About

Living in Devon, much of the inspiration for my work comes from exploring the countryside, coasts, rivers and towns near my home. Although I do sometimes work en plein air, each piece usually starts from a reference photo or sketches made on site.  My paintings are a celebration of the moment with its richness of colour and form in which the enjoyment of the process is a key ingredient of each piece. I find myself drawn to objects or vistas that I feel are calling out to be painted. Boats, trees, birds and buildings are frequent motifs and provide and interesting focal point. Working mostly in acrylics, I begin with a vibrant, mid toned ground and as the layers of paint build and create the illusion of depth without obvious texture, traces of the ground remain visible unifying the painting as a whole.  I work with a limited palette that gives coherence to the painting and more freedom to the process in a ‘less is more’ kind of way.

Biography

Janet Hockley was born in Guildford, Surrey but has been resident in Devon since the age of 3 and currently lives in Exeter.  She gained her BA(Hons) in Fine Art from the University of Plymouth in 2000.  Janet also trained in Horticulture and Plant Science holding an RHS Qualification in Horticulture and an MSc in Plant Diversity; her love or plants and nature has a strong influence on her artistic practice.  In horticulture, the natural world and the human influence upon merge; in a garden these two elements work together to form beauty.  This blending of the natural and the manmade and places where these elements coexist often form the starting point for Janet’s bright and lively acrylic paintings.

Her paintings are available from three art galleries in Devon as well as from her own website.  She also posts regularly on Instagram and is an active member of Topsham Art Society.  An example of her early work can be seen on the public art collection website www.artuk.org.