeared while re- After drafting the novel, Jill put
personal mission,” she says, “ is the families and students of sponding to prompts!” it through two critique groups
to help others feel creative and different cultures and used At first, Jill thought she and then hired professional
fulfilled.” arts-based projects and ac- was writing two stories. A editors to help clean it up. Still,
Jill shares this with me on tivities to deepen classroom contemporary story told of she wasn’t yet ready to submit
a bright San Diego afternoon learning. Anne McFarland, a 28-year- the manuscript to publishers. “I
at Banyan Kitchen & Cafe, This type of teaching was
a cozy and welcoming spot a natural fit for Jill. A dancer
located in the arts district of from an early age, she had per-
Liberty Station. The cafe and formed in musical, community,
its chocolaterie, Chi Chocolat, and semi-professional theater
is a favorite of Jill’s. It’s con- in San Diego. She was next
venient to San Diego Writers, hired as the arts coordinator
Ink, a hub for the creative for an elementary school that
writing community, where she fed into the San Diego School
facilitates writing groups and of Creative and Performing
teaches workshops. In fact, Jill Arts. This eventually led her
help found the organization to a position on the staff of the
and was an early board presi- California Arts Project at SDSU
dent. “I’ve been there from the where she instructed educators
beginning,” she says. on how to use the arts in their
After ordering coffees classrooms.
and avocado toast, we sit at a After twenty years, Jill felt
corner table to talk about Jill’s the need to stretch her wings
three books, The Black Velvet creatively. She took some
Coat, The Silver Shoes, and The time off to work on mosaics,
Green Lace Corset, and about something she’d been doing
her life as a teacher, artist, and for a long time. She also began
published author. to facilitate support groups for

30