Jo Starkey is a professional landscape and floral artist whose evocative and textured works bring the English countryside to life. Based in Sussex, she draws her inspiration from the region’s rolling hills, ancient woodlands, and wildflower meadows. Her practice is deeply rooted in a lifelong connection to nature, a theme that courses through each of her works with vibrancy and emotion.
Born in the East Midlands into a creatively inclined family, Jo’s artistic journey began at a young age. Nature was not just a backdrop to her life—it was a presence, a muse. This connection only deepened over the years, eventually becoming the cornerstone of her artistic voice. Now living and working in Sussex, she finds endless inspiration in the rural landscapes that surround her, particularly the nearby South Downs. Her artistic process often begins not in the studio, but in the fields and forests, with a camera in hand, ready to capture fleeting moments of light and atmosphere that later evolve into textured, colourful compositions.
The Signature Style: Layered Beauty
Jo Starkey paints primarily in acrylics and mixed media, developing her unique visual language through the layering of colour and texture. Her paintings often incorporate metallic highlights—gold, bronze, or copper—carefully placed to catch the light and add a dynamic shimmer. This use of metallics has become a hallmark of her style, setting her work apart in contemporary landscape painting.
She approaches her canvas intuitively, allowing colour to guide composition. Whether it’s a field of sunlit poppies or a silhouette of a tree against a brooding sky, there is always a sense of atmosphere and movement. artist technique of building surface texture not only invites visual exploration but also evokes a tactile response—a desire to reach out and feel the shifting terrain and whispering leaves.
‘Falling For Autumn’: A Poetic Tribute to the Season
Among her many works, Falling For Autumn stands out as a powerful expression of seasonal transformation. This piece features a single silhouetted tree poised against a richly textured and vividly coloured background. The colours—burnt orange, deep russet, ochre, and muted gold—encapsulate the very essence of autumn, a time of both beauty and quiet melancholy.
The tree, stripped of its leaves, becomes a striking symbol in the composition: one of change, endurance, and introspection. While the shape of the tree is simple and stark, it is surrounded by a complex and atmospheric backdrop, textured with multiple layers of paint and imbued with bold energy. The combination of abstraction and representation gives the viewer a strong emotional entry point. It feels both familiar and transcendent—like walking through a forest at dusk and catching a sudden, almost spiritual, connection to the earth.
Falling For Autumn doesn’t just depict a season; it invites us into its soul. It reminds us of the beauty in transition, of moments passing yet somehow preserved. The metallic accents—so subtle yet effective—catch the light and mimic the low golden sun typical of late October afternoons, enhancing the piece’s immersive quality.
Rooted in Place, Resonating Worldwide
While the artist’s work is deeply embedded in the specific geography of the English countryside, it carries a universal resonance. Her depictions of trees, meadows, and changing skies speak to a broader human connection to nature—one that transcends borders. This is perhaps why her work is not only celebrated in the UK but also collected internationally.
Her paintings are exhibited in fine art galleries throughout Britain and have found homes with collectors around the world. For many, her work serves as both a visual escape and a grounding reminder of nature’s timeless rhythms. In an increasingly fast-paced and digital world, Starkey’s art offers viewers a return to stillness, colour, and connection.
Nature as an Emotional Landscape
What sets artist apart is her ability to infuse her landscapes with feeling. These are not just visual representations of the countryside; they are emotional landscapes, steeped in memory, reflection, and sensory experience. Whether capturing the fleeting blush of dawn or the subdued tones of a woodland in winter, her paintings convey a mood—a quiet reverence for nature’s cycles.
Her use of texture and metallics adds layers not only to the canvas but also to the meaning behind the work. The shimmer of gold might suggest sunlight breaking through mist, or perhaps a metaphor for hope within stillness. Every mark feels intentional, yet organically inspired.
The Art of Seeing and Feeling
Artist artistic practice reminds us that to truly see nature is to feel it. Her use of mixed media and her commitment to capturing fleeting moments through photography before transforming them on canvas exemplify her devotion to her craft. With each painting, she translates the quiet poetry of the English landscape into a visual symphony of colour and texture.
Falling For Autumn is a shining example of this approach—a bold, atmospheric, and emotive piece that captures the essence of the season not just in visuals, but in spirit.
Final Thoughts
She is more than a landscape artist—she is a storyteller, using trees, skies, and fields to narrate stories of change, memory, and beauty. In Falling For Autumn, she offers us a glimpse into a world where the passing of time is not something to resist, but to embrace with wonder.
Her work serves as a reminder that even in shedding, there is splendour. Even in silence, there is song. And through her art, Jo Starkey continues to inspire viewers to look more closely, feel more deeply, and appreciate the quiet majesty of the natural world.
