Jane Appleby is an expressive and intuitive painter who paints with the vigour of her love of life, inspired by the Canadian Landscape, often painting outdoors in the tradition of the Canadian Group of Seven – “En Plein Air.”  Her dog is often at her side.

The works of Van Gogh, Mondrian, Kandinsky and Rothko have been influential to Jane. She recalls being especially moved by viewing original works in museums by these artists as well as more contemporary artists such as Emily Carr, BC Binning, Jack Shadbolt and Gordon Smith, all of whom had an impact on Jane, leading her to take up painting at a more serious level. Her late architect father also nurtured her process, and her younger brother, Frank Pochyly, also paints.

Jane was born in Cheb, Czech Republic in 1964, and her family immigrated to Vancouver in 1969, as sponsored refugees. At a young age, she learned to appreciate the outdoors with her family, who valued the new found freedom of the west coast.

She recalls seeing the ocean for the first time at English Bay in Vancouver, where the family first arrived – and was mesmerized. When her family settled in Victoria, British Columbia, Jane could walk to the beach and also enjoy the beautiful setting of Beacon Hill Park.

After several years the family moved to Burnaby, where her father started his architectural business and her mother worked as an aesthetician. Their home in North Burnaby was an old-timer until Jane’s father remodelled it to include large north facing windows, which took in the views of the North Shore mountains and Burrard Inlet. Jane fondly remembers sitting and appreciating the surroundings of nature and the quiet neighbourhood. She started to paint landscapes and experimented with realism and abstraction, and although her favourite subjects at school were art and photography, she studied science and became an X-ray technician, taking her father’s advice to pursue a more “stable” career.

When Jane was twenty-one she met her husband, Ken, at Burnaby General hospital where she worked and Ken was a family doctor. They shared similar interests in the outdoors and after getting married in 1987, had five children. Before their youngest child was born they moved into Ken’s family home by Burnaby Lake that had a large basement, which become Jane’s studio.

Jane found more time to paint after she resigned from the hospital and their five children grew. She first started with watercolours, at the Shadbolt Arts Centre, and also took up photography.

She entered her photographs and paintings into various shows and received awards for both but decided to focus on the more tactile expression of painting. Initially Jane used her photographs as reference but later found painting from life inspiring as well as more challenging.

During those years Jane produced many works, some large colourful abstracts, and work that was spiritual in nature while dealing with the repercussions of a car accident. Jane took on a part-time job at an art supply/framing store, Frame Right, and was a member of the Burnaby Artists Guild, where she served as president and show coordinator.

Jane also obtained membership with The Federation of Canadian Artists and over the years took workshops from established members of the group, including watercolours and oils with Mike Svob, abstraction with Don Farrell and plein air with Brent Lynch.

After many classes locally, Jane wanted to take courses outside of Canada and ventured to California to learn plein air acrylics with Marcia Burtt. She enjoyed two week-long workshops, at Cambria and Goleta Beach.

After these intensive workshops, she furthered her studies at Emily Carr University where she excelled in drawing and composition of colour and received a Fine Arts Technique diploma.

Another turning point for Jane was when her intuitive approach to painting was affirmed by the Late Robert Genn in his workshop, taught along with his daughter, Sara, at Holly Hock, Cortez Island. The weeklong class in oil and acrylic focused on landscape into abstraction and Sara’s talk on colour relationships, and trying some of her colours, impacted Jane as much as the demonstrations and picturesque location.

In response to a challenge at Hollyhock, to paint a painting in 37 minutes and another in 37 strokes, Jane painted the garden pumpkins in her own style, and was dubbed a “full member of the 37 Club.” This fuelled her to paint more than 10 paintings a day at the workshop and was a springboard to a new way of painting for Jane: fast and purposefully expression. “The Curious Case of Jane Appleby” was part of the letter titled “The 37 Club” published on August 20^th 2013, by Robert Genn on his blog “The Painters Keys”

Jane subsequently studied oils with Mitch Albala at the Pacific NorthWest Art School on Whidbey Island, Washington and recently took another outdoor painting workshop with Brent Lynch. Jane recalls Lynch describing her paintings as: “Emily Carr Meets Gauguin,” both inspired by nature and colourfully unique.

Jane sometimes paints “En Plein Air” with a few of her friends and has organized several shows for the group as “The Passionate Outdoor Painters.” She also published a short story book called “Between Cottages” with images of their paintings from the Belcarra Heritage Community.

Her most recently published book “The Purposeful Brush“ has been well received. This book is full of her art along with words that have inspired her creative journey. She also writes in her NEWSLETTER and BLOG.

Jane is in the Fine Art faculty at Place Des Arts in Coquitlam and a member of the Gallery Committee in Port Moody. She also is a popular instructor for various art groups and has done painting demonstrations for Opus Art Supply Stores.  On occasion, Jane, with her husband assisting, can be found teaching watercolours on Cunard Cruise Lines.

In her classes, to both children and adults, Jane encourages individual freedom of expression similar to what she practices, while teaching valuable skills and building on strengths. She has developed various classes on composition and colour expression, and endeavours to help find the “Artist in all of us.”continues to teach and is inspired by.

Along with personalized instruction Jane has produced a Youtube channel on “How to Paint Landscapes” where she shares her process and inspirations, including being “Thankful for the day.”

Jane’s artwork has contributed to many fundraising events including Big Brothers, Empty Bowls, and L’Arche Greater Vancouver. Her spiritual works, “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit” are a permanent piece of sacred art at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Burnaby. She has also painted several murals and commissions.

Jane and Ken while living in Burnaby, with some of their young adult children, a dog and two cats, also frequent Galiano Island, which is a favourite painting destination for Jane. It is a place where she finds time for solitude in nature, also enjoying forest hikes & kayaking. Jane takes her sketchbook almost everywhere and while skiing was nicknamed “Bob Ross of Skiing!“

Jane’s current focus is on the creative response to the landscape and nature while exploring abstraction and building on lively brushwork and exciting colour, hoping to entice viewers to explore and appreciate the inspirations contained in her art.

My art is both a contemplative and expressive response to natural settings and my experiences. By using transitions in colour and lively brushwork, I grasp and reproduce the essence of a place.

I am inspired by the drama of light as it moves along forms, the rhythms and nuances of shapes, and the colours that change from subtle to vivid at any given moment.

When I start an abstract composition I rely on a repertoire of studies, photographs and memories as I delve into a creative journey that welcomes the mingling of colour relationships and different paint applications.

In this spontaneous process I am intrigued by contrasting elements that present themselves and am challenged to make them work within the painting. This may involve placement of gestural brushstrokes or lines, colours, specific textures or marks such as cross hatches or dots, which add depth or imply movement and invite the viewer to move through the painting and connect to it’s energy. 

Often when I paint, I feel there is a song to be expressed and I work in such a way that each movement of the brush is like a colourful note or chord playing out the scene. Even though the initial gestures of the painting develop freely and quickly, completing the painting may take some time as I consider the composition and how it feels.

Ultimately painting the landscape abstractly enlightens and challenges me to find new ways to observe and treasure it, and I hope that others may also find this exploration and joy within my artwork. 

Robert Genn
Sara Genn
Brent Lynch
Mitchell Albala, USA
Thomas Jefferson Kitts, USA
Marcia Burtt, USA
Liz Wiltzen
Don Farrell
Allisandra Bittelli
Susanne Northcott
Mike Svob
David Langavin
Janice Robertson

• 2016 Mitchell Albala – Oils – Southwest School of Art, Washington, USA
• 2015 Brent Lynch Plein Air Workshop – Vancouver Island
• 2013 Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design – Fine Arts Techniques Certificate
• 2013 Robert Genn and Sara Genn Workshop at Holly Hock (Plein Air to Abstraction)
• 2013/12 FCA Plein Air Painting Workshops: Whistler/Saltspring Island
• 2010-2011 Marcia Burtt, MA, California, USA – Plein Air Acrylics
• 2008,2004,2002 Don Farrell SFCA, Vancouver- Abstraction
2004 Allisandra Bitelli, SFCA, CSPWC – Composition
• 2002 Suzanne Northcott, SFCA – Figure Drawing
• 2001 David Langavin, SFCA – Acrylics
• 2000 Mike Svob, SFCA – Oils, Watercolors
• 2000 – Bachelor of Science, Simon Fraser University

• • The Federation of Canadian Artists – Active Member

• • Port Moody Arts Centre – Gallery Committee Member

• • Artists In Canada

• Professional Artists of America

• • 2020 2nd Place Award for “Galiano Shoreline” – McMichael Art Museum Virtual Plein Air Competition and Exhibition
  • 2016 Honourable Mention Award for “Ocean’s Turmoil” – Federation of Canadian Artists, From Life Show

• • 2015 2nd Place Award for “Wave Front” – Federation of Canadian Artists, Landscape Show February

• • 2012 Award of Excellence for “In White” – Federation of Canadian Artists, Abstarct Show February

• • 2009 CAPA Annual Greeting Card Contest Honour Award for Opposites Attract and Winter’s Peace

• • 2007 Spirit Award Design – Mural with Bryony Hollick chosen for award.

• • 2006 Favourite Artist — Burnaby Artists Guild Show – Shadbolt Centre

• 2004 Favourite Painting for “Falls and Trees” — Burnaby Artists Guild.

• McMichael Art Museum, Ontario, Virtual Plein Air Exhibition – Competition Finalist  – 2nd Place Award (2020) 
• The Lloyd Gallery, Penticton – Perspectives (2020)
• Port Moody Arts Centre – Passionate Outdoor Painters Show (2020)
• Silk Purse – West Van: Luminous Landscapes: Appleby, Johnson, Robertson (2019)
• Place Des Arts – Coquitlam: Lyrical Expressions, Solo (2018)
• Port Moody Arts Centre: Transitions-Pein Air to Abstraction Solo (2017)
• Centennial Theatre North Vancouver: Landscape Lyrical Abstracts Solo Show (2017)
• Federation of Canadian Artists Juried Shows: “Oh Canada”, International “Crossing Boundaries” (2017), Summer Gallery, Landscape, From Life – Honourable Mention, Post Card, Limitless, Mail In, Small, Concepts, Sketch (2016) Landscape, Muse, Small(2015)
• Port Moody Arts Centre –Inspiring Creativity Instructors Show (2016)
• In the Moment/In the Place – Port Moody Solo Show (2015)
• Omega Gallery Vancouver – Winter/Spring Show (2014)
• Place Des Arts, Coquitlam- Art Feats Instructors Show (2014-18)
• Port Moody Arts Centre – Passionate Outdoor Painters Show (2014)
• Place Des Arts – “Unwavering” Solo Abstract Show (2013)
• Place Des Arts – Passionate Outdoor Painters Show (2013)
• Burnaby Art Gallery – Rental / Surrey Art Gallery Rental (2013-17)
• Federation of Canadian Artists: Abstract Show – Award of Excellence (2012)
• Burnaby Deer Lake Gallery “Crossings and Journeys” Duo Show (2010)
• Semiahmoo Library, White Rock, BC – Solo Show (2009)
• Shadbolt Centre: Burnaby Artists Guild Show – Featured Artist (2007)
• Place Des Arts, Coquitlam – “Abstracting the Spirit” –  Solo Show (2004)
• Federation of Canadian Artists: Fall/Open Juried Shows (2002)
• Ranger Station Art Gallery Harrison Hot Springs, “A Variety of Images” (2001) 
• Burnaby Art Gallery: “Burnaby Through the Century” (2000)

• • ArtBizSuccess Blog Feature Painting: https://artbizsuccess.com/blog/

• • “Between Cottages” Picture Story Book by Jane Appleby with paintings and photos by Passionate Outdoor Painters (Publishers: First Choice Books)

• • Canadian Greeting Cards – Snowy Inlet 2013, Winters Peace & Cypress Mountain Photos 2012

• • BC Artists Book – Volumne Three, Juried Publication 2012

• • Living with Christ – Novalis Publishing Feb. 2012 Front Cover, detail of: Gifts of the Holy Spirit

• • Canadian Association of Photographic Arts – “Opposites Attract” photo, Spring Magazine 2010

• • New York City Art Book Project – Juried publication: “November in Central Park” 2010

• • BC Catholic Photo/Interview -“Celebrating for a Cause” Malin Jordan March 22/10

• • United Way Community Spirit Award 2007 (Mural Art used for award)

• • News leader Burnaby/NewWest Feature – Wanda Chow March 30/06

• • BC Catholic Feature/Interview/Photos – Maureen Mahon May 8/06

• • Tri City News Sept.25/05 – “Mural Priceless Legacy”-Larry Pruner.

• • Vancouver Sun Feb.16/04 B3 – “No Plain Jane Art Show at Place Des Art”

• • Multi Faith Calendar 2005 – May Image: “Cascades”

• • Multi Faith Calendar 2004 – Dec Image: “Wisdom”

• • Vancouver Sun – Around Town Feb 16, 2004

• Burnaby Now Newspaper -studio tour June 14, 2003, Article April 11, 2001

• • Big Brothers

• • Camery Children’s Services

• • Burnaby Hospital Foundation

• • L’Arche Community for The Developmentally Disabled

• • Coquitlam Football Association

• • Burnaby’s Empty Bowls

• St. Michael’s – Burnaby