ABOUT JANE:

Abstract Painter | Colourist | Storyteller Through Form

Jane Fitzherbert possessed an innate eye for colour and form, drawing inspiration from both the natural and built worlds to create abstract paintings that are accessible, resonant, and deeply engaging. Beginning with a recognisable subject, she often allowed her work to evolve into rich abstractions, balancing colour, tone, and composition with intuitive finesse.

At other times, Jane’s paintings began with simple mark-making before emerging into more recognisable forms, distinguished by dynamic, spontaneous brushwork and a lush, warm palette—even in cooler tones. Whether abstract landscapes or figurative pieces, her work captivates through its vibrant colour and energetic movement.

Jane painted daily in her Launching Place studio well into her late eighties. In early 2018, after preparing over 50 new canvases in four months, she held her final solo exhibition, On the Edge, at The Memo in Healesville. She then retired from painting, feeling she had “no more to say.” Jane passed away in 2021 at the age of 91.

Reflecting on her artistic approach, Jane said:
“When it comes to abstract painting, I feel that a work should stand on its own without a title, or any explanation from the artist, that might confine the viewer’s ideas to a particular interpretation. I prefer to leave it to the observer’s own imagination to find meaningful content in my paintings. This creates a two-way dialogue, which is important to me, and allows the viewer to see in the work whatever is meaningful to them. My method is to start painting with no fixed idea of the outcome, and at some point the painting itself takes over and I am led to follow. This is what makes the process so exciting and unexpected.”

Medium: Abstract Painting
Tags: mixed media, canvas, abstract landscapes, abstract figures