Jan Barnett: People & Me

Jan Barnett's artistic journey has been in part an exploration of drawing through portraiture. Ten years ago, having just moved from London to Sussex, she joined a local group in Ferring that meets to draw portraits from life. This is a completely different experience from referencing a photograph. The sitters move, fidget, talk, nor off or even check their phones. Jan's goal is always to capture the essence of each person including their wrinkles, foibles and all. This variably includes the sitter's clothe and textures stemming from Jan's BA (Hons) degree in textile design from Camberwell. It's not about creating a perfect image, more to portray the character of the sitter and her response to them.
Jan, occasionally experiences sensitivity to certain energies and can’t draw the person successfully at all, while others are captured in just 30 minutes. This exhibition brings some of these sketched portraits uniquely together in one place. You might even recognise a few locals.
The “Me” part of this show are ongoing experiments as a painter. Her inspirations are invariably an eclectic range of subjects taken from her experiences in everyday life and travels. Her work encompasses land and seascapes, local infrastructure, people, objects, and animals using a wide range of media. Jan was delighted to have been selected for the WTM OPEN26 currently on show at Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, and furthermore to have a prestigious portrait commission from the CEO of the Arts Society.
Jan is a member of the West Sussex Art Society and the Arun Art Society and exhibits with both. She’s had several successful solo exhibitions and takes part in Worthing Artist Open Houses. One of her paintings can be seen in Crabshack.
Her next group exhibition is Land and Life at the Highdown Gardens Gallery running from 18th to 24th July 2026.