Artworks & Pottery: Patrick Duff, Jan Barnett, Jackie Brooks

About

Patrick Duff

“I am a local artist living with my family in Worthing. I am now retired and really enjoy being able to devote so much of my time to my passion in life; my art.

For most of my years I have been painting in one form or another. I am self taught and specialise in oils because I love the vibrancy and diversity of what they allow me to do, though I have also taken many lessons in watercolours, acrylics and pastels.
My art covers a wide variety of subjects including wildlife, landscapes, abstracts, portraits, figures, and florals. I love being able to capture the beauty of life around me, whether it’s through my photography or my art, though I am experimenting with abstracts since my retirement because I really enjoy experimenting in new styles. I specialise in people and pet portraits and will consider commissions to do a painting of your house or your favourite scene. Alternatively, I also offer painting lessons in my studio if this would interest you.

Many of my wildlife paintings were inspired by three safaris to the Okavango Delta in Botswana and a tour of Peru in 2017. These were unforgettable trips that gave me the opportunity to see and photograph a wide variety of big game and hundreds of varieties of birds in Botswana and many exotic birds in the Amazon Jungle.”

Discover more of Patrick’s work at: www.patduffsart.com

Jan Barnett

“My formal art training took place at West Sussex School of Art and Crafts (then in Union Place, Worthing), followed by Camberwell School of Art and Crafts, where I studied printed and woven textiles and was taught life drawing by Anthony Eyton, Euan Uglow and Frances Hoyland, obtaining a BA (Hons) in Textiles.

Subsequently, following an eclectic selection of jobs interspersed with various design projects, including unique enamelled buckles, silver jewellery and leather handbags, I had a successful career in advertising. Throughout this period I continued to draw, paint and design, finally quitting media to make original greetings cards that were sold in many outlets including the Royal Festival Hall, at the same time taking commissions to create bespoke paintings. During recent years I’ve progressed into fine art painting, with guidance from artist David Webb and life drawing with Fergus McHardy at The Conservatoire in Blackheath, London.

I work in oil, acrylic, watercolour, gouache, pastel, pencil, charcoal and ink across many genres including portrait, still life and landscape; I also take commissions.

The artists Henri Matisse, Georgio Morandi, Edouard Manet, Andre Derain, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin and Georgia O’Keefe among others continue to inspire me.

In 2015 I moved from Blackheath to Ferring, where I continue to paint in a studio in our windswept garden.”

Jackie Brooks

“My name is Jackie Brooks and I make ceramics at home in my pottery in Ferring. I have always loved pottery ever since a taster session at school and finally when I retired I had time to start a pottery course at Northbrook College. Spurred on by this I purchased my own wheel and kiln and have been producing pottery ever since.

All pieces are totally individual – no two pieces totally identical. I use a variety of glazes and underglazes and earthenware and stoneware clays.I enjoy experimenting with different combinations of glazes and I’m quite often not sure what the results will be. This makes opening the kiln a very exciting process. I experiment with different processes and designs so there is a lot of variety in the final look. Most pieces are dishwasher and food safe.

Many of the pots are thrown on the wheel but some are hand built. I don’t really do this as a business but more because I really enjoy the process and need to sell some of my creations to make room for me to make more!

Generally I make pots in a large variety of sizes suitable for plants, pens, toothbrushes, make-up, kitchen utensils etc. Dishes and bowls for soup and nibbles. Vases, candle holders and coasters. Bird baths and garden flower decorations.

I hope you enjoy my pots as much as I have enjoyed making them.”