I am an artist, author and tutor and I spend my time mainly in Leicestershire and Cornwall. My books, Watercolours Unleashed (2015) and Dynamic Watercolours (2018), have proved to be successful beyond my wildest dreams. As a direct result of being a published author, I’ve been kept busy throughout the year with lots of new opportunities. I’ve worked with the SAA on demonstrations, workshops and DVDs to accompany my books. I’m attending wonderful events at the Mall Galleries in London and Patchings Art Festival in Nottinghamshire with Search Press.  I also run my own workshops in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and St Ives in Cornwall and occasionally in Oxford at the Ashmolean Museum.

I studied Art at school and gained an A-level but only started painting professionally about 25 years ago after taking it up again as a hobby. I then completed an adult education Teaching Certificate which has enabled me to pass on my knowledge confidently to others for the past 20 years.

My inspiration comes from nature. If I’m scratching my head for ideas, a countryside or coastal walk never fails to get the creative juices flowing. Even if I travel the same path, there’s always something different to inspire me because of the changing seasons. I’m not just a fair-weather walker either - I’m just as likely to be out and about in a rainstorm, a gale, or on a crisp frosty morning.  I then can’t wait to get back to the studio and start my next project (after having a hot drink).

I’ve gone through lots of phases in my artwork using different media, but I’ve always found myself returning to using watercolour. At the moment I love to play, adding inks and granulation medium, or working on prepared unusual surfaces, while still maintaining a watercolour foundation.

I’ve had my studio for around 22 years: I had it built on to my home. It was designed to be a very light, bright space with lots of windows and roof lights. It has lots of shelving for the many products I seem to accumulate as an artist. I work on really big white tables and will probably have 2 or 3 pieces on the go at any one time. I sometimes use an easel if I’m working on a canvas, but that canvas will have been prepared with a watercolour ground first so that I can work in my favourite medium. 

I work virtually every day even if it’s only for a couple of hours a day at weekends. I’m in my studio from around 9.30am and usually call it a day about 4pm. But if I have workshops or exhibitions coming up, I’ll often work later into the evening.

Becoming a professional artist has been immensely satisfying. It is hard work, but the satisfaction I receive from people’s responses to my painting, teaching and books is hugely rewarding.


You can see Jane demonstrate at Patchings Festival in the Search Press marquee on Friday 12th July 2019 AND at the Search Press Demo Day at Mall Galleries 28th August 2019. 

Jane's books Dynamic Watercolours & Watercolours Unleashed  are available to purchase from our website. 

  


See more of Jane's work on her website.