Landscape gives a wealth of inspiration

Jane Barndon doesn’t have to go far to find inspiration for her art.

Having lived in the picturesque Chapman Valley her whole life, Barndon has been surrounded by nature. Snapshots of its beauty have been captured in her pieces.

Describing her style as “colourful, free-flowing and interpretive”, Barndon’s work offers a glimpse of life in the Mid West, including an ongoing series of windmill paintings.

“I have a huge connection with the landscape, I love the agricultural side of it,” she said.

“I’m also inspired by the ocean, people around me and just life, really — what comes along and what happens.

“Art is a part of me, it’s something that fulfils me.

“Any art is the artist processing their surroundings, their existence and their environment. I guess that’s what it is for me, and also a reflection of what gives me joy.”

Even when the mother-of-two isn’t painting, she’s still surrounded by nature, working three days a week as a gardener at the Chapman Valley Primary School.

“There’s lots of mowing but I love it,” Barndon said. “It suits me down to the ground.

“As much as I’ve always been an artist, I’ve also always been a gardener.

“Botanicals have quite a strong place in my work as well — it all intermingles.”

After high school, Barndon studied part of a fine-arts degree through Edith Cowan University.

But as her family grew, Barndon put the degree on the back burner, taking what she’d learnt during the course and incorporating it into her own style.

With no immediate plans to go back, Barndon is proof you don’t need a degree to be an artist.

“Anybody can make art,” she said.

“You don’t need any training at all; you just have to want to do it.

“It was great; it was a good grounding in technique.”

While most of Barndon’s art style falls into the fine-art category, she has recently dabbled in the funny, novelty side of art, creating an adult colouring book.

Featuring swear words and farting unicorns, Barndon said she thought of the idea when she was stuck at home looking after her children.

“When you’re at home with your babies, sometimes the only person that you see is your baby,” she said.

“You talk poos and wees and nom-noms, and you just need an adult conversation.

“My children vetted every page.

“They looked at it, laughed and said ‘oh you’re so weird mum’.”

To see more of Barndon’s work visit figmentsandglimpses.com.