New Ashgate Gallery champions the best of contemporary art and craft providing an unparalleled resource in Farnham, Surrey and beyond
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Early on, when exhibiting my work in fairs the most common words used to describe my work by customers were 'fresh', 'clean' and 'contemporary' and that is what I try to bring to all the work I create, though ultimately that is for the onlooker to decide for themselves.
Janine Partington has been making things her whole life. Growing up Janine's artist father occupied the entire ground floor of their home with his painting studio, but her 'teenage rebellion' meant she never considered art as a career. Eventually, she could not outrun the inevitable. After the birth of her second child in 2002, and in her thirties, Janine began adult education evening classes in Bristol studying enamelling. She slowly started selling some of her work through arts trails and local exhibitions. Janine became a full-time creative in 2006. 2015, Janine needed a challenge and began an MA in Design at UWE, Bristol. Her degree show consisted of a series of carved and painted leather panels. Janine now creates leather panels alongside her enamelling practice. In general the work that she creates in leather tends to be more personal. This has included responses to her father's Alzheimer's and death that was exhibited as part of the Crafts Council's 'Collect' programme in 2019, and more recently a response to her mother's life, ill health and death.
In 2021, as Janine approached her 50th birthday, she decided to explore painting as a medium. Janine had been reluctant to pick up a paintbrush as she saw her father as being what a painter could and should be. However, there had always been a desire to layer and play with colours and forms and paint allows her to do this. Alongside her enamels and leather panels, this exhibition at the New Ashgate Gallery is the first time Janine is showing her paintings.
Whilst Janine is showing three seemingly distinct media, they do have many aspects in common. All three take inspiration from nature. They share a desire to create clean and defined lines, marks and shapes. Even in the more freestyle works in leather and paint there is an order and pattern to the work that brings balance.
New Ashgate Gallery
Waggon Yard, Farnham GU9 7PS