Jan Palethorpe was born in Melbourne and studied sculpture and printmaking at CIT from 1986-88 and the Victorian College of the Arts from 1983-84. Since 1978 she has exhibited in solo exhibitions at various venues including Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop New York, Woodbine Gallery Malmsbury, Powell Street Graphics, Leon Massoni at Tolarno Galleries, Art Space Footscray, Qdos Gallery Lorne, Gasworks Theatre, University of Melbourne Baillieu Library, and participated in many group exhibitions most recently including:
- 2018 Rivers of Gold Australian Print Triennial Mildura One Belt, One Road Silk Road International Exhibition Xi’an China
- 2017 Guanlan International Print Prize Shenzhen National Art Museum China
- 2014 Burnie Print Prize Burnie Regional Art Gallery Tasmania
- 2011 Footprints Counihan Gallery Brunswick
- 2005 Five Central Victorian Printmakers Castlemaine Art Gallery & Geelong Art Gallery & Shepparton Regional Gallery
She was awarded first prize in the Guanlan International Print Prize 2017, Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize (works on paper 2005, and highly commended 2009), and was awarded the drawing prize in the Swan Hill Regional Gallery Print and Drawing Acquisitive 2010. Living in the North West Kimberley for three years (1995-1998) Jan undertook several artist in residencies receiving an Australia Council Community Development Grant to be in residence at Oombulgurri Aboriginal Community in 1995. She has also co-ordinated projects in remote communities including 30 stories on 30 Murals in 30 Days a project involving all members of the Mulan Community, WA 2006. She has been the recipient of two Artists in Schools (Arts Victoria & DEET) ‘Worlds within Worlds’ producing a giant tortoise with the children of Wantirna Heights and ‘the Paper Shop’ a 3D project involving paper making, lino printing and the production of a giant 3D carpet python in the primary school and remote Malley community of Culgoa.
Jan Palethorpe’s work is held in many public and private collections including the Australian National Gallery Canberra, Australian Print Workshop, Monash Medical Centre Melbourne, Community Arts Resource Centre Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula Arts Centre, Hyatt on Collins Melbourne, Flinders University Art Museum SA, Blaxland Gallery Melbourne, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Qld., Brisbane Grammar School, Waikato Museum New Zealand, Warrnambool Regional Gallery Victoria, Gold Coast City Art Gallery Qld. University of Melbourne Museum of Art, Kensington Gallery SA, Graphico Uno Print Workshop Milan, Arts Victoria, Frans Masereel Centrum Belgium, Shire of West Kimberley Derby, NSW Art Gallery, Stonnington City Council, State Library of Victoria, Castlemaine Art Gallery & Historical Museum Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery & private collections throughout Australia and U.K.