Janelle Paton is a 64 year-old creative, who owns an interior giftware store on the Isle of Arran, Scotland. She sells beautiful homeware items and gifts for all occasions from her store. Previously Janelle had worked with textiles and design for over 30 years but decided it was time to take the leap into a new creative hobby during the lockdown of 2020.
Have you always been a creative person?
Yes, always been very creative but more along the sewing line as I was a curtain maker for 30 years always had a great interest in fabric design.
What is your favourite piece you’ve painted to date?
My favourite piece I have painted is...well I might have two as can’t decide which one beats the other, David Bowie or 'The girl with the green eyes'
What was it that made you take the leap to give painting a go?
I started taking more of an interest when I finally gave up the curtain side of the business. I pottered with it a bit just before Covid but never got anywhere. Art teachers would come to Arran running a few classes for a weekend here and there, which I attended. They were okay, however one of them was good at explaining things a bit better. Then like us all, I had a lot of time so took the plunge to do online classes.
You mentioned taking classes during lockdowns, how did you find doing classes online?
Yes, I took a lot of classes by a woman who had retired from The Glasgow School of Art but ran private classes from her home studio. When Covid hit she set up an online school through Facebook, which was great because she took us back to basics really giving us an understanding on values, colour theory etc. The course was over 8 weeks but intense.
You would submit your work for critique, she was constructive but didn’t hold back. At first I felt a bit discouraged but then eventually the penny would drop. Plus I don’t give up easily which helped. So that started me on my journey Joan taught us everything; painting boats, landscapes, animals and portraits.
What was the best piece of advice your tutor gave you?
The best piece of advice she gave was to practice everyday, if you can. Which is what I do even if it’s just for half an hour.
Is there any advice or wise words you’d give to those looking to start
something new?
If starting something new and you feel you just can’t get it or do it? Stop for a while, relax, then go back to it.
I am now working on a commission which is taking me way out my comfort zone and causing me a bit of frustration in not quite getting it right. So I put it to the side for a while but I won’t give up on it - though plus there’s a deadline. I will know when to go back to it when I am more relaxed about it.
What are your main goals when creating a portrait?
Getting the proportions correct is a big one for me also whether the colours are correct for that person when I look at it.
"If starting something new and you feel you just can’t get it or do it? Stop for a while, relax, then go back to it"
Who are your biggest art influences?
My biggest art influences are Christain hook , John Byrne and Voka.
What does your usual process look like?
My process starts with grounding my canvas so I am not working on a white canvas. I decide on my palette which I am still learning an awful lot about. I mark out the face as best I can I then complete what you call an underpainting marking out my values. I must mention I always work from a black & white reference. Also, after I have made my palette, I take a. picture of it and turn it B&W, this gives me the opportunity to chose my values correctly.
The process with my colours - which are not realistic - placing them correctly to build up form in the painting can be quite difficult but I am still learning all the time.
You mentioned you held an exhibit with fellow artists, what was this
experience like for you?
I held an exhibit on Arran with 3 other amateurs painters, which was received well it was a good mixture of artwork I was the only portrait painter. I sold a few paintings which was great together with some merchandise I had made from my artwork. It was nerve wracking but it gives you a boost.
If you could have someone paint your portrait, who would it be?
Definitely Christain Hook, love his abstraction.
"I am still learning all the time"
Quick fire Round
Who are your biggest creative role models?
I don’t have one particular person in mind but to me it’s those artists that have the skill I would one day love to have, just to create truly original pieces.
If commissioned, who would be your dream person to paint?
It would have been Billy Connolly in his younger days or even John Byrne as he was laterly.
How do you put your 'stamp' on your work and life itself?
Probably to put my stamp on my work I have to connect with the face I am painting somehow. It has to have character that’s why I prefer to choose who I paint, commissions are too hard for me at the moment I will get there but it's still early days. My stamp on life has to be achievement even if only small things.
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