Artist Talks: Janine Baldwin

I first got the chance to see Janine's work at the Mall Galleries in June. She was exhibiting in the Haworth Prize. Her work appealed to me straight away because of how she had used a combination of media to capture her subject matter. Her fluid style also captured to movement of the landscape. Janine won the Haworth Prize with her piece 'Cropton Forest I' which can be seen below. I was so pleased for her as when I first viewed the exhibition I was drawn to her work because of how she had managed to make a chaotic scene appear calm and tranquil. Her work is quite large scale compared to the way I work, but viewing her work has made me consider working bigger. Her work was interactive and engaging and this was created by the medium and movement within the work.

I interviewed Janine to find more about her practice and working style. I was also interested to learn how she felt about winning the Haworth Prize.

Cropton Forest I, Mixed Media 

How important is drawing to do and how often do you do it?

Drawing is absolutely integral to my artistic practice. Even in my painting, I use oil bars (oil paint in solid form) to allow me to draw on the canvas alongside brushwork. Drawing to me is immediate and spontaneous and I try to channel a lot of energy into my drawing.

 How did you become involved the mall galleries? And how has winning the Haworth prize helped your career so far? 

I first exhibited with the Mall Galleries in 2011, when my work was selected for the Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition. From there I became interested in their other open exhibitions and I had my work selected by the Pastel Society in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In 2014 I was delighted to receive The Arts Club Charitable Trust Award for my work ‘After the Rain’ at the Pastel Society exhibition. This year I was honoured to win the Haworth Prize which has been fantastic on so many levels. It brings my work to new audiences, both in the gallery space itself and through online and printed publicity for the shows. I would encourage any artist to submit work for the Mall Galleries open exhibitions as they put together diverse shows of an excellent standard, and being selected can lead to a whole range of opportunities. Artists can also apply to become a member after acceptance into consecutive shows. 

                                 

What’s been your favourite piece you've created?

I can’t pick a favourite but I feel that my work is evolving all the time, which is exciting. I like different phases of my work for different reasons. 

What artists influence you?

Willem de Kooning, Patrick Heron, Cy Twombly, Joan Eardley and Peter Lanyon are amongst my absolute favourites. More recently, as I have been developing monochromatic work, I find artists such as Emma Stibbon inspiring. 

How do you market yourself as an artist? What do you find has been successful and not so successful?

I always make use of listing sites and databases which showcase artwork, and social media also plays a vital role in sharing information and new work. Newspaper articles are still a great way to reach thousands of people therefore getting to know your local arts editor is a good idea. I wouldn’t necessarily advise paying for adverts in magazines as it is often expensive and there is no guarantee the advert will be seen.

When is your next up and coming exhibition?

I will be taking part in a summer postcard show in my hometown of Scarborough. It has been fun to make 4”x6” postcards and an ideal way to try out new ideas and mediums without the commitment of a larger canvas or paper. 

What places inspire you?

The landscapes and seascapes of Yorkshire are really where my heart is and I have returned to them repeatedly over the years. I am very focused on forests at the moment such as Cropton Forest and Silpho Forest, both in North Yorkshire, and I will never tire of the coastlines here in Yorkshire. Some have such a wild and remote feeling and the combinations of light, weather, colours and atmosphere are infinite. 

A huge congratulations to Janine. I would like to thank Janine for letting me use her images within this blog post. You can view more of Janine's work at: http://www.janinebaldwin.com