Introducing artist Jane Hindmarch

Based in Stamford, Lincolnshire (UK), Jane Hindmarch is a multidisciplinary artist who specialises in painting, drawing and metal sculpture inspired by the natural world. Her work explores mood and emotion evoked and informed by observations of natural phenomena.

Here we share Jane Hindmarch’s story so far…

Can you tell us your backstory and how you got into the art world?

Since I was around 10 yrs old I have loved drawing and painting. It has been my favourite thing to do ever since I discovered art materials! Some of my first drawings were in charcoal of my cat who I absolutely adored and I never grew tired of drawing her! By the time I left school I knew that art was the only thing I wanted to do. I have since discovered that I am affected by ADHD which, now as I look back makes a lot of sense with the choices I made throughout life and my affinity with creativity and the arts.

I  left school after A levels and went to Cambridge CCAT to do a foundation course in art and then a degree course in Drawing and Painting  with Print making and post graduate diploma at Edinburgh College of Art. I then took a teaching course and became an art teacher in schools, community centres and did artist residencies alongside my own work.

When my three children were young and I was teaching as well I found it hard to find time to devote to my art practice but as our girls have grown up and become more independent I have finally found the opportunity to concentrate on my practice again and also take advantage of the power of social media which is a wonderful way to find and build an audience that was not an option in the 80s and 90s!

In 2020 I did an online art business course called “Sell Your Art Online” with Martha May Ronson and also began a collaboration with The Traditional Co ironworks in Leicestershire to create large scale metal sculpture. The last three years have been very exciting as I have launched my art career on a more professional footing in both painting and sculpture.

How would you describe your signature style and technique?

My painting style has changed and developed a great deal over the years, going from figurative to abstract and back and forth over various periods of time.

I would say now that my style is a balance halfway between representational and abstract. I make observational drawings usually in pastel and then aim to abstract and simplify the most powerful elements of the image so that it is virtually  unrecognisable but not quite lost! I like images to be enticing, interesting and a little bit uncomfortable.

My paintings always aim to create a fine balance of conflicts or contrasts of colour, tone, texture and ideas. I use colour and brushwork to create mood and set an emotive scene.

I try to use simple, unsophisticated brushstrokes to build up an image, conscious to fully explore the physical  materiality of the paint and the surface.

Can you tell us more about “Paintings from a summer Garden” collection? Where did you find inspiration and what is the story behind it?

In my “Redhill Lodge Gardens Summer Collection” the paintings are based on the beautiful gardens of Redhill Lodge in Leicestershire owned and designed by Richard and Sue Moffitt. I was thrilled to be commissioned to make two sculptures for the garden which you can read about in my website blog “Paintings From A Summer Garden”.

Whilst spending time there I fell in love with the Prairie gardens, a large area of immersive planting that comes to its peak of colour in late summer. I spent several days making drawings in the gardens before developing these into a collection of paintings. Some of the works were shown at “Avant Gardens” exhibition at Houghton Hall last summer with Contemporary and Country.

I was interested in the effect of the abundant, rich tapestry of colour and texture created by the Prairie garden planting. The way all plants thrive and contrast with each other. The vibrancy of the garden in the height of summer is such a beautiful, ephemeral thing as it lasts only for a short time. The seed heads that follow are equally beautiful and fascinating as the seasons progress and the life cycle continues.

The painting “Redhill Gardens with Sculpture and Mound” was awarded the Welbeck Abbey Brewery Prize at the Harley Gallery Summer Open exhibition 2022. The image of the painting was made into a colourful label for a special, limited  edition botanical beer.

Pieces from this collection are now available on Jane Hindmarch website.

Are there any exhibitions or events you are planning? 

This year, alongside private commissions in painting and sculpture, I am working on a new collection of garden paintings at the Arcadia Garden in Sheffield. I am making regular visits to create observational drawings throughout the year which I will develop into oil paintings in the coming months. I am looking out for a suitable exhibition venue to launch the new collection in real life as well as online.

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What is the best advice you received as an artist?

I received a lot of very good advice from Martha May Ronson which totally changed my mind set to a really positive one with a “not afraid to fail” approach. This gave me the confidence to begin to share and promote artwork publicly which in turn meant the sales and opportunities began to come my way!  I would recommend her course or coaching to any artist.

Jane Hindmarch website: janehindmarchart.com

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