Jean Picton was born in 1934 in London’s East End, and effectively began her artistic career at the age of 14 when she left home to join the circus. Having toured most of the U.K by the late ‘Fifties, Jean became one of the famous “Windmill Girls” at the Windmill Theatre in the West End of London, working with such greats as Harry Secombe and Bruce Forsyth. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that Picton began painting seriously, but she has quickly made up for any lost time, becoming one of the U.K.’s most notable artists. In 2002 Jean graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in fine art. She has also completed a design diploma at Central Saint Martins and studied art & design and ceramics at West Hertfordshire College of Art & Design. She organises ”Art Menorca" painting holidays and has been invited to become a Fellow of The Digswell Art Trust. About her work, Jean has stated, “as I look at the world, mans inhumanity to man leaves me with a feeling of sadness. As I get older, I feel a full stop coming up. I use the abstracted flower as a metaphor, that ”life goes on, no matter how broken or devastated the place becomes. New growth erupts even in the bleakest corner, and nature still manges to complete its life cycle, with an abundance of colour, life and hope.”