Exuberant, fun loving and enthusiastic, Jane Noone died tragically young during her last term as a student at the Royal College of Art in 1959. She was 25 years old. An exhibition sharing some of this prolific artists work will open in Darlington Library Art Gallery on Saturday 20th December 2025 and continue into February 2026. Exhibitions of Jane’s work were held in Darlington in the 1960’s to commemorate her untimely passing, and we hope this exhibition will give some of those who knew her an opportunity to see her work again, and also share some of her practice with people who have not had the opportunity to view it before.
Jane’s unique perspective transformed paintings which arose from mundane obligatory life drawing classes. The chosen angle of view, the addition of colourful background fabrics and close attention to the subject’s feet result in bold, dramatic portraits. The spiral staircase behind the models and her fellow artists were sometimes preferred subjects. Large, immersive plant studies reflect her home environment. Jane was a prolific worker who exhibited and sold her work while still a student.
JANE NOONE 1934-1959 CHRONOLOGY
Born: 6 August 1934 in Darlington
Parents: Michael John Noone and Florence Miriam Knox. She was the second child and only daughter with five brothers. Michael Noone was a director at Whessoe Ltd.
EDUCATION AND CAREER
1939-53 Immaculate Conception School Darlington (now Carmel College)
1952/53 GCE including English Lit., History, Botany, French, Latin and Art
1953 -1956: Chelsea School of Art London. Intermediate Examination in Art and Crafts 1955 National Diploma in Design 1956
Awarded the Morland Lewis Travelling Scholarship
1956 Exhibited with Darlington Society of Art.
Designed décor for the Dragon Ball Portmeirion with a friend
1957: Admitted to the Royal College of Art
First one man exhibition at Post House Restaurant in Darlington
1958 Exhibited with Northern Young Artists in Leeds. Her paintings were chosen by L.S. Lowry for use in a television program about Northern artists.
Prix de Paris winner
Exhibited at Whitechapel Art Gallery and New Art Centre in London
Played an art student in the film The Horse’s Mouth which starred Alec Guinness as the painter Gulley Jimson with paintings by John Bratby who was her tutor at RCA
Second one man exhibition at the Post House
1959 Began her final year at the Royal College of Art.
May: Exhibited with the Young Contemporaries.
November: held her third one man exhibition at the Post House.
November: exhibited with the Darlington Society of Arts alongside Tom McGuiness. (Reviewed in the Northern Despatch)
November 21st died in her flat in London of asphyxia caused by drowning as a result of an epileptic fit while taking a bath. She had been on medication for the condition since 1951.
1960: Jane’s brother John was instrumental in organizing a memorial exhibition of her work. The paintings (150) were shown at the Darlington Art Gallery and included twenty which she had sold while still a student and submitted on loan by the owners. Her drawings were shown at the Post House Restaurant. There were reviews in The Northern Despatch 2nd November 1960 and in The Guardian 14th November 1960 by W E Johnson: “Whom the Gods Love”
1965: Another retrospective of her paintings was held at the Posthouse. Reviewed in the Northern Echo on 26th November 1965 by W.E. Johnson: “Noonetidings”
Jane’s paintings and sketches were in storage with her mother and then shared among three of her brothers John, Paul and Gerard Noone. Jane’s work is being shown in public after 60 years. Jane was a prolific worker and some of her paintings were works in progress when she died.
