New Paintings by Jane Hansford

Fisher Street Frames
The Needlemakers
West Street
Lewes BN7 2NZ

19 - 27 June 2021

This most painterly of painters presents a new body of work around the theme of ‘inside out’ – landscapes, gardens, inhabited interiors, and her powerfully enigmatic imaginary portraits.

‘A photograph can be a starting point. I pick out an essence and something happens with the paint; it just takes over. I go between paintings and dance a bit between the subjects: not over-thinking yet realising some things are quite deep. I stay with things that feel familiar, tapping into intuition. Ultimately, I want the painting to work,’ Jane says.

‘There are botanical observations in my garden paintings but they are also conceptual, a shared experience like an image seen on a calendar. My portrait subjects are more about character than likeness. I tap into something from the photographer. There is an intent behind them that is not a description, a slight psychological contact. People blend into my interiors and are part of the rooms. There is a tension that feels familiar... I enjoy playing with images. There are no rules in painting.’

Jane Hansford gained a first class degree in Fine Art Painting in 2008. After graduation, she met with immediate success and has paintings in collections throughout the UK and Europe. Her paintings often centre around the development of characters, weaving together elements of eroticism, dark humour and sharp observation. To this are added dramatic scenes with art historical sources. There are references to fashion, costume, and photography. A parallel theme is the English garden and its place in our culture. Jane’s style of painting is a beguiling palette of painterly brushstrokes with scraped back patterning.