How has your experience of teaching both Psychology and Art impacted your own artistic style?

A background in Psychology certainly laid the foundations for many conceptual elements. Focal areas for artwork have included ambiguity, differing viewpoints, empathy, perception and the different processing styles of the left and right hemispheres of the human brain. I am also interested in mental health, various elements of which have been the subject of previous work. Teaching psychological topics is very effective in keeping the knowledge alive – while ensuring areas of interest are kept up to date.

I suspect an interest in the human condition coupled with an interest in expressing related concepts likely drew me to both subjects equally in the first place. I’ve been fortunate enough to have taught both psychology and fine art photography at the same college for many years and the subjects have complemented each other well. In recent years I have noted that art students commonly select themes relating to psychology, philosophy, or politics as a conceptual basis for their artwork and this lends itself to much thought-provoking discussion. I have also been a student mentor at college, which heightens awareness of the issues young people struggle with today.

The requirement to encourage art students to push experimental boundaries with their photographic practices, particularly in manipulating work manually as well as digitally has undoubtedly affected the development of my own process.

What are your thoughts on artwork being either ‘concept driven’ or ‘process driven’?

I think concept and process can interact in a circular way, each one motivating the other. My own work is usually inspired by an idea or a feeling and then process follows. However I feel the two are far more intertwined than is often acknowledged. The non-verbal, right hemisphere of the human brain commonly governs artistic abilities and holistic ideas – and has its own ‘voice’ for which the visual arts can provide an outlet (the left side commonly governs language, and is more analytical). I often feel that whilst engaged in some ‘doing’, the triggering of the right hemisphere causes further ideas to burst forth – but the right hemisphere cannot directly articulate these, despite the inevitability of their influence on the final outcome.

Can you tell us about your artistic process?

I experiment with non-traditional combinations of process and media – exploiting an interchange between traditional and digital methods. When working manually, I rarely start with a blank canvas, often using an image I have created using photographic and digital techniques. I might start by photographing a human face, or a mask that I have already painted, and then spend long periods of time digitally manipulating that image. I then use a variety of other media as progressive ‘layers of personality’ evolve – vibrant inks and acrylics, metallic paint, stitch or silver leaf – resulting ultimately in somewhere between a partial and total ‘masking’ of the original image. Facial characteristics change as the various stages accumulate. It is a continuous, experimental process to an extent allowing the work to lead itself. While a face evolves through various states of expression, the final result owes its overall identity not just to the present but to all that has gone before.

What and who influences your art?

I have always been keenly aware of ambiguity and different ways of looking at the same things. I’m also interested in the notion of how people present themselves – and how introspection and self-image can contrast with others’ perceptions. There are two sides to any story, multiple ways to understand a conversation – and innumerable ways to interpret an artwork. In a broad sense it is this awareness that lies at the heart of my work along with a corresponding need for lack of judgement and an open mind.

Artists whose work I find inspirational include John Rankin, Man Ray, Henri Matisse, Jean Dubuffet, and, significantly, the legendary artist David Bowie. I have always been drawn to alternative characters, androgynous figures, elaborate costumes, mysterious make-up, masters of disguise and other-worldly creatures. One can have a predisposition towards certain tastes, but much is defined by environment and experience. However when one reinforces the other – where there is exposure to stimuli consistent with one’s predispositions – both nature and nurture can conspire to consolidate some fairly deep-rooted affinities.

You are interested in various issues connected to mental health – are there any concepts from your readings present in your creations?

Many who have experienced periods of depression speak of existing in a dark, negative and isolated world, waiting for the light at the end of the metaphorical tunnel. Others suffering from anxiety, phobias or obsessive-compulsive disorder can feel equally isolated and trapped in their own minds. Pieces such as ‘Let Me Out’ draw partly from these ideas, while ‘Introspection’ relates to an enduring strength in the face of changing levels of optimism and ‘Surface’ represents a process of breaking free.

There are many contributors to mental health, including genetic, environmental and physiological components. Recovery can be facilitated through different therapies, including drugs and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT). However it is also now widely recognised that lack of exposure to daylight can contribute to depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and that exposure to an artificial ‘Lightbox’ for twenty minutes a day can help to treat them. Both light and colour have beneficial effects on the brain, and my use of both bright colour and metallic media reflect this idea.

On a more general level, masks and disguises can be a form of security and protection. Some of the most shy people will overcome anxiety and ‘come out of their shell’ when playing a role. Interaction with an audience can be more confident and enjoyable – the ‘self’ remaining safely guarded, and not up for inspection.

Can you tell us more about your Empathy pieces?

Inspiration for these came from Simon Baron-Cohen’s book ‘Zero Degrees of Empathy’ (Penguin Books Ltd, 2011). Rather than thinking in terms of ‘good’ and ‘evil’, he suggests all of us instead lie somewhere on an empathy spectrum – affected by both genes and environment. He also speaks of empathy as being our most precious resource and one that can be nurtured.

The empathy pieces depict an obvious profile (whose metaphorical gaze is fixed on personal views and goals) and then a more subtle, embedded face which represents the idea of keeping an empathetic eye on other points of view. The style is bold and positive to encourage a new perception of empathy – not as an elusive, wishy-washy concept, but as something that is becoming recognised as a great and natural strength of the human race, and is gathering ever-increasing scientific evidence in terms of its biological and psychological basis. In the words of Simon Baron-Cohen, “The idea that we are merely a self-serving, ruthless race bent on our own goals at the expense of others could be one of the most damaging pieces of propaganda in history”.

How do you intend to develop your art over the next few years?

I plan to experiment with some larger scale, mixed media pieces. I envisage them being abstract, colourful depictions of masks, faces and figures but perhaps utilising new media. I am keen to investigate alternative materials to form the metallic component, perhaps even incorporating a slightly three-dimensional element. I also want to produce some canvas pieces – perhaps using resin to accommodate and secure a deeper composition of mixed media – but will undoubtedly continue to utilise both manual and digital processes in their creation.

How do you feel art can unite societies that are often divided?

I think art can be intrinsic in helping to support, enhance and communicate valuable ideas and encourage a philosophical approach. Visual language is universal, and can therefore have a more direct impact due to its accessibility to all viewers. It can remind us of universal commonalities of the human condition – highlighting our similarities as well as our differences. Art also triggers conversation and debate, which facilitates the propagation of positive ideas – in turn promoting greater understanding and nudging us towards a more compassionate, inclusive and collaborative society.

Where can readers view your work?

In recent years I have exhibited regularly in Hertfordshire, London and Brighton. I love taking part in Flux Exhibition each year as it’s a firm favourite due to its contemporary diversity, colourful, atmospheric events and community of talented contributing artists. I am also a member of Herts Visual Arts, which allows me to take part in Herts Open Studios each year, as well as various other exhibitions throughout Hertfordshire. A gallery showing some of my work can be accessed via the following link: https://www.hvaf.org.uk/galleries/janet-cawthorne