A native of New Hampshire, Jonathan W. Hils is an Associate Professor of sculpture at the University of Oklahoma. He received his BFA degree from Georgia State University (1997) and his MFA from Tulane University (1999) where he received a full graduate assistantship. Before coming to the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Hils served as an adjunct instructor (drawing and sculpture), studio manager, and technician at the College of Charleston School of the Arts in South Carolina.
The recipient of the 2005 Oklahoma Visual Art Coalition Fellowship (OVAC) for outstanding creative work in the visual arts, Hils’ work is represented in several private and corporate collections including the Hyatt Corporation, Tysons Galleria (McClean, VA), and Equity West Investment Partners (Denver, CO). He has shown extensively across the U.S. including the Grounds For Sculpture and the 21st Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition where he won the 2007-2008 grand prize award. He has also been selected for a prestigious John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry artist residency where he completed work for the initial phase of the Odds (@) Culture series.
As an educator, Mr. Hils has received significant teaching recognitions including the 2007 University of Oklahoma Regents’ Award for Superior Teaching. This award was established at OU in 1963 and Mr. Hils is only the fifth School of Art faculty member to receive this distinction. Additionally, he has received the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts Peer Recognition Award in 2006 and the School of Art’s Colleagues Award in 2004 for his contribution to the school in the areas of teaching, research and service. Aside from his personal accomplishments, Hils’ students have received several undergraduate research grants, participated in numerous national and regional exhibitions and, most notably, he has sponsored one International Sculpture Center Outstanding Student Achievement Award (2004) and one honorable mention (2006).
Hils’ past professional experience has included serving as a panelist at the 2006 International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Iron at Ironbridge (UK). He also worked at the Inferno Art Foundry in Atlanta, GA for 3 1/2 years and instructed metal casting and mold making at both the Sloss Metal Arts Program (Birmingham, AL) and the New Orleans School of Glass and Printmaking.
He current serves as a board member for the Oklahoma Visual Art Coalition and is professionally represented by Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO.
