Maryland oil painter, Jane Knighton, is a Baltimore native. She considers herself a lifelong artist beginning in preschool, surrounded by family and friends who were painters, sculptors, and designers. As a result of these influences, she had a successful career as an Art Educator for the Howard County Public Schools System in Maryland. She holds advanced degrees in both Art Education and Art Therapy.
In retirement, Jane currently devotes her pursuits to painting full-time both outdoors (plein air) and in the studio. A variety of subject matter keeps her learning and evolving in her work. She prefers painting from observation and finds plein air painting gives her the opportunity to be outdoors, traveling throughout the States and abroad. Realism is not her goal but rather an expression of fleeting moments with color and mark making. As she stands behind her easel responding to the unfolding view, she experiences a freedom and a clearing of the mind. Time and place evaporate.
Whether it is painting in her extensive gardens in the rolling hills of Central Maryland or traveling to distant places, Jane finds outdoor painting to be an exciting exploration. Adventures in this creative journey are before her in endless possibilities; presented by the artistic process, the people she encounters, and the images she paints. She believes the power of art can be transformative in ourselves and our world.
Jane exhibits and participates in plein air events across the Mid-Atlantic Region, earning numerous awards and honors. She is especially proud to have earned the Gino Award in Ellicott City. She has been published in the Baltimore Sun Papers, Tidewater Times, and featured in Plein Air Magazine, Outdoor Painter. As a way of giving back to the community, she donates to local painting organizations and charities. Jane is a member of Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, Frederick Plein Air Artists, Working Artist Forum, Easton, and Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis. She is represented at Gallery 322, Frederick, Maryland.
She currently resides in Glenwood, Maryland.