Jan Harbon, Artist and Illustrator

originals
limited edition prints
greetings cards

EXHIBITION 3rd - 14th SEPTEMBER Market Street Gallery

Thursday, August 26, 2010, 07:21 AM

A lot to go on the entry this week - most importantly the information on the exhibition........not very clear here, but fine if you use the "pop-up". Click on the poster - should be clear as crystal. We've just sent out the Preview Invitation with the Newsletter, so anyone not receiving it, please email.

Secondly, what a fibber I am....I didn't put the "poppies" pic in the Petersfield Ex. afterall - it will be in this exhibition instead. For Petersfield I've entered the "Iris" shown on the right.
So if you want poppies, come to Market Street! Because there are some very large ones as well - in fact, there are some very, very large pictures on show.

The 2011 mini-disc calendar is now back on sale. We had to have another print run after Chelsea sell-out, so here they are again just in time for the Wisley Show. If you would like to order by post, the information is on the "greetings cards" page. (See heading under "GALLERY" on left).

Also coming up.......The Wisley Flower Show 10th - 12th September
events page for more information and link.

...and further on...but booking now...A newly arranged workshop:
Saturday, 6th November 10am – 4pm
at the Field Study Centre
GILBERT WHITE'S HOUSE, Selborne, Hants
“ANIMAL” WORKSHOP
For more information and link see
events page

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More sweet peas......and poppies

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 08:30 AM

Okay, I now think I've done nearly as many sweet peas and sweet pea workshops for this season as I can manage to fit in. The growers ('Sweet Pea Summer' of Bramshott) are saying they are still picking, and they certainly sent some fabulous ones in a rainbow of colours to Wisley with me. I'm putting a couple of photos of the workshop here -

because the event was an historic one....the very last adult workshop or course on any recreational subject to be held by the RHS at Wisley for the forseeable future. (there's a couple at Rosemoor to go, then that's it for all the gardens). From then on it's in the lap of the Gods (or Council to be exact).

A bit sad, some of the students had waited a couple of years to get a place, so it's not that they're not wanted - Ann Swann and I are always full - but at least the students and I went out in style with a 3 day workshop. It went so quickly. I've concluded I must speak very fast if I normally say most stuff in a day! I just know I'm going to be asked at Wisley Flower Show about what will happen...I DON'T KNOW - and nor do the Events Department. So we shall see what is eventually decided.

Yep, it's poppy time too... I thought I'd foresworn poppies for this year - in fact I've got major plans for gladioli in the near future - but Petersfield Art Society asked to use a poppy image on their exhibition poster for this year. Soooo...I thought I'd better have a poppy picture actually IN the ex. so here'tis. Exhibition starts 28th August for a week, but I see they have posters up already. Hope you're impressed that I've actually done the painting already. I am, it's most unlike me. However, it's all because I'm really devoting most of my time to the exhibition coming up at Market Street Gallery Alton. They have put SUCH a lovely advert in Hampshire Life, that I'm now trying to live up to it.
I'll put more on about it later in the month (it starts 2nd September), and I hope lots of you people out there will come.
The new "little" cards are online and going out fast. Though I say so myself, they look 9 x 9cm worth of 'stunning'. Great printing and finish.
Off to GW's now - the garden's looking beautiful.
"Vast dew, sweet day........" 20th August 1774 (G.W.)
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Summertime...and it's always busy for flower painters!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 05:25 PM

New cards due out shortly in the 9 x 9cm format, with coloured envelopes.

Yesterday was proofing on press at the printers. This was a VERY early start, leaving home at just after 4.30am. It was so worth it to be around the other side of London, and off the M25 by 6.30 though. I could even say the M25 was not unpleasant, so there you are.

Martin was the excellent printer this time, he is so patient and meticulous. Here he is, I don't know if he remembered that I like to take photos......

We had the bigger of the two presses this time, which because it has 5 bays instead of 4, means that the run does not have to go through twice to get the coating. There were 2 sheets, the one shown here are reprints of 15 x 15cm cards.

The stacks on the left are the good first sheet, and most of the pile on the right are sort of 'starts' of both of the runs. You can't say it's 'right' until a fair bit has gone through. Martin is really really good at getting near the colours, but he still has to twitch them around a bit before we're all (well me actually) happy.The card is recycled to begin with, but it will go back for recycling again. I find it a bit shocking how much wastage it looks like - and it's normal and allowed for. The stock goes through these machines at such a terrific speed anyway it must be impossible to do it otherwise.

Another lovely workshop with lovely people in the Field Centre at Gilbert White's. "Sweet Pea Summer", local growers, came up with some beautiful sweet peas to paint. The scent was wonderful, the day was balmy and we had the huge barn doors wide open. Perfect, the obviously tame chaffinch visited, lots of grasshoppers, bees and butterflies - all welcome - except for the wretched horse fly...... another trip to the doctors for antbiotic.
I repeated the workshop with some more fabulous sweet peas from the same source the following week in London at Judith Blacklock's Gallery, Knightsbridge. Still hot - but no wildlife this time!
I have the 3 day workshop at Wisley next week, I'm really hoping the sweet peas will still be going strong, they are such a well loved flower.
We are hoping to slot another couple of workshops in at Gilbert White's this year, one of which will be "Animals". The House are taking note of names now, but let me know if you are interested.

I was painting last Sunday at the House - I've put a couple of photos up here. Not of what I was doing, but the Flower Arrangers of Wessex and Jersey. They filled the house (and parts of the Garden), with fabulous arrangements for a long weekend. I was particularly taken with the tea table - such pretty food!

Reading Gilbert's entries for this month, it seems in several years Selborne was afflicted by drought. In 1778 he "bestowed great waterings on the garden". I must ask David Standing (Head Gardener and expert on all things Gilbert)how he did that.
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June exhibitions

Thursday, June 24, 2010, 04:00 PM

Following straight after Chelsea The Oxmarket Centre of Arts, Chichester organised a "Flower" exhibition to coincide with the Flower Festival in the Cathedral. I was pleased to be part of that - we managed to see both events on the last day and they were lovely. Due to happen again in 2 years, and I'll let you know with a bit more notice next time! (i.e. Not AFTER the event...).

Anyway, THE SUMMER EXHIBITION IS NOW ON , and I am really pleased to be part of it. Beautifully selected and hung. I'm proud to be there.

See the events page for info. and link.

The image on the right is a small part of one of the paintings I'm exhibiting.

I have some very large floral paintings, but also three mixed media. This "Peregrine" is new.

The Unusual Plant Fair at Gilbert White's was held on the glorious weekend just gone. I spent the two days painting (and chatting) in the Great Parlour. It was a very enjoyable time, catching up with people and meeting newcomers to the House and Gardens.

I said that the new cards would be on the site - and they are, but not the rest of the stationery - restocking is necessary, but it will all be available shortly!

Next week is going to be a good solid week of painting.......an article to write, and after Sunday, who knows? Another England game to watch??
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Another year at Chelsea over...

Monday, June 7, 2010, 03:25 PM

Here's the finished article, ready for the onset of Chelsea week.
Another fine crop of celebrity photos by that well known paperazzi snapper Geoff Harbon follow. Unfortunately his other duties - i.e. After finishing building the stand and hanging the paintings he had to find where on earth our credit card terminal had got to - this last effort severely curtailing his activities. I don't think he did badly though. He does like to keep up standards....

I hope all those that came to the show enjoyed it, and those watching on TV, well, you may have had the best view of the gardens certainly.
I loved, loved, Roger Platt's M & G Garden. I would like to live in that garden. He had a garden that won "Best in Show" in 2002, and I still remember that as "best ever" to me. This year was equal though in my eyes. In fact, he used a water tank as a feature in 02, and I would bet that this one was the same. Anyway, I want one!! (But I'd have to have the garden too............)
Home at last and I'm putting the new cards on the website as the next job, and the additional stationery as well, including the calendars for 2011.
So have a look at the Gallery/Greetings cards page to see what's new.

While I was away, kind friends have been delivering to exhibitions in my absence - the Flowers Exhibition at Chichester (now finished, but more of that next time), and the Society of Floral Painters Exhibition at Mottisfont - still on for another two weeks.
And now .....it's back to the drawing board folks.....literally......
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