Janet was born in 1948 in Lennoxtown, Scotland and spent her childhood in Dundee and teenage years in Glasgow. Known for her colourful Still Life paintings, Janet explores everyday objects, and exotic fruits and flowers, in terms of colour, shapes and pattern. Her use of colour first emerged while taking drawing classes at Glasgow School of Art as a teenager when vibrant pastels replaced charcoal and pencil. From 1968-1972, Janet returned to Dundee to study at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art where her tutors included Alberto Morrocco, David McClure and Jack Knox. Coupled with family holidays to the sun-drenched Adriatic coast with its profusion of wild figs, pomegranates and folk textiles, her palette has remained colourful to this day.
In 1971 Janet was one of twelve Scottish art students awarded a place at Hospitalfield House Summer School. In 1974 Janet was awarded a British Council/Yugoslavian Government Scholarship to study painting at Belgrade University for one year. On completion of her studies in Yugoslavia she took the ‘long road’ home to visit Isfahan and Shiraz in Iran via Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nepal before returning to the UK in 1976.
In 1978 Janet moved to Stepney in London, arriving at a time when the ‘East End’ - with its affordable housing and studios - provided a haven for artists. During the 80’s and 90’s Janet produced prints – etchings, screenprints and lino prints – in addition to paintings. Since 1995 Janet has lived in Stockwell, South London. Her studio is now in Deptford and she has concentrated on painting since moving there in 2000. Janet exhibits regularly in London and throughout the UK.