About Janet Chaplin
I have always been drawn to the sea, the expanse of sky, and tones — the promise of possibilities of a wild and bracing experience. The coast of Pembroke has its unique colour palette of Prussian blues and Persian greens to Payne’s grey and translucent Burnt Sienna. Browns and purple were a memory documented of a trip to the Islands of Muck and Egg of the West Coast of Scotland. The building of surface and texture evokes a tactile experience of sand, sea and rock. A sense of place and my relationship with that place is at the heart of my practice, I work primarily from sketches drawn in situ. These inform my approach, but soon emotion and memory guide me. Recently i have been painting the hills around my home, trying to capture the colours and textures of the east Brecon beacons.
Graduating from Gwent College of Higher Education in Fine Art In the early 90s. I have worked as a Teacher of Art since, painting and creating when I could. I have always painted using colour as a language to express my thoughts and feelings. In the early years, it was the effects of bright contrasting colours which concealed more profound thoughts. During my 40s I used a very muted pallet working over patchwork canvases. I have a multi-disciplined style, soft sculpture, stained glass, bookbinding to name a few. Exhibiting in Italy and showing my work in Wales and beyond, plus accepting commissions have given me the confidence to use media and colour, texture and scale. However, it’s my recent body of work which has excited me the most.
