›› Jillian Player
Gazing at the large abstract paintings that recline against Jane Francis’s studio walls, I am intrigued by the tender graphite marks that reside in the spaces between an explosion of paint strokes. Her inspiration from nature, and her walks around our Fernwood neighbourhood, trigger Jane’s imagination to produce complex yet pleasing abstracts. Layers of thin washes of acrylic over graphite markings give the paintings an ambiguous, ethereal quality. There is confidence in composition but there is also vulnerability and curiosity.
Jane Francis is embarking on a new adventure, a new way of being, a new career. With a background in fine arts and commercial arts, she has worked tirelessly in the field of graphic design for many years, creating a successful business until her retirement a few months ago. She now just wants to paint.
Jane seems to get her cues for making life-changing decisions from influential people. In the late eighties, while working for a publishing house in Boston, her employer gave her the opportunity to live and work where she desired. Jane chose Victoria. Within weeks of arriving she acquired the Belfry Theatre as her first client and she has designed their print material for the last twenty-three years. Her studio was in the theatre’s tower until her business outgrew it. Another trigger for change came when her father-in-law passed away. A passionate and acclaimed academic, he wrote until his dying day at the age of eighty-nine. This inspired both Jane and her partner to make career changes.
Jane began exploring art instruction and collaboration with her friend Jo-Ann Richards. Another influential friend encouraged Jane to enter a piece in the 2014 Sooke Fine Art Show. To her surprise she won an Award for Excellence. Jane and Jo-Ann just had their first show together at the new Baumann Centre where it was a huge success. Strengthened by her recent successes, Jane is now embarking on a year of artistic introspection by enrolling in Vancouver Island School of Art’s rigorous Independent Studio Program. I’m sure that Jane’s conviction and verve will produce a flurry of compelling work. See Jane’s work at janefrancis.com.
