JANE FIORENTINI STEWARD
Jane is an American-born artist of Florentine heritage. A member of the Portrait Society of America, she has studied with many of the country’s leading portraitists over. Her early education included a full grant to study at the San Francisco Academy of Art College; she has been painting for 25 years.
Her work also includes landscape and figurative paintings with psychological and mythological themes. One of her many techniques employs glazing and numerous translucent layers. She feels most influenced by Velazquez, Sargent and Caravaggio.
Jane has most recently shown at the Boston Athenaeum and had a one-woman show at the Namo Gallery.
BACKGROUND
Ms. Fiorentini attended Regis College and Boston College where she majored in art. She then earned a scholarship to study art at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. She also studied at the School for Visual Arts in Manhattan, going on to independent study in her own loft in association with other faculty artists. She participated in group shows in New York including the Federal Plaza Show.
In the late 1980s, she returned to her roots in the Boston area, establishing a studio/loft in a historic building in Haverhill. She painted there and gave private instruction for six years, and was featured frequently in the local press.
Jane Fiorentini Steward
Salem resident and North Shore native, Jane is an American-born artist of Florentine heritage. A member of the Portrait Society of America, she has studied with many of the country’s leading portraitists. Her early education included a full grant to study at the San Francisco Academy of Art College; she has been painting for 25 years.
Her work also includes landscape and figurative paintings with psychological and mythological themes. One of her many techniques employs glazing and numerous translucent layers. She feels most influenced by Velazquez, Sargent and Caravaggio.
Jane has had one-woman shows at the Preston Cutler Gallery in Hamilton (2004), the Namo Gallery in Beverly (1997). Her group shows include the Federal Plaza Show in NYC, and the Boston Athenaeum (2000-03).
She maintained a studio in New York in the 1980s and in Haverhill in the early 90s. At that time her double portrait of the President and First Lady was reviewed for acquisition by the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., who were quite interested, but because photographs had been used in lieu of sittings, it was ineligible for the collection.
She has also done murals for restaurants and now occasionally does smaller murals and trompe l’oeil painting for residential walls.
My process is continually evolving. Fifteen years ago I started experimenting with a laborious classical glaze technique that I had researched from the Dutch School, and continue to use somewhat. “Sigrid” is an early example; it is a unique play of glossy background (20-30 layers of thinly glazed deep color) contrasting with an ethereal matte figure. The painting, “First Couple”, is another example of multi-layered darks, which when spot-lit, come to life like an enormous transparency–because, in effect, that is what they are, 20 layers of rich color suspended in emulsion (glaze). Unfortunately, I learned rather late that photographing these types of high contrast dark and very glossy paintings is extremely difficult, even for the best professionals. So, most recently, I rarely use that glaze or medium as I am limited in my portfolio by what photographs well. “La Gatta Scozzese” uses the technique, the print is more descriptive, but the background has gone black. “La Modella Scozzese” did not fare as well on the slide, and shows how difficult it is to capture, while it does show well under spotlight. As enamored as I am of Rembrandt, Vermeer and others, I am relegating its use to selected areas. I feel ready now for a new chapter in my creative life, ready to explore new territory.
Having been a Patron of the society for some time, I have studied with some of the accomplished masters here, and I respect their commitment and high caliber of skill. They’ve helped me in my development and they continue to catalyze and inspire my growth. I would like to be considered for the Portrait Registry; that would be a goal. But, I would also like to broaden and sharpen the new skills I have acquired for portraiture and apply them differently to include figurative interiors, still-lifes, and perhaps landscapes. I would look for more communication with other accomplished artists to add to my repetoire.
The creative process is a never ending learning experience as far as I am concerned. Technique is important, of course, but there is also another dimension I seek, to give and receive–the communal one, which is so important. To be able to communicate with other artists at peer level, to gain feedback, insight and knowledge is what I desire most. Also, to have the opportunity for critique and juried exhibitions on such a respected level would be a tremendous boost. I feel it is time to enter out and share whatever I can with whomever the Copley audience may be. From the artists I know in the Society, and from my Florentine ancestry, I deeply appreciate its tradition and history, and would be honored to be included in its ranks.
Jane Angela Fiorentini (Steward) is an American-born artist of Florentine heritage. A member of the Portrait Society of America, she has studied with many of the country’s leading portraitists including Kinstler, Wharton, Shanks, Whitney and Greene. Her early education included a full grant to study at the San Francisco Academy of Art College.
Her work reflects an emotive and symbolic realism combining figure and landscape that often suggests psychological or mythological themes. One of her many techniques employs glazing and numerous translucent layers. Artists who have influenced her include Velazquez, Sargent and Caravaggio.
Ms. Fiorentini has most recently shown at the Boston Athenaeum in 1999 and had a one-woman show at the Namo Gallery the year before. She currently resides in Beverly Cove, Massachusetts with her husband, Nicholas Steward, and their adored cats. (She has been known to paint “terribly distinguished” portraits of beloved pets.)
Ms. Fiorentini can be reached at:
978-835-2890
Jane Angela Fiorentini
STATEMENT
While I am currently doing commisioned portraits, I have a long background in figurative painting in the realist tradition. My true love has always been the “Old Master” Classical Realism of my Florentine heritage. Four hundred years might separate me from my heroes, but their skill and power have a continuing immediacy to me.
When I was painting in New York City in the 80s, Neo-Expressionism was very prominent and it influenced my work as I experimented with vigorous brushstroke and vibrant color. My body of work from this period reflects those turbulent, go-go years.
Soon, the Expressionist phase passed but it left me with an appreciation of the power of unconscious communication—the subtle (or not so subtle) statements an artist can make about his subject.
Be it portraits or genre scenes, commissioned or not, I hope I am first and foremost a painter of truths, as were Rembrandt, Titian, Caravaggio and Velasquez.
Shows:
Preston Cutler Gallery, South Hamilton, MA: One Woman Show, October 2003
Boston Athenaeum, Boston, MA: Group Show, May-July 2003
Boston Athenaeum, Boston, MA: Group Show, May-July 2002
Namo Gallery, Beverly, MA: One Woman Show, 1997
Federal Plaza Show, New York, NY, 1985
Park Slope Arts Association, Brooklyn, NY , 1986
Member:
Portrait Society of America, 1997-
Teaching Experience:
Northern Essex Community College, Continuing Education, 1990-1992
Studio: private students, 1990-1995
Awards/Grants:
Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA, 1979-1981 (Full tuition scholarship)
Education:
School for the Visual Arts, New York, NY, 1984-1985
(Independent study in association with faculty)
Regis College, Weston, MA, 1969-1971 (Art Major)
Collections:
The Horace & Holly Solomon Foundation, NewYork, NY
The Steward Collection, Massachusetts
Richard Nye Collection, New York, NY
Memberships:
The Copley Society
The Portrait Society of America
Brooklyn New York Artists Council
Articles:
The Boston Globe
The Haverhill (MA) Gazette
Reviewed by:
Acquisitions Committee, National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Theodore Stebbins, Curator Emeritus, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
The National Women’s Museum, Washington,D.C.
Jane Fiorentini, Fine Artist 