Jane Howard - Open Studios

Jane paints portraits and landscapes, using rusted steel and aluminium. She is interested in people and places at specific points in history.

People and places at specific points in history are of particular interest to Jane, particularly the social, economic and psychological aspects that occur within society and how particular places and distinct times affect the lives of people and communities. Using various mediums such as oil paint on rusted steel and enamel paint on aluminium she explores and expresses the experiences, emotions and memories of the people and the communities they live in and their surroundings at particular and distinct times in history.

Her recent body of work expresses the grit, determination and steadfast character of the extraordinary women of Sheffield who were conscripted to work in the steel factories during the First and Second World War. They helped to keep the city’s steel industry running, often doing dangerous and demanding work alongside their domestic duties at home. Sadly their hard work and sacrifices gained little appreciation and they were discarded ‘like yesterday’s fish and chip wrappers’ when the men came home from war. They received little or no recognition and their efforts were forgotten by society until many years later when the elderly Women of Steel finally brought their remarkable story to light.

Using offcuts of rusted sheet steel and oil paint, Jane shines a light on their long lost remarkable stories and valiant endeavours. Stories that were nearly lost, slowly rusting away like the metal that they worked with.