Janet Blackman

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)