Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Belle Époque Today: The Art of Jane Bond, RP

Jane Bond
A member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Jane Bond worked as a costume designer in opera, theater and television for twenty years before embarking on a career in portrait painting. Her previous work experience imbues her paintings with a monumental theatricality which is extremely appealing. Miss Bond said of her previous work as a costume designer, “This has probably influenced my enjoyment of textures, fabrics and lighting in my current work.”


Her appreciation for the drama of textiles is apparent. She often employs rich fabrics and heavily patterned rugs as backdrops in her portraits. Her use of props is equally theatrical. Her sitters hold objects which represent their personalities. Capturing her subjects’ personalities is essential to the artist. In fact, she spends time with each sitter before painting their portrait to see how they live, and, even, where in their home the portrait will hang. This preparatory work is evident in the finished products which perfectly capture the spirit of each subject.


Jane Bond

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