Janie Pinney, Serving Up Serenity

Janie Pinney is my second featured artist and also is based in Richmond, VA. Janie is both diminutive and statuesque which sounds like a contradiction but is not. She is a tiny artistic powerhouse, putting out gorgeous floral and abstract art that is timeless.

I met with Janie recently to talk about how she began painting and what she is up to now. But to give you all a feel for her, Janie is welcoming, soft spoken, gentle, and kind of oozes serenity. It did not surprise me at all to find out she practices yoga regularly. She is small and fit and quite frankly, has an elegant bearing.

Janie grew up in a very rural town in North Carolina. As a 9 year old she began to take art lessons and jumped right into oils. They moved to Raleigh when she was 11 years old and for whatever reason, she stopped painting. But she picked it back up in college at Salem where she took some studio classes, majored in Arts Management and hoped to work for a creative non-profit. She ended up working for the fabled Martin Agency in print production. She terms it “a creative hotbed” but she left there shortly after getting married.

For the next 20 years she concentrated her efforts on her husband Lee and their three beautiful daughters, Walker, Caroline, and Carson. “I am beyond fortunate to have a wonderful husband and three daughters who I adore. They are constant sources of encouragement.”  Of her 20 year hiatus, Janie says, “My one regret from that period in my life is not keeping my hand in painting.” But a little over 15 years ago, she picked up a paint brush again and has not stopped since.

Janie paints with a group with one of her teachers, Jane Joyner. Of Joyner she says, “Her gift is taking anyone who wants to create art and helps them move in a positive direction.” That group of 6-8 people has become a wonderful creative outlet.  But she also has taken numerous workshops and picks up tips, tricks, and inspiration with each one. Lisa Daria, Dawn Whitlaw, Robert Johnson, David Tanner, Thomas Van Auken, Sally Bowring, Laura Lowe and Diego Sanchez to name just a small sampling of artists who have had an influence on her work.  Janie is “enjoying the growth of painting more abstractly. It offers more freedom and exploration.”

Another fun note is her daughter, Caroline, is also Richmond, VA based now and they recently did a dual show.  I have not seen Caroline’s artwork yet but Janie’s work is serene and beautiful and makes you wish to hang some of it in your home in the hopes that the serenity will permeate your children and your life! Wait? Is that just me wishing that?

Janie has an upcoming show at Palette in Richmond on October 8th, 2020. If you are interested in attending or purchasing from that show, follow Palette (on Insta @pallettehome) closer to the October 8th date for the details.

Check her out at https://www.artbyjaniepinney.com/ or follow her on instagram @janiepinneyart

And thanks to Tasha Tolliver for the beautiful featured image of Janie. You can find her on Instagram @ttoll2.