Artist Jane Fantom To Open Elf Cottage Gallery This Summer

Jane Fantom is an artist based in Charlesworth, High Peak and a member of Arts Derbyshire.  Jane’s Open Studio gallery at Elf Cottage in Charlesworth is due to launch over the late August Bank holiday weekend in 2026. So here’s a profile of Jane and the inspiration for her work in her own words.

What mediums do you work in?

I have worked with a broad range of medium previously including acrylics, watercolour, pastels, water-based oils, graphite and linocut, then I retired in 2017 and followed my passion for mid-century design restoring and selling sewing boxes on Etsy internationally. This involved the use of vibrant internal materials. Some of the skills were transferable to my mixed media work including collage which I returned to in 2020.I had previously enjoyed working with wood and applying oil at the final stage to enhance the wood grain so it was a natural progression for me to work with transparent alcohol ink on birch ply in my practice using collage in the form of found photographic imagery. I later incorporated acrylics to add further depth to my work.

Dreamscape, Jane Fantom

Do you work with any particular themes and why?

I explore the emotional parallels between natural cycles and human experience in my work. I create horizon-based landscapes using a muted palette which invites quiet reflection and an emotional connection to the landscape. Using recontextualized photographic imagery I examine how moments of stillness and drama can be captured across changing seasons. My work has an environmental theme, for example my piece Slow Thaw depicts glacial melt and the loss of something ancient as it quietly slips away almost unnoticed. My use of sustainable materials also allows my work to be grounded in nature.

I am fascinated by the concept of living in chosen solitude whilst at one with nature. Dreamscape features a tiny distant croft on the Isle of Skye promoting self-reliance. This recurring theme of resilience and connection to the elements appears in my work Still There which features a transparent, out of scale sailing boat. The work focuses on contrast rather than conflict: the immense power of the ocean is undeniable, while the vessel remains a trace of passage, suspended in water and light. Rather than depicting struggle or triumph, the piece holds a quieter tension—one of endurance, memory, and scale. The boat is not lost, but neither does it dominate; it simply continues, held within something far greater than itself.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am lucky enough to live in Charlesworth in the High Peak and the moors are visible from my window. I enjoy walking with my dog across the moors and absorbing the colours and textures throughout the seasons. This is somehow incorporated into my work subconsciously and I rely on these memories and dreams to underpin and influence my work. In this respect I don’t take photographs for reference and instead work intuitively. I also have an enduring love of the ocean and have completed several pieces based on memories and dreams of the coast. One of my larger pieces Dreamscape was completed following a trip to magical Skye. I returned and found the narrative of my next piece developed as a result of the lasting and powerful impression Skye left on me.

Still There, Jane Fantom

What does your creative process look like?

I prepare the substrate by sealing the birch ply, either cradles or panels, using several coats of acrylic gel medium and gesso leaving some tooth for adhesion of paint and materials. I will have chosen my palette of found imagery by this time but it’s not unusual for me to adjust this as I’m working to enhance the overall composition. The start of the process is different to painting because I don’t sketch out the layout or use reference material. I let the materials create the narrative and mood of the piece as it emerges. It can take a couple of weeks and sometimes much longer to complete an initial collage layout I’m happy with. I approach this stage and choice of materials as though it’s a painting, creating perspective, depth, shadow, light and flow of movement. After the initial layout I transfer the materials to a temporary board and photograph the layout for reference but also so I can plan and paint my acrylic sky. I create a balance in completing the sky because it has to work with the rest of the piece without dominating it. The final cut of each collage element allows some neat overlap whilst retaining the flow throughout. I use acrylic paint sparingly to paint into some elements. I like to use archival, acid free materials to preserve my work so use acrylic gel medium as an adhesive followed by 4 coats of matt spray varnish after I have completed and tidied up the piece.

Tell us about a favourite piece of work that you’ve created recently

After the Storm depicts a rugged shoreline beneath a dark, receding sky. Layers of torn paper create bands of rolling waves that move across the composition, while rock textures anchor the foreground with a sense of permanence and weight. A pale strip of light along the horizon breaks through the storm clouds suggesting the return of calm after turbulent weather. The work explores the contrast between the enduring solidity of the land and the restless movement of the sea. The visible torn edges of the paper are left intentionally exposed, allowing the process of construction to remain part of the image, reinforcing the energy and motion of the waves.

The title After the Storm reflects both the physical landscape and the emotional atmosphere of the piece. Although the sea remains unsettled and the sky is still heavy with cloud, light is beginning to emerge. The storm itself is absent, but its presence is felt in the churning water and dramatic weather. The work captures a moment of transition—between turbulence and calm, darkness and light, uncertainty and renewal.

After the Storm, Jane Fantom

Future direction

In 2025 I took part in Derbyshire Open Arts from my open studio Elf Cottage. I received positive feedback from customers who enjoyed the intimate setting and it proved successful. I then participated in 6 group exhibitions across the UK and was actively involved in organising Glossop Open Arts with 9 other artists this year over the late May bank holiday at Bradbury House, Glossop as part of High Peak Open studios. There were obstacles to overcome including the transport of large exhibition boards on loan from Victoria Hall which is under renovation. Our hard work paid off and we had a number of visitors to the exhibition which featured a diverse range of art including painting, mixed medium, ceramics, textiles and fused glass. We are already planning our next exhibition pre Xmas.

I have a solo exhibition at Hayfield Library during their opening hours from 15th July 2026 for a month with a Meet the Artist session on 18th July between 9.30am and 1pm.

Over the late August Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday 29th August through to 31st August I will also be launching my Open Studio Gallery at Elf Cottage Gallery which will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm and I’m looking forward to this new and exciting opportunity.

Find out more on the website: https://www.jfantomart.com