Jeanne Barnes

Jeanne Barnes, a mid-career artist, was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. From an early age, she exhibited a profound passion for art. Jeanne pursued her formal education at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg, South Africa and later majored in Painting during Fine Arts training at Tshwane University of Technology. Concurrently, she explored jewellery making through evening classes, which led to an apprenticeship at a renowned jewellery firm. This opportunity culminated in a five-year certificate in Precious Metal Working and Mounting, during which Jeanne received ten accolades in jewellery design, including honours from de Beers, Anglogold, and Jewellex.

Together with her husband Nathaniel, Jeanne operated a bespoke jewellery manufacturing business for 13 years. During this period, she also served as a part-time lecturer in Jewellery Design and Manufacture at Tshwane University of Technology for a decade, all while raising their two daughters, Shiriya and Celine. 

 A career highlight was when she was commissioned by de Beers to design and craft their Forevermark showpiece, a necklace featuring 18-carat yellow and white gold strelitzias and a central 6-carat white diamond. 

In 2008, Jeanne relocated to Australia with her family, initially settling in Dunsborough before moving to Kununurra, Western Australia. There, she served as the manager and jewellery designer at a prestigious jewellery store while continuing her painting endeavours. Her artwork was soon featured at the Lovell Gallery, now known as Artopia Gallery. The transition to Kununurra marked a significant evolution in her artistic journey, prompting a stylistic transformation that increased demand for her work.

By 2016, Jeanne had transitioned to a full-time career as an artist. The Kimberley region’s stunning landscapes have been a constant source of inspiration, fuelling her creative process. Her artworks are now part of collections worldwide, including in Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, the USA, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, China, Europe, India, and throughout Australia and South Africa.

Jeanne’s artistic focus is on abstract and realistic representations of the Kimberley region’s landscapes, often depicting Boab trees, people, flowers, cattle, and other wildlife. She primarily works with watercolours, incorporating gold leaf, ochres, and her point of difference, rough diamonds, into her pieces. In addition to her painting, Jeanne conducts workshops for both novice and experienced artists and has been a guest artist at various workshops and retreats.

Her paintings are permanently exhibited at Artopia Gallery in Kununurra, WA, and Black Stump Gallery in Broome.