New works, inspired by personal observations in daily life and revisiting memories of past experiences.
The ‘Absentia’ paintings depict familiar objects whose usual human associations are temporarily absent.
‘Where is She?’ An empty chair in a room waiting for the life model to return, tape marking where feet and hands were once placed.
‘Sea Dog’ is sitting alone on a sunlit Ferring Beach, seeking its owner.
The smaller, atmospheric paintings describe off-season moments in time along the local shore
A misty morning with expectant deckchairs waiting to be sat in, empty boats on the shingle in the depths of winter, a bench by the sea at Goring on a cold afternoon, a Victorian shelter against a watery, setting sun and the glimmer of illuminations at dusk, having just been lit (from a photo Jan once took from the 700 bus).
The dog paintings ‘Bodie’ and ‘Nellie’ are not so much about the beautiful, characterful animals, but the light and space around them.
‘Egg Lady’ captures a moment in a small rural market in Vietnam, bustling with people going about their daily business. This is part of a series of three, ‘Chilli Lady’ (selected as the poster image for West Sussex Art Society 2023 show) and ‘Duck Lady’ (still on the studio easel).
The new fish paintings are inspired by once paddling in a tropical sea and a reworking of ‘Street Fish’ that was sold last year.
There are fresh still lives and flowers, as well as some of her earlier acrylic and oil pieces and her cards.
Jan lives in Ferring and is a member of the West Sussex Art Society, the Arun Art Society and a portrait group. She moved here from London in 2015. This is her second solo exhibition at Colonnade House.
