About Jane Cope

I am a Devon-based artist, and I live and work in Exeter. I was book illustrator for many years and so for me the narrative picture, or a image that tells a story, is home ground. It’s not surprising therefore, that though I experiment with more abstract painting forms, much of my work returns to this familiar territory.

Most of my painting work is oil and mixed media on canvas. I often use newsprint as a basis for the painting. It’s much like underpainting and creates a layer of texture. The words can also add a layer of meaning. Sometimes the headlines are random, but sometimes deliberately chosen, and they peep through the picture we see on the surface.

To me layers, ambiguity, metamorphosis, the bendy perspective, are all a familiar part of our rather uncertain world. And of course they’re a source of humour too!