Janet’s impulse and inspiration to paint springs from her enjoyment of looking. Having spent most of her life in or near countryside and coast it is probably an accumulation of this experience which informs her painting most in terms of colour and atmosphere.
For a time, the looking and the painting went hand in glove as Janet was a dedicated,all weather,outdoor,representational painter - making images based on direct observation.
Gradually though,the emphasis of her work has changed. She understands this as something akin to developing from composing songs with words to composing songs with no words. Now she uses spontaneous and intuitive mark making as a starting point for an approach where any conscious narrative is subordinated to the act of building a painting.
By adjusting,balancing and reacting to what goes on the canvas she seeks to find a coherent image.This involves accepting and working with the unexpected whilst at the same time enabling an image to emerge within a considered pictorial structure.It is an exhilarating and intriguing balancing act between the head,the hand and the heart.
‘…I am so often surprised to have made a painting which I could never have imagined or planned in advance.This way of working has unlocked a new means of expression for me.I like to think that in painting I am releasing some ‘joie de vivre’ and reflecting back into the world some of the wonder I find there…'.
B.A.(Hons) Creative Arts (Painting), OCA
Two Part Interview with Gordon Hewitt of CAP Arts Centre,Belfast. Pt.1 https://www.capartscentre.com/2023/09/the-monthly-interviews-artist-janet-keith-part-1-connecting-to-colours/ and Pt.2 https://www.capartscentre.com/2023/09/the-monthly-interviews-artist-janet-keith-part-2/
2024 AKA Contemporary, Cambridge.'Inner Visions" 2 artist exhibition
2023/24 Royal Ulster Academy 142nd Annual Exhibition.Ulster Museum.Belfast Oct 2023-Jan 2024
2023/24 AKA Contemporary.Cambridge.Winter group exhibition 2023/2024
2023/24 Twenty Twenty Gallery Winter Festival Show
2023/24 McAllister Thomas Fine Art solo show 2023 "Joy as it flies ", High Street,Godalming.Surrey and Winter group show.
2023 Gallery 545, Belfast Contemporary Art of Northern Ireland 4. Autumn group show.
2023 AKA Contemporary,Cambridge.'The Summer tour" group show.
2023 Town House,Spitalfields, London.Open.Summer.
2023 Twenty Twenty Gallery Spring Show
2023 McAllister Thomas Fine Art,Godalming.Spring collection
2023 Josie Eastwood Fine Art, Stockbridge. Spring openings
2022 Linden Hall Studio.Deal,Kent. The famous Winter Group Show 2022/23.
2022 McAllister Thomas Fine Art Winter Collection 2022, High Street,Godalming .Surrey
2022 Gallery 545, Belfast. Contemporary Art of Northern Ireland.Group exhibition. Sept 10th - Oct 8th ,2022.
2022 Linden Hall Studio Gallery, Deal, Kent - in collaboration with Goodnestone Park Gardens, group exhibition.
2022 Townhouse, Spitalfields.London.Summer group exhibition
2022 Ryebank Gallery,Rye.East Sussex. Open Call group Exhibition
2022 Twenty Twenty Gallery, Ludlow. Shropshire ."Spring Flourish" group exhibition
2022 McAllister Thomas, Godalming, Surrey. Spring Exhibition
2021 Gallery 545,Belfast."Painted Perspectives " Two artist show 20/5 - 7/6
2021 Josie Eastwood Fine Art,Spring/Summer exhibition
2021 McAllister Thomas, Godalming Surrey.Spring/Summer/Autumn/Christmas exhibitions
2021 Silson Contemporary,Harrogate.Yorkshire.Autumn show.
2021 The Northern Ireland Civil Service acquired Waltzing Green for their permanent Art Collection
2021 Gallery 545,Belfast and Island Arts Centre on line group exhibition
2020/21 Royal Ulster Academy,Annual Exhibition. Ulster Museum,Belfast. Paul Henry Prize for Landscape
2020 Josie Eastwood Fine Art Spring, Autumn,Winter Exhibitions.
2020 EMERGE Contemporary,Highgate,London. The Second Edition exhibition .
2020 McAllister Thomas Fine Art. Godalming.Surrey. Spring & Winter Exhibitions
2020 Gallery 545,Belfast Autumn group exhibition & on line
2020/21 Frickleton Fine Art. Kings Hill Exhibition, Kent.
2020/21 Wychwood Fine Art, Oxfordshire on line gallery
2019 EMERGE Contemporary,Highgate,London.Inagural Show 3 October-2 November 2019
2018 -2019 Josie Eastwood Gallery,Longstock,Hampshire.Christmas Show 2018; Spring & Summer Show 2019.
2017 - 2018 St.Anne's Galleries,High Street,Lewes. Christmas Show ; Spring Show 2018; Art by Women July 2018, Artwave & Christmas Show 2018
2017 Original House Gallery, Cirencester. Group exhibition.
2017 Chelsea Art Society, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London
2017 Royal Society of Marine Artists, Mall Gallery, London.October
2017 Elected Associate Member of The Ulster Society of Women Artists.
2017 Smallhythe Studio Gallery, 'Six of the Best' Exhibition', 7th - 25th February .
Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition Exhibited 2016/17 and 2017/18. Shortlisted 2018 & 2019.
National Trust, 'Inspired by Nymans' Open Exhibition, 2014/15 and 2015/16.
2013 Artist in Residence Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Paintings in public, corporate and private collections in the City of London,United Kingdom,Germany, Belgium,Switzerland the USA and Australia.