I studied Printed Textiles at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, then headed to London to work as a stylist for Habitat. Life was fast and creative — just how I liked it. But at 30, my husband and I moved back to Aberdeen to start a family, and everything changed when our first son, Riley, was born. Complications during birth left him with cerebral palsy and significant learning difficulties. I gave up my full-time career to focus on being a mum. I am now mum to three boys, and Riley is a cheeky happy 17 year old.
For years, creativity took a back seat — until I took a weekend printmaking course at Peacock Printmakers. It completely reignited something in me. I began taking part in NEOS (North East Open Studios) and eventually set up a studio in a barn on my in-laws’ farm in New Deer.
Just before a Christmas event, the barn flooded. I nearly cancelled but spotted a tiny shop for rent in the next village. I called on a whim, asked to rent it for the weekend — and ended up staying. Five and a half years later, I’m still there, running my own shop in Maud.
My work is inspired by the countryside around me — from moody abstract landscapes in oil to finely detailed floral illustrations. As a textile designer, I love adapting my art into lampshades, cushions, and homewares. I also create a range of hand-poured candles, diffusers, soaps, and lotions in the workshop above my shop.
Though I stock pieces by other UK artists, the focus is on my own work — and I love the variety. One week I’m making lampshades, the next I’m making candles or preparing for an exhibition. A real career highlight has been my artist residency at Pitmedden Garden, a beautiful National Trust site in Aberdeenshire. The colours, flowers, and butterflies there are endlessly inspiring, and my work is now exhibited in their Hayloft Gallery within the gardens.
You can follow Jane via @janekeenandesign on Instagram or visit her website at janekeenandesign.co.uk
You can also visit her shop on Station Road in Maud.
