What are your earliest memories of being interested in art?
A vivid memory as a 5 year old child, in the first year of school, stirring around in a pan of lovely blue paint until it was just the right blue for an angels outfit to go on a class frieze about the Nativity. I still derive a lot of pleasure from stirring paint around and finding just the right colour. I have also since met the Wilton Diptych in the National Gallery, London – so can look at blue angels any time!
Did you get support at home or at school?
Pre 6th Form I had plenty of support. Thereafter, Art was was not an option at school because I was deemed to be “academic” and was encouraged to study other subjects. I went along with that…and then signed up for life drawing classes and the A level syllabus, at night, at the Rupert Stanley College in Belfast – and learned a lot about observational drawing there.
I also remember attending 6th Form seminars (sponsored by the Northern Bank) at the Ulster Museum – on art and applied art – those lectures really opened my eyes to those areas of activity in life being something that could be done and studied, with a history and an importance in the wider world.
My parents have always been very supportive and interested in my art studies/work to the extent that, during their retirement, they attended extra mural history of art lectures at QUB, travelling to see exhibitions/museums and my father did a Fine Art Degree. My husband and sister (an artist herself) are also great supporters and helpers.
Did you go on to Tertiary level education?
Yes, I went to St. Andrews University in Scotland and did an M.A. (Hons) in the History of Art. After that I took the post graduate law conversion course and practised as a solicitor for about 20 years. During that time I completed a B.A. (Hons) in Painting (part time), took many courses at The Prince of Wales Drawing School and with Robin Child at his Art Research Centre in Devon. The tutors I encountered as an adult were brilliant guides and encouragers and really helped me find ways to paint on my own terms.
To see more of Janet Keith’s work click on the links below
www.instagram.com/janetkeith_artist/
