Artist's Statement:
Living on the North Yorkshire coast of the UK I am fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful moors, woodland and coastline, and I find these natural environments constantly inspiring. The landscape has always been a love of mine since early childhood - drawing, too, is a very early memory and continues to be absolutely central to my work as it allows an intuitive response to the landscape. When painting with oils I also integrate drawing and painting with the use of oilbars (oil paint in solid form). There is a strong focus on expressive mark-making and texture in my work - in fact I see the exploration of mark-making as equally important to the subject matter of landscape itself. My influences include Joan Eardley, Cy Twombly and Abstract Expressionism.
I am passionate about the conservation of the landscape and since 2006 I have been a conservation volunteer for the North York Moors National Park, working on projects such as tree planting and butterfly habitat management - these projects have allowed me a deeper understanding of the landscape, in turn enriching the artwork I create.
Method of Working:
I begin by spending time in the landscape - walking, sketching and observing. In sketching directly from nature I want to explore the ever-changing light and atmosphere and also to reflect the experience of walking in the landscape in all weather conditions. These studies form the basis of my studio work. The first stages of a new piece are frenetic in order to capture the energy of the landscape, but this gives way to careful assessment of what to keep and what to erase. I use several thin layers of charcoal, pastel and graphite to gradually create the image. I work very intuitively, therefore the image undergoes several reworkings and takes on a life of its own. Part of this intuitive working process involves allowing one piece time to 'breathe' while working on another, and I usually have around ten works in progress simultaneously.
Biographical Details:
B. 1979, Leeds. Janine is a multi-award winning artist living and working in Scarborough, on the North Yorkshire coast, and she creates works on paper, paintings and prints inspired by her love of landscape. She has exhibited extensively across the UK, including with the Royal Academy of Arts, the Society of Women Artists and the Pastel Society, London, with work included in private collections worldwide.
Janine is an Associate Artist of Unison Colour soft pastels, an elected member of the Pastel Society, and has also received several prestigious awards for her artwork.
Society Memberships
The Pastel Society
Scholarships, Awards, Prizes:
2021 The Artist Magazine Award, Mall Galleries, London
2017 Highly Commended Work in Monochrome Prize, ‘DRAW17’, Society of Graphic Fine Art, Menier Gallery, London
2017 Picture Framing Workshop Prize, Kunsthuis Gallery, Crayke, York
2016 Unison Colour Award at the ‘Pastel Society Annual Exhibition’, Mall Galleries, London
2015 Haworth Prize at the ‘New English Art Club Annual Exhibition’, Mall Galleries, London
2014 The Arts Club Charitable Trust Award at the ‘Pastel Society Annual Exhibition’, Mall Galleries, London
2006 Shortlisted for Art Scholarship for Rural & Landscape Artists, Royal Bath & West of England Society
Selected Exhibitions:
'Royal Academy Summer Exhibition', The Royal Academy of Arts, London
'The Haworth Prize' at the 'New English Art Club Annual Exhibition', Mall Galleries, London
'Pastel Society Annual Exhibition', Mall Galleries, London (2013 - 2020)
‘DRAW19’, Society of Graphic Fine Art: The Drawing Society’, Menier Gallery, London
‘DRAW17’, Society of Graphic Fine Art: The Drawing Society’, Menier Gallery, London
‘Territoire-S’, Pornic, Brittany, France
‘Summer Show’, Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge
'Layered Land’, Birch Tree Gallery, Edinburgh (solo exhibition)
'Line in Motion', Birch Tree Gallery, Edinburgh (solo exhibition)
Cambridge Art Fair (2016, 2017), represented by Watermark Gallery
'A Contour, a Curve - the Lie of the Land', Gallery 57, Arundel, West Sussex
'Painting: Light of the North', According to McGee, York
'A Woman's View', Blue Tree Gallery, York
‘Northern Palettes’, Blue Tree Gallery, York
'Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition', Mall Galleries, London
‘Landshapes’, Crossley Gallery, Dean Clough, Halifax
The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle
Cricket Fine Art, London
Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance, Cornwall
'Bath Society of Artists Exhibition', Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2023 - ‘Wild Nature’, Watermark Gallery, Harrogate
2021 - ‘Forest and Moor’, Watermark Gallery, Harrogate
2019 - ‘Layered Land’, Birch Tree Gallery, Edinburgh
2017 - ‘Line in Motion’, Birch Tree Gallery, Edinburgh
2012 - ‘Expressions’, Pyramid Gallery, York
2011 - ‘On the Path of Colour’, Back o’ the Shop Gallery, Terrington, York
2007 - ‘Visions of Land and Sea’, Scarborough Art Gallery, North Yorkshire
Publications:
2022 The Artist Magazine, February issue, feature article ‘The Sensory Landscape’
2021 Artful Magazine (published by OhhDeer), autumn issue, feature article
2017 The Encyclopedia of Pastel Techniques, Judy Martin
Collections:
Kerry David, founder of Over and Above Africa charity, USA
Sir Alan and Lady Heather Ayckbourn, UK
Private collections across the UK, Europe, Africa, Australia, Mexico and US
Commissions:
2022 Commissioned by Ingo Interiors (Liverpool) and Yorkshire Housing (Leeds) to create an artwork for a large scale mural for The Place hub, Leeds
2018 Commissioned by Made Thought (London) and Heckfield Place (Hampshire) to create charcoal drawings for menus at Hearth restaurant
Numerous private commissions since 2001
