Featured Artist: Jan Grover

		was married with children living in Australia.  It was there that she discovered a flair for pottery. Unfortunately very few pieces remain in her possession today as she made all her work to sell to fund family holidays.   Jan’s neighbour at the time was an artist and they decided to learn from each other.  The neighbour taught Jan to paint while Jan was to teach her pottery.  Her painting ability flourished and she completed Year 1 of a Fine Arts degree at this stage to be followed by a Certificate in Painting and Drawing in the early 90’s.  Her tutor for this Certificate was Wendy Leach who is now on the Mangawhai Artists Assn. with Jan. In 2003 Jan joined the Mairangi Arts Centre and was tutored and inspired by Lance O’Gorman, who is a renowned NZ neo-impressionist artist.  For the next few years Jan exhibited at several Mairangi Art Centre exhibitions and also won awards at Snells Beach exhibitions. Jan spent many happy years boating with her husband.  This love of the sea and the coastline reveals itself in her accurate depiction of water and reflections that comprise many of her paintings. She tells me she likes to do the bulk of a painting in one go and then walk away. When she gets back to it, it has taken on a life of its own. She makes it sound so easy!
When I visited Jan she was putting the finishing touches on a commissioned artwork. She had started the piece just the day before, after delivering 18 of her paintings to Takapuna for her first solo art exhibition. (Refer “events” below) All this, while packing her backpack for an intrepid journey through Europe with her daughter. To describe Jan, “busy” is an understatement. Jan is one of those enviable people that make you feel if you had just one of their talents, you would be so lucky.	This petite, energetic lady is very much the academic on one hand, having written computer software since leaving school, but on the other hand, she is able to immerse herself totally in her   art.   If Joy Agar has been the “visionary” behind the Mangawhai Artists Association, Jan could be described as the “action figure”. She has been responsible for funding applications and has been one of the instigators of the website for the group. Jan enjoyed drawing as a child but art didn’t really feature in her life until she

EVENTS: “Simply Coastal” Painting Exhibition by JAN GROVER Sept 16th—Oct 5th, Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun 10am-3pm at the LAKE HOUSE ARTS CENTRE 37 Fred Thomas Drive, Barry’s Pt Reserve, Takapuna. Barbara Hockenhull was Selector and Guest Exhibitor at the Auckland Studio of Potters Exhibition at the Mairangi Bay Art Centre. Finishing Sept 27th.  Arron and Angella Hockenhull exhibited too. Aaron Ellis-Smith won 2nd place in Maori Carving at the Matariki Day celebrations at the Matakohe Museum. Aaron Ellis-Smith entered the “Bowls to Boats” Wood Sculpture Competition for Settlers Day at the Matakohe Museum. CHECK THIS OUT: 1st place for Free Form; Highly Commended for Free Form  &    Judges Choice for overall work !!!!!!!! Joy Agar has finished the Stingray she was commissioned to do for the new Mangawhai Museum. Come &  view Labour Weekend at the Artists in Residence art Trail.