JANNE Henn will show her ‘Imaginings and Flights of Fancy’ exhibition at the Stringer Gallery, Nambucca Heads from Tuesday 5 to Saturday 30 July.

Janne’s imagination has always driven her to seek creative outlets.

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She is both a visual artist and a musician.

For her, art is continuous exploration.

Seldom starting out with a rigid plan in mind, she will often begin with one idea and then discovers that the direction changes.

“This is part of the fun of creation for me,” said Janne.

“As a musician, I often felt the urge to turn Bach into bossa nova and Beethoven into jazz.

“Not the best way to keep your music teacher happy, but rather fun,” she said.

As an artist, Janne is mostly self-taught, though owes gratitude to the occasional teachers she has briefly connected with along the way.

She has worked in oils, watercolour and pastel, but has embraced acrylic for its convenience and flexibility.

Her exhibition at the Stringer Gallery will showcase mainly acrylics.

Janne paints mostly from imagination, only using reference material as a guide when necessary.

Her artwork often carries a touch of fantasy or escapism.

The work in her new exhibition shares some of her imaginings and flights of fancy.

Coming from a family of musicians and performers, Janne received formal training as a musician and she worked professionally both as a performer and a music teacher.

She also demonstrated the piano, electronic keyboard, guitar and piano accordion.

While listening or playing, Janne often perceived music in colours.

It was a natural development, then, to begin to explore colour, shape and texture in art.

While working with school children in recreational programs, Janne incorporated music and art together to stimulate imagination.

This is an area she feels is often overlooked in formal education.

She became passionate about encouraging young people to imagine and to dream.

By widening the parameters for art and music making and song writing, Janne says that the students surprised themselves with the results pulled purely from their imagination.

Working in pastels, Janne has previously sold spiritual artworks on commission to clients in Germany, UK and New Zealand as well as Australia.

Such important work often led to astounding connections with these clients on a visual and deeper level.

Originally from Queensland, Janne lived most of her adult life in Sydney.

She and her husband, Ian, have been residents of Nambucca Heads for the past five years.

‘Imaginings and Flights of Fancy’ is Janne’s first solo show here in Nambucca and is warmly anticipated by the Nambucca Valley Arts Council (NVAC).

“And how appropriate is it that her exhibition is to be displayed in the Stringer Gallery!” said Peta Coe, NVAC.

“Janne has told us that a fairy may find her way into a forest scene, a mermaid may pop up here or there and flowers may wrap their leaves in an embrace,” Peta said.

Concurrently, an NVAC members’ show entitled ‘Abstraction’ is on display at the Gallery.

“This is a most varied exhibition,” said Peta.

“As always, there is a lot to see at Nambucca’s own Stringer Gallery.

“It is located in Ridge Street, next door to the Post Office.”

The Gallery is open Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm and Saturday 9.30am to noon.