Installation
(Images coming soon)
Based in Dinas Powys, South Wales, Janet is an artist who enjoys the challenge of working
with a variety of mediums. Having previously trained as a Classical and Contemporary ballet
dancer, Janet discovered this new creativity later in life as a painter, which led her to
achieving a BA Hons (first class) in Fine Art, at Cardiff School of Art and Design in 2018.
Her graduate show installation piece titled “It’s ok to let go” was awarded runner up for the
Austin Smith: Lord Design Award 2018 and subsequently it was shown at the Blackwater
Gallery in Cardiff 2019 and parts have been shown at “Salon de Refuses” Aberystyth and
Gallery 6 in Llantwitt Major.
Janet is now working more sculpturally, and enjoys the experience of developing her
practice using various materials, to explore their qualities to express her “balancing act of
life”. She has had various pieces of work shown with Woman’s Arts Association Wales, the
Turner Gallery in Penarth, plus other local shows.
Janet is also a volunteer at Dinas Powys Library and Activity Centre, one of the Vale of
Glamorgan community and volunteer led libraries, this led to her co-founding “Creative
Community Libraries” Initially a Facebook group born out of the Pandemic with the aim to
engage volunteers and friends of the Community Libraries in the world of Art and Creativity
as a means of taking their minds of the situation they found themselves. The group has
moved into the real world with various projects and still has vibrant community on social
media, with the occasional in person meetings and workshops.
In the last two years Janet has also been involved with curating artwork onto library walls at
Dinas Powys and Rhoose Community Libraries, helping create vibrant exhibition spaces and
providing spaces for local artists, groups and early career artists in a friendly and non-
threatening environment to show their work; thus, bringing more people into the libraries
and raising much needed funds.
Going forward Janet hopes that the piece here at Turner House will enable her to kick start a
new phase in her own art career.
Breaking News: Janet has just been recognised by the Community Library Network of
England and Wales, with an award for her contribution to the Arts and Culture within the
Community Library sector for her voluntary work with Creative Community Libraries.
Janet Blackman
Instagram: janet_blackman_artist
web-site :janetblackman.art
Facebook and Instagram: creativecommunitylibraries (Vale of Glamorgan)