Jane Walker studied at the Royal Academy Schools 1987-90.
She received an Aeneas Travelling Award from the Royal Academy Schools(1990), a Lucy Morrison Memorial Award (1993) and a portrait commission to paint Sir Lawrence Byford from the Royal Overseas League. She was artist in residence on the cross channel ferries between Newhaven and Dieppe (1992) and was a prizewinner in the John Moores 19, Liverpool (1995). She participated in the Paul Ricard 5th International Painting Symposium, Ile de Bendor, France (2014). She participated in the Paul Ricard 5th International Painting Symposium, Ile de Bendor, France (2014). Her solo exhibitions include; City Lines, Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield (2021), a review of the exhibition written by Sean Williams was published on a-n reviews, Lines, 20:21 Visual Arts centre Scunthorpe (2018), In Turners Footsteps, Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery (2011), Short Frieze, Atkinson Gallery, Southport (2007), Blocspace, Sheffield (2004). Group exhibitions; 9th International Biennial of Drawing, Pilsen, Czech Republic (2014), Essential Elements, St.Brides Gallery, Liverpool Biennial Independents (2014), Portraits, New Greenham Arts Centre (2014), Lost, an artistic archaeology of the recent past , Salisbury Art Centre (2014) Modessqe 1st painting competition, Skwer, Warsaw (2013) , Cities: All Dimensions,Tokarska Gallery, London (2013), Ruth Borchard self portrait exhibition, Kings Place, London (2013), Nuances Parisiennes, Musee de Beaux Arts de Saint Petersbourg, Russia (2013), In der Zwischenzeit, Begehungen no 9, Chemnitz, Germany (2012), 'Paint', Beldam Gallery, Uxbridge University(2010). Open and prize exhibitions include; Derbyshire Open 2022, Buxton Museum and Art Gallery, This Years Model, Studio 1.1, London (2021), Hull Open Ferens Art Gallery (2019), Shoosmiths art prize, Arts for Health, Milton Keynes (2015), Neo art prize, Bolton (2012, 2015), Jerwood Drawing Prize, (2005), Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions, 1990/2.
''I make 2-D work starting with lines. The lines are the edges of city structures. Some of the lines are drawn to contain colour. With colours I create a composition, then I paint over the colours with black or white picking out the lines, leaving them visible. The bright colours underneath peep through giving an internal light. The effect of the black and white is to make the white areas present against the black patches appearing absent. Painting around the lines makes the space solid. This is a recent change in my work a move away from the lines existing in a void. I make these works to find the patterns of human habitation I look at the geology and depth of history in old cities, or areas occupied by man. Luxembourg and Stockport have been of interest to me because of the deep ravines and bridges over these. Rivers change course in cities, as the river has in Sheffield, making the city re-orientate buildings. I explore old 19th century maps, made before maps were gridded as they have more details of lost places. When I make my paintings there is an element of performance, the lines have a varying energy in them. The cities I create are a shorthand for many other forms of human activity, such as music and science. When working with musicians I was surprised how easily I could communicate with them, particularly those improvising from visual art and my work. Another line of inquiry in my work is looking at Labanotation and how this brings music, and movement together with my city lines. There seems to be music there in my work ready for musicians to pick out.''