Janine Brougham

Completing a graphic design course in the early ‘80s (followed by overseas travel and freelancing) Janine worked primarily in the publishing industry from mid 90’s. In early 2016, Janine moved to Mangawhai from Devonport. Attending numerous workshops since joining MAI, Janine is now experimenting to merge different techniques (particularly computer skills, charcoal sketching and photography) to develop her unique style. An early interest in Mickey Mouse memorabilia has evolved to include other Pop Icons which she likes to re-interpret .

Tutor Wendy Clifford introduced Janine to charcoal sketching at a workshop she ran, and that is now the core of much of her work. When Wendy passed away in 2023, Janine revived her desktop skills to create a book with Wendy’s family, called ‘The Art of Wendy Clifford’, not only to share the wonderful artwork, but to honour her friend and mentor (copies are held in local libraries).

Having had the privilege of nursing her mother through her last 4 years of Alzheimers, Janine learnt that humour helps most situations, and that there is a strange beauty in imperfection. We should value things that are ‘a bit wonky’. As Leonard Cohen put it: ‘there is a crack in everything and that’s how the light gets in’.

ARTISTIC INSPIRATION comes from Jean-Michel Basquiat, vintage MAD magazines, Yayoi Kusama, the old masters, and anything else in visual range! THEORETICAL INSPIRATION: ‘Steal Like An Artist’ book, which states that nothing is original — we need to embrace influences, school ourselves in the work of others, then remix and reimagine to discover our own paths. All creative work builds on what came before, so we need to select what moves us, then ‘fake it til you make it’.

Janine loves yoga, ukulele and bad puns.