From a young age, Blackie-Goodine wanted to paint what she saw in every day life. Her mother, who did some painting herself, would point out an old barn or a fence line and encourage Janice to notice detail, shape and colour. After graduating high school, Janice attended the Alberta College of Art. At the college, the "modernistic attitude" of the 1970's completely discouraged her, and even though she did remain true to her art, Janice left the Alberta College of Art and put her talents as a western artist aside. Blackie-Goodine's "attention to detail" talents were quickly recognized in the film industry. "I sort of landed this job because of who I knew, but then I was quick to succeed because of what I knew." She became well established in the film industry, although it wasn't exactly where her heart was.
It was an unfortunate tragedy that returned Blackie-Goodine to painting. A house fire consumed the ranch house of a couple she has known for many years. In an attempt to replace some of the couple's western art and artifacts, Blackie-Goodine did a painting of Glen O'Neil, the 1995 $50,000 Stampede Saddle Bronc winner, and presented it to them. "Doing this painting for the Flewellings was truly inspirational for me," she reminisces. "I saw how it made them feel. It was an emotional time for us all."
It was then that Blackie-Goodine decided to take three months out of her movie career, and paint. In 2002 and 2003 she was approached by the Calgary Stampede to put a piece in the Calgary Stampede Art Auction. "People had noticed my art before, but being in the Calgary Stampede Art Auction really showed my work to all kinds of people. These are the types of people that know what they love; horses, cows, rodeo; and they go for it."
With sepia photograph-likeness, Janice transforms images of western life onto a leather canvas. "Leather represents the western way of life," she says, "It really is symbolic for the image of the cowboy on his horse to be against a backdrop of what he uses every moment."
Blackie-Goodine uses organic earth tones to portray the authenticity of western life. Her images speak achingly and lovingly of hard times, past memories, and the roughness of rodeo, while the leather redolently exudes work in the saddle, gloves over calloused hands, or perhaps a pair of chaps after a ride.
Janice and her husband, Dean, have recently bought a house in Summerland, B.C. so that she can "keep the home fires burning" while Dean continues work in the demanding film industry. She calls herself "a western realist artist with solid Alberta roots, who can now do what she knows and loves."
Although Blackie-Goodine has worked on a number of film projects, it's not hard to guess where her love lies. "Westerns are my favourite," she says. "I have not only lived that life but a big part of being a set decorator involves research. I have spent countless hours researching the time periods. My attention to detail really comes from all of this."
Blackie-Goodine entered film as set dresser on Kjell-Åke Andersson's 1988 Japan-Sweden co-production FRIENDS. She was assistant set decorator for BETRAYED (1988), THE REFLECTING SKIN (1990), and LEAVING NORMAL (1992). Notable film set decorating credits include THE FOURTH WAR (1990), UNFORGIVEN (1992), WILD AMERICA and THE EDGE (both 1997), THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007), and PASSCHENDAELE (scheduled for 2008). Since 1993, Blackie-Goodine has worked extensively in television series, mini-series and made-for-TV movies.
Janice Blackie-Goodine can be found in her Summerland studio amongst leather and acrylic, or you can reach her by email at filmworld@shaw.ca A Nod from Oscar® and a Kiss from Clint. A career success, to say the least.
Nominated for Achievement in Art Direction 1992: UNFORGIVEN - Set Decoration
1 nomination