In this Post, I have the very greatest pleasure in introducing you to someone very special … Jan Farrell, a prolific, multi-talented artist and dear friend of mine over many years.
I first met Jan back in the early 1980s as fellow residents and artists of MacMasters Beach on the Central Coast of N.S.W. We were both driven by our passion for art in the midst of raising families in those days – first painting and drawing, then pottery and Jan was very generous with her advice when I too bitten by the “pottery bug” and bent on battling with a contrary gas kiln!
Later, when Jan and Bill moved north, we kept in touch and I ‘ve enjoyed a number of visits to their lush, green property on the Pappinbarra River. Here is Jan in front of her present Art Studio (in the shape of a yurt) which Bill built for her…
IN THE CENTRE OF THE STUDIO IS A BEAUTIFUL TOTEM POLE, CARVED AND DECORATED BY JAN.
and here are Jan and Bill together – a great team!
Next, Jan gives us a brief overview of her artistic life thus far…
“I was born and raised in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney and had a carefree, happy childhood spending a lot of time at the beach, daydreaming and drawing. I would make up and draw comic strip stories about mermaids, water nymphs and fantasy characters and draw pop stars of the day for my friends. My parents encouraged my interests, but not to the extend of allowing me to go to art school. My mother was worried that I would become a “Bohemian!”
After leaving school, I worked at Radio Station 2GB first as a typist, then receptionist which I loved, until I married and started a family. When my three children were older I worked as a school secretary for the Education Department. My children and I moved to the Central Coast where I met my present husband Bill who was a builder, and bringing up four children of his own. Between us we had three sixteen year olds, so life was interesting to say the least! Bill encouraged me in every way to pursue my creative interests and made it all possible. So many things to try! ”
“The MacMasters Beach years: Bill built me a studio and I attended art classes with talented local artists, Julie Duell and Joy Harvey. Pottery was something I needed to do and for the next fifteen years I became a full-time potter, working from dawn ’til dusk until I began to suffer burn out.”
Below is a display of some of Jan’s amazing pottery during that time, on exibition at “The Stables”, Matcham.
“Bill’s back was bad from building and we felt it was time for a change of direction. Too young to retire, we bought a beautiful little farm “Tallawong”, on the Pappinbarra river, 50 km inland from Port Macquarie, to live the “good life” complete with milking cow, chooks and organic vegies.”
Above: “Tallawong”, set on the beautiful Pappinbarra River, pictured below…
ABOVE: Dolly the cranky milking cow, gives Jan the baleful eye!
The wonderful organic vegie patch and chookshed!
“The old dairy was perfect as a pottery and I held classes for a few years for the ladies in the valley. This is an adventure story for another time, with our cranky milking cow, Dolly, our worm farm, attempts to grow bio-dynamic herbs commercially, and life on the farm in general. Especially for a girl from Bronte!”
Here is Jan’s study of the charming Pottery, warmed by the northerly sunshine - an ideal conversion of the old Dairy at ‘Tallawong’.
Jan utilized many different methods of firing (gas, wood, electric and even cow-dun) with some incredible results… Here are just a few:
Above – Dancing bottles “La bamba”! Aren’t they wonderful? Have you ever seen bottles with such personality? Below are some of Jan’s pit fired pots…
Jan continues:
“My love of drawing has never left me and I started to paint again a few years ago. After years of being up to my elbows in clay I needed something pristine. Something I could do wearing nail-polish!
Watercolour had tantalized me for years. It’s magical effects, seemingly effortless and pure, it’s sparkling light and transparency seduced me, and I have been hooked ever since I accidentally spashed dollops of paint onto a wet sheet of watercolour paper and watched, first in horror then in awe as they started to mingle. It remains a constant challenge for me and one I’m happy to pursue until my very last breath. Although I’ve never had any formal art training, my excellent early tutors. attending workshops, painting plein air whenever I can, and JUST DOING IT, have all contributed to this wonderful, endless creative journey called art.”
Thankyou Jan for a little insight into your life. Here now are some of Jan’s very beautiful watercolour paintings – inspired by her surroundings…
“Reflections”
“Sundance”
“Where platypus play”
“Nature’s textures” - Watercolour and found natural objects.
“A special place”
Jan is also very accomplished at basketry, using materials gathered on the farm. Above and below are lovely examples of her feeling for natural design combined with obvious skills.
Well! Isn’t this a treat – looking at all these wonderful manifestations of creativity from such a talented lady who is so tuned into nature.
I think it would be fitting to finish with a slide show overview of life at “Tallawong”…
If slideshow needs activating, please click on X at the top right hand corner or “View all images”.
STOP PRESS: 16/1/09 A little bird just told me that Jan won two awards at the recent Hastings Valley Fine Art Exhibition. Here are her winning entries…firstly “The Craftsman”
and secondly, a work featuring a collage of hand crafted papers… “Tapestry”
Congratulations Jan and thank you for sharing. I wish you many more years of fruitful creativity!
Cheers,
Julie
