Jan Coombe

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Jan Coombe

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I first started drawing as a young child, I used to draw on anything I could get my hands on. I used to love drawing eyes, so I did a lot of faces. As a teenager I got interested in oil painting and watercolour, so I taught myself to paint in these mediums, I used to paint small animals, flowers, landscapes and people. In the 1980s I was asked to teach painting at the Scope Project in Port Pirie, and during this time I saw my paintings evolving differently. I was living in the Flinders and did a lot of oil and water colour paintings then.

Then sadly I didn’t paint for over 20 years until I retired 3 years ago. I started doing my oil painting again and I was enjoying it until I discovered the diversity of atelier Interactive Acrylics and mediums, gels and pastes, I taught myself to use these with an awful lot of experimentation. I feel there is no stopping me with these colours and different textures I love to create using a special syringe which I use to form all sorts of things.

About 12 years ago the only time I have ever entered anything into a show; I painted some emus and got first prize in the Wentworth show.

As a self-taught artist, I have been lucky enough to have had many commissions over the years, but the real enjoyment comes from painting something that comes from my heart, or as I see it in real life. I never know what a painting is going to look like until it’s finished as my brush has a mind of its own.

In 2014, I was finally convinced to let people see my paintings, it started off with the local market and just soared from there to the Red Cliffs Community Resource Centre Pop up Gallery, which went very well. Then 2 weeks after that it was the Mildura Visitors Centre. Then to top my year off, a 7 week Exhibition at The Mildura Arts Centre which was a wonderful learning experience, then a 4 day exhibition at the Wentworth Services Club, and then again I was asked to do another display at Red Cliffs, which went really well.

In 2015, February to August, there has been a display of my works at the Desert Edge Art Gallery in Nhill. I also have paintings in the Glenelg Art Gallery at The Stamford Grand in Adelaide.

August 2015 a large group of very talented artisans from the Wentworth Shire had a 1 day exhibition of our works at the Town Hall. It was simply an amazing day for all. Then in August through to 11th September 2015, we, The Makers, had a combined exhibition in Broken Hill, and then in December 2015 through to 11th January 2016 I had an exhibition at the Wentworth Information Centre, which has been really interesting with sales and commissions. At the present we The Makers have another exhibition at the Wentworth Visitors Centre, of which I have entered a small painting.

I would like to thank all the people who have encouraged me to keep going – thank you!