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Year of the Sheep/Goat
Smart, kind, easy-going and reserved, those born in the Year of the Sheep/Goat have a love of harmony and prefer co-existence to confrontation. The serene and sincere Sheep or Goat will use their sensitive and considerate ways to provide stability in their quest for balance.
Hiroshige Woodblock Inspiration
Jean has always appreciated Hiroshige’s creative use of colour and his ability to combine minimalist designs with detailed patterns.
Year of the Horse
The Horse is the seventh animal in the twelve-year Asian Zodiac cycle. Those born in the Year of the Horse are always in motion on an endless search. The Horse may reach the 'ends of the universe', but will, nonetheless, keep moving on.
The Art of the Chair
Jean has always been inspired to paint chairs as they remind her of past homes and journeys.
Korean Folk Art and Laughing Tigers
Living in Seoul, South Korea, during the early 70s, Jean was introduced to Korean folk art. This style of naïve artwork was very graphic in design.
Teapot Designs
Jean's many teapot designs are often inspired by her teapot collection, each one different, depending on the type of tea brewing – from Chinese jasmine to English Breakfast to Japanese green tea.
Evolution of ‘Castle and Olive Trees’ Painting
Jean was commissioned to paint an Umbrian landscape with Antognolla Castle.
Using a series of photographs of the castle Jean drew various sketches, which finally resulted in the following drawing.
The Year of the Snake
The Snake is the sixth animal in the twelve-year Asian Zodiac cycle.
Leo’s Birthday Adventure Book Design
The design of our children's book, "Leo's Birthday Adventure" was somewhat of a challenge for various reasons.
Dogs and Artwork
Like a painting in a painting, Jean's artwork with our dogs creates the illusion of an image with furry characters surrounded by colour.
The Year of the Dragon
The Dragon is the fifth animal in the twelve-year Asian zodiac cycle. Dragons are the only sign in the zodiac based on a mythical creature
Jean’s Past Exhibition Invitations
As we're working on Jean's next exhibition, we revisited some past vernissage invitations to get some ideas. Here are a few and the inspiration behind their designs.
Korean Folk Art – Crane Inspiration
Jean began painting cranes in South Korea. She was inspired by these birds featured in Korean folk art, which were colourful, full of character and often humorous.
Wizard Kingdom Illustration
The Wizard Kingdom Illustration for our book, "The Wizards and the Whale", started out as a painting commission for an Umbrian family in 2014.
Hong Kong Inspiration
Living in Hong Kong for two decades led to numerous creative discoveries that inspired Jean's artwork. A favourite arts and crafts style was the Chinese blue and white batik textile designs that still fill our house as soft furnishings
The Year of the Tiger
The third animal in the twelve-year Asian zodiac cycle is the Tiger. The life of one born in the Year of the Tiger is filled with the love of adventure and an addiction to excitement, definitely not moderation.
Colour Theory: Interview with Jean
Right after graduating from the College of Art of Portsmouth, Jean worked as a window display artist and she taught a class about Colour Theory at the College of Art night school.
Teapots and Bamboo
This is the design story of one of Jean’s paintings for our “The Wizards and the Whale” children’s book.
Crane and Wizard Story Design
This is the design story of one of Jean’s paintings for our “The Wizards and the Whale” children’s book
The Year of the Rat
The twelve-year Asian Zodiac Cycle begins with the Year of the Rat. For those of you born in this year, the Rat is considered a quick-witted perfectionist, at the forefront leading the way, while overcoming problematic challenges.