Jan McLaughlin — Londonderry Arts Council

Jan McLaughlin – Nana, Artist, Crafter, Scientist

Email: Jan4Art@yahoo.com

Jan works in a variety of media including pastels, acrylics, watercolors, clay, weaving,

using recycled materials, paper craft, and a variety of other crafts. Jan plays the guitar,

sings and has been known to write songs as well as poetry. Often, Jan tinkers and

explores new ways to produce artistic results. She has been providing free arts and

crafts workshops to area seniors at the Londonderry Senior Center for more than ten

years.

Art has always been a way for Jan to relax or focus often doodling pictures during

meetings and phone calls. Her fourth-grade teacher, Miss Brown, encouraged her draw

during times when she needed to pay attention. While pursuing her Master of

Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Notre Dame College, she produced many

works of art during lectures. The professors were given the artwork at the end of the

courses. Jan, trained in Science at UNH (BS in Botany and Plant Pathology), but worked

in business and education, including as the State of New Hampshire Science K-12

consultant. Neurological problems prevented art activities for a number of years but

after a time, Jan began to slowly work with different materials and re-discovered the joy

that art can bring to life.

Jan credits her grandmother and her father as being most influential in developing her

artist talents. Her Nana, Marjorie Dyke Putnam Caswell, a designer and artist, bought

Jan her first set of oils when she was 10. Her father, James Sproul III, involved Jan

different 3D art installations using a variety of tools and natural materials including

living plants from a very early age.

Jan has called Londonderry home since 1986. Her husband, John, passed away in 2021.

Art has been a help during this time of loss. Her son and his family (his wife and two

children – my grandkids!) live in Londonderry. Her daughter (and soon to be son-in-law)

lives in Seattle, WA.