insideKENT Magazine Issue 65 - August 2017 | Page 33
ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
A Traveller In Time
Why Wish For The Moon When We Have The Stars
A Star Is Born
KENT ARTIST PROFILE:
JANE FORD
THE MARSHES OF SANDWICH ARE WHERE WILDLIFE
ARTIST JANE FORD FINDS HER INSPIRATION, AND IT’S
NO WONDER. THIS DELIGHTFUL PART OF KENT IS
PACKED FULL OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CREATURES –
AND THEY ALL FIND A PLACE IN THE UNUSUAL AND
MAGICAL WORLD OF JANE FORD’S ART.
How did you become an artist?
My father was a trained classical
singer, so the arts were already in
the family. My uncle was the head
designer for Spode (pottery and
homewares) and I went to art
college in the Staffordshire
Potteries, where I come from. I
also did a seven-year
apprenticeship as an illustrator
and graphic designer.
If you had to define your art,
how would you describe what
you do?
My aim is to incorporate realism
with fantasy and my passion is
British wildlife; it is the perfect
subject to work with. Many
writers and artists have already
done this, but, as fantasy is a very
personal thing, the imagination
can run riot and be very
individual. I add a little romance,
a dash of steampunk, and a huge
amount of northern dark
humour.
What is it about Kentish wildlife
that appeals to you?
It’s not just Kentish wildlife, but
British. Kent, though, has the
unique geographics in that we
have a lot of migrant birds,
though I tend to use purely native
creatures. Where I live we have
three species of owl, hares
(though they are dwindling) and
of course foxes. There are game
birds and predators – a new bird
to the area is the red kite with its
wonderful aerobatics.
You combine natural wildlife
with some rather quirky
elements. How do you choose
what to use in each image?
Creating an image for a painting
can come in several ways, either
by the animal itself or by a phrase,
song, or something that just pops
into my head. I recently had an
email from an artist friend in
America, Kaidy Lewis. She was
painting with glow worms in the
garden and we decided it would
be fun to paint together, me here,
she there. My thoughts were
moonlight, glow worms flying
down to earth with stars, and
an unlikely combination of
romantic partners, a hare and
a hound. The obvious title was
from the Bette Davis film, Now
Voyager – ‘Why wish for the
moon when we have the stars?’
What has been your proudest
artistic achievement to date?
My proudest achievement to
date is to have become a
professional artist against all the
The Lord Chief Justice
odds, when no one believed in
me and the future looked bleak. To have exhibited in great galleries with
great artists and to have formed very precious friendships. And to have
a wonderful, supportive husband who puts up with all my quirky ideas
and who runs around the country delivering work with me.
What does the rest of 2017 hold in store for you?
2017 right through to 2018 will be a very busy year with general
exhibitions in many galleries, a solo feature exhibition with the Wing
Gallery, Wadhurst, in September and another similar show with Opus
Gallery, Ashbourne, in November. I have already exhibited a solo show
this year at the Saffron Gallery, East Grinstead, and will be working
towards an even busier schedule in 2018.
[email protected]
www.janefordart.com
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