Heather Jansch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heather Jansch
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Jansch at work in her studio in Olchard, Devon
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| Born |
Heather Rosemary Sewell
August 3, 1948 Hockley, Essex
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| Died | 5 July 2021 Olchard, Devon
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| Education | Walthamstow Technical College and Goldsmiths College |
| Occupation | Sculptor |
| Years active | 1968–2021 |
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Notable work
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Driftwood horses |
| Spouse(s) | Bert Jansch (divorced) |
| Children | Kieron Jansch |
Heather Jansch was a British artist famous for her amazing sculptures. She created life-sized horses using driftwood. Driftwood is wood that has been washed ashore by the sea or a river. Her unique art style made her very well-known.
Contents
Who Was Heather Jansch?
Heather Jansch was born Heather Rosemary Sewell in 1948. She loved drawing and writing from a young age. Even though she found school challenging, her passion for art was clear.
Early Life and Art
Heather went to Walthamstow Technical College to study art. After that, she got into Goldsmiths College. However, she found that the art style she loved, which was drawing real things, wasn't popular there. So, she left after her first year.
In 1967, while at Walthamstow, she met musician Roy Harper. He introduced her to the famous guitarist Bert Jansch. Heather and Bert later got married. They had a son named Kieron in 1971, who is now a filmmaker. They separated a few years later.
Heather bought a small farm in Dyfed, Wales. She raised Welsh cobs, which are a type of horse. For a while, she painted traditional pictures of horses.
Discovering Driftwood Art
In the 1980s, Heather started sculpting. She discovered that driftwood was a perfect material for her art. She spent many years learning how to make her complex driftwood sculptures into bronze copies. She found a special way to make the bronze look exactly like the original driftwood.
Famous Sculptures and Exhibitions
By 1986, Heather's sculptures were shown regularly at a well-known art gallery. Her work was also featured at the London Contemporary Art Fair, where it received great reviews.
Her life-sized driftwood horses became her signature artwork. In 1999, one of her horses was part of a big art show called "Shape of the Century" at Salisbury Cathedral. This show displayed 100 years of sculpture in Britain. The exhibition then moved to Canary Wharf in London in 2000. There, her horses caught the eye of Tim Smit, who founded the Eden Project.
Heather was invited to be an artist at the Eden Project. Her horse sculpture was voted the most popular artwork there. It became widely known as "The Eden Horse."
Her Legacy
Heather Jansch's sculptures are now in private collections all over the world. You can find them in the US, Canada, Switzerland, France, and Romania. She also showed her art internationally. In 2007, she was an artist in residence at Arte Sella in Italy, meaning she worked there for a period of time.
Heather was also a writer throughout her life. In 2009, she started her own publishing company called Olchard Press. She published books like "Heather Jansch's Diary" and "Living with the Legend," which was about her life with Bert Jansch. She also wrote "The Italian Job," about her trips to Italy.
Heather Jansch passed away on July 5, 2021, in Olchard, Devon. Her unique driftwood horses continue to inspire people around the world.
Images for kids
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The Eden Horse by Heather Jansch, 2002. On display at Heather's garden in Olchard prior to delivery to The Eden Project.
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Chinoise by Heather Jansch, 2007. Bronze.
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Sculptor Heather Jansch, flanked by two of her life-size horses. "Atlantis" on Heather's right, and "The Eden Horse" on her left.
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Sculptor Heather Jansch standing next to the latest cast of her work "The Young Arabian"
