Biography

Janet is known for her vibrant colourful still life paintings which have been described as “unashamedly uplifting”.

A graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, awards include a travelling scholarship and a British Council International Post Graduate Scholarship.

In 1978 Janet moved to London, arriving at a time when the ‘East End’ - with its affordable housing and studios - provided a haven for artists. During the 80’s and 90’s she worked in both painting and printmaking and exhibited widely as a member of the Printmakers Council. Since relocating her studio to Deptford in 2000 Janet has concentrated on painting.

Janet says: “My paintings are essentially about pattern and colour and the simplification of the picture plane. Which colours to use may be triggered by any number of things such as red pears in the supermarket, or, a brightly dressed  passer-by in the street. In recent years oriental pots have become a bit of an obsession – started by a Japanese pot that belonged to my grandmother - others found in flea markets and charity shops have crept into my paintings. The small paintings of ginger jars, which are available as Giclee prints, came about to  use the paint left on my palette at the end of each day on primed offcuts of board (ever the thrifty Scot!).”

Janet has had several successful exhibitions in London and also exhibits throughout the UK. She keeps her links with Scotland as an artist member of Paisley Art Institute and The Royal Glasgow Institute and her work has been selected for their annual exhibitions. Commissions include original silkscreen prints for the P&O cruise liner Aurora and her paintings are in private and corporate collections and the University of Dundee collection.

Her work is included in Sansom & Co, Students of Hospitalfield: Education and Inspiration in 20th Century Scottish Art by Peggy Beardmore, and she is referenced in Artists in Britain Since 1945, Vol. 2 by David Buckman 1998 & 2006 editions, Art Dictionaries Ltd.  Artists & Illustrators magazine also published an article on her work entitled “Bring a Burst of Colour to your Still Lifes”