JANE SEYMOUR: MAKING AN IMPRESSION

ABOVE: Monet's picturesque waterlily pond and Japanese footbridge are captured in "Reflecting in Monet's Garden." Dressed in clothing from a bygone era, Seymour looks pensively at the surrounding gardens.

In addition, she was asked to design a Korbel Champagne bottle, which has since become a collector's item, as well as a silk scarf for design house Escada.

Art dealer Michael Schwartz, an Old Masters specialist, took notice of Seymour's work and offered to represent her through Beverly Hills-based Titus Fine Art. Since 1997, it has been the exclusive worldwide representative of her oils, watercolors and limited-edition prints.

Today, Seymour paints from her studio in the Malibu residence she shares with husband, director James Keach, and their children, twins John and Kristopher; her children from a previous marriage, Sean and Katie; and her stepchildren, Jenni and Kalen. When summertime comes, she and her family retreat to St. Catherine's Court, her manor house near Bath, England, that dates from the ninth century.

Whether depicting a walk through a garden, a stroll on the beach or the changing seasons, "serenity" is a recurring theme. "Serene is how I want to feel. Some people paint 'torment,' but the more tormented I become, the more serene my paintings become," she says.

ABOVE: Seymour's brushstrokes and colorful palette in "Monet's House" pay homage to the artist's original piece. BELOW: "Autumn Reflections at Giverny" reflect the different moods of Monet's Gardens. In this scene, fall has arrived.

Seymour says her subjects vary greatly and reflect how she is feeling at the time or what is going on in her life. "I do lots of portraits of my children. I've also done many mother-and-child paintings. I like the freedom children have. After Sept. I 1, I painted a friend's daughter on the beach, a girl wearing a bathing suit with stars and stripes, and my son as a fireman with a look on his face that represents innocence lost."

Floral scenes and vases are other favorite subjects. Seymour's recent trip to Monet's gardens in Giverny, France, resulted in a number of paintings that capture her experience. When not traveling, Seymour finds inspiration in her own gardens. "Roses are a favorite. My husband maintains them so I can paint them," she says.

In addition to Monet, Seymour is inspired by some of the great artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. "I love Chagall, Renoir, Morisot, Piccaso, Degas and Van Gogh," she says. The influences of Impressionism are evident in her brushstrokes and palette. "I am a natural colorist; I love putting colors together."

Though an admirer of Impressionistic and plein-air styles, Seymour doesn't restrict herself to any one technique or subject. Rather, she hones her skills by painting alongside internationally renowned artists. "Right now, I'm learning classic English watercolor techniques with some of the leading English artists," she says.

Responding to the beauty in her pieces, numerous private collectors, including singer Johnny Cash, "Extra" host Leeza Gibbons and songwriter Denise Rich, have acquired her paintings.

She has also participated in a show at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the "Angels" traveling exhibition in Japan, Art 21 in Las Vegas and the New York Art Expo. Galleries in Florida, Illinois, New Jersey and Michigan also display her pieces.

For more information on Seymour's work or exhibits, contact Titus Fine Art at 310/859-6147. Or, to purchase her work in Florida, contact Gallerie du Soleil in Tampa at 813/249-5880 and Redbone Gallery in Islamorada at 305/664-2002.

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