Jill Leman in her studio in Islington
RWS PRESIDENT
ELECTED ARWS 2009 & RWS 2012
Born in the USA and educated in Essex and Kent, Jill Leman enrolled at the age of 16 at Colchester School of Art, where her tutors included Edward Bawden and John Nash. She later completed a DipAD in Graphic Design at Central School of Art and Design (now CSM), before working both in-house and freelance for a variety of publishing houses.
In 1991, one of Jill’s paintings was accepted for the open competition at the Royal Watercolour Society. Since then, her work has appeared in numerous mixed exhibitions, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize, the Royal Society of British Artists, and the Royal Watercolour Society, as well as galleries across Norfolk, Essex, Cornwall, and London. She has also held solo and joint exhibitions with her husband, Martin Leman RWS.
In 2014 Jill instigated, collated and edited ‘Watercolour Secrets’ published by Bloomsbury showcasing the work of RWS members.
From 2017 to 2023, Jill served as the first female President of the Royal Watercolour Society.