Jan Jones, working in watercolour, was born in Lichfield and has lived in Stone for almost 40 years. With a love of art, this was to become her main subject while training to be a middle school teacher. Though she taught most subjects to 10-11 year old children, it was encouraging children to express their ideas through art and displaying their work she found most rewarding.
After a busy career in teaching, Jan began painting in watercolour in 2015 whilst on a transatlantic cruise. With seven days at sea, for two hours every day and encouraged by tutor Freda Alschuler, Jan experienced a little magic – the magical qualities of watercolour. There was no turning back. Since that time, she has painted regularly and takes weekly classes supplemented by weekend workshops and plein air sketching days with teacher Sue Chatterton, who has both challenged and built her confidence.
Last year, Jan entered the TALP Open competition (the Artist and Leisure Painter) and was awarded ‘highly commended’ for her painting of two gondoliers. Though she loves to travel, current restrictions have meant she has turned her attention to subjects closer to home, flowers in the garden, koi carp in the pond and swans seen while walking along the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Visiting a large art gallery is something she has missed recently and looks forward to in the future. Her last visit to a major exhibition was in 2019 where she found great inspiration in the work of Joachín Sorolla, often named ‘Spanish master of light’.