Kathy Caton interviews Sarah Jane Moon on painting Peter Tatchell

Lower Hutt born artist Sarah Jane Moon has had a portrait of human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in London for its primary collection. The portrait celebrates the sitter’s determination and leadership through nearly six decades of campaigning and work around LGBTQ+ issues, referenced by his rainbow tie.

Sarah Jane Moon’s full-length portrait of Australian human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell – known for his LGBTQ+ activism – has been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in London.

“It’s a gallery I’ve always visited regularly, first as an art student, and then as a professional painter, and I know, love and admire so many of the portraits there,” 42-year-old Moon told the Bay of Plenty Times.

A painting of human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery

A vibrant portrait of the LGBTQ+ and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has been hung in the National Portrait Gallery’s History Makers gallery as part of a drive to better reflect the diversity of the UK.

In this episode, the London-based artist talks about living in Japan and its connection with her home country of New Zealand, why she chose to paint portraits and the responsibility this entails, the experience of coming out as a lesbian in her late twenties, how her paintings became largely autobiographical through painting others from the queer community, her obsession with shoes, and creating a mood in her works.

Professional artist Sarah Jane Moon shows you how she painted this bold portrait of Reeta Loi in her signature colourful style.

Niki Browes interviews Sarah Jane Moon for Artists & Illustrators Magazine.

Amelia Brown interviews Sarah Jane Moon for T’Art Magazine.

'Hindsight' is part of a new body of work exploring the interior life of women; their thoughts, feelings and agency. The work and title allude to a narrative that is left open for the viewer to interpret, but places the individual woman in the painting at the center of her story, as the protagonist. The viewer is invited to contemplate who she is and what she's thinking. Sensation, time and memory are suggested both by the pose of the figure and the exuberant, semi abstracted nature of the bright interior space she inhabits.

Corporate and personal branding specialists PL Studio interview Sarah Jane Moon about her painting practice.

“London based Sarah Jane Moon’s online retrospective exhibition Painting Lives enjoyed a surge of interest from visitors and is still receiving much attention. Included is her painting of the New York based photographer Lola Flash - a painting that this year was shortlisted for the BP Portrait Award…”

“I first met photographer Lola Flash at her exhibition ‘[sur]passing’ at Autograph Gallery in the summer of 2019. I had known of her work prior to the show and we have many friends in common though LGBTQI+ and arts networks. Lola is based in New York and so when she mentioned online that she would not only be in London, but at the gallery, it seemed the perfect opportunity to both see the work in person and meet her too.”

“The portrait is of the photographer, Lola Flash, whose work has been at the forefront of visual politics for over three decades, challenging gender, sexual and racial stereotypes. Moon says: ‘I felt a huge amount of respect and admiration for Flash. On meeting her, she agreed to be painted and so I arranged an initial sitting in New York where she is based. I wanted the portrait to celebrate her as a working queer artist.’”

“Not being able to gather and celebrate is certainly tough but my work as a queer portrait painter goes on and is really at its heart, a celebration of queer drive and success in its many varied forms. I am embarking on a new series of large queer portraits of campaigners in our community and am currently painting activists Peter Tatchell and Jonathan Blake.”

“Getting in to the BP Portrait Award exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery last year with my portrait of Dr Ronx, and then again this year with a painting of Lola Flash, has been a real career highlight. Having said that, nothing beats the feeling of delivering a commissioned portrait to a client and seeing that they not only like, but love it. It’s always a moment of some anxiety for an artist but I have been really genuinely touched by people’s reactions. It’s one of the most gratifying parts of the job.”

“I find myself reading the titles of the books on the shelves in her paintings, seeing a host of references to notable feminists, but also a wave to John Berger, Gustave Courbet, Matisse, Hockney. She pulls her community from visual oblivion, celebrates their diversity, parades their difference, even as she crafts them into abiding art works and takes them into the wider cultural world.”

“To recognize these women, we have created 89 new TIME covers, many of which were designed by prominent artists. The 100 choices in this project are the result of a months-long process that began with more than 600 nominations submitted by TIME staff; experts in the field; our creative partner, filmmaker Alma Har’el; and a committee of notable women from various backgrounds.”

“Sarah Jane Moon is my guest on this episode of the podcast. She talks about her move from New Zealand to Japan to London and taking a short course in life drawing that started her career as an artist.

Sarah Jane is a portrait painter and a teacher at the Heatherley School of Fine Art in London. Mostly working to commissions she goes on to talk about her evolving style, and managing her art business.”

“… ever since I was a child I’ve loved bright saturated and loud colour. I think coming from New Zealand where there is a particular clarity of light and a bold use of colour in the arts and culture, in the wrk of artists like Rita Angus, Don Binney and Colin McCahon for example, has had a huge impact.”