Forest of Ash

Jane Peng is a contemporary abstract artist based in London. Originally from Hong Kong, she had pursued a career in hospitality real estate before a series of serendipitous events resulted in the launch of her art career. Within months of publishing her portfolio of paintings, Jane’s works had caught the attention of art galleries in Paris, Shanghai, and Singapore and works were selected for group exhibitions in London. In one of the exhibitions, her painting titled “The Mountains Beyond” garnered her special recognition (Artists’ Choice) and she has gone on to complete large scale commissions for private art collectors in New York, London, and beyond.

Often described by others as a “polymath", Jane is an accomplished chess player (two-time national champion), karate practitioner (black belt and national medallist in kumite/sparring), linguist (pentaligual), photographer (top 10 finalist in an international photography competition organised by National Geographic), long distance runner (completed a 250km self-supported foot race in the Sahara Desert), and scuba diver (certified rescue diver). She draws upon her knowledge across varied disciplines to infuse her paintings with depth and meaning.

[ In Her Own Words ]

"Although art has been described as a form of self-expression, personally, it is more important that my art is something of a dialogue with the viewer - that which intrigues and poses questions, drawing different answers from person to person because you, as the viewer, bring your identity and story to the table and are an active participant in the interpretation of the work.

A key theme of my works is the exploration of landscapes - not the ones we see in the physical world, but the landscapes of our inner world. To live is to open ourselves up to all sorts of encounters, some of which are delightful and empowering, whilst others are more hurtful and corrosive. The intensely personal experiences and emotions that we’ve lived through all leave their mark on our mental state, even though we often struggle to describe it in words.

So, I turn to art for the answers. I imagine fear and disappointment carving canyons into the bedrock of our minds, leaving cliffs down which we may fall in the future. But I also imagine moments of pride and triumph soaring high above the horizon, like mountain chains that will weather the worst of the storms. All these moments we experience create the landscape within us, shaping who we are and the choices we make in the future. If we can visualise the effect of our life’s journey on the terrain of our hearts and minds, perhaps we can understand ourselves more clearly and chart a better path for us to walk.

Ultimately, I believe that the greatest power of art is its ability to connect people instantly, in ways that words cannot. It is my hope that as you explore my collection of paintings here on the Artling, you will find something that resonates and will inspire you from season to season, year to year."