Thundersley artist takes coin art to miniature exhibition

Yvonne Jack, 48, started her unique art of painting on old coins in March 2022.

The coins she uses are the ones struck before 1971, when Britain shifted to decimal currency.

The 48-year-old recreates famous paintings such as Leonardo Da Vinci’s 'Mona Lisa' and Vincent Van Gogh’s 'The Starry Night' on these small canvases.

Proud - Yvonne Jack at the exhibition (Image: PA)

Last week, Yvonne was informed that four of her remarkable coin artworks had been selected for the annual Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers exhibition.

The event, held at London's Bankside Gallery, displays an array of the finest small-scale artworks, starting yesterday, all the way until July 6.

Yvonne's art pieces to be showcased are her interpretations of Joseph Mallord William (JMW) Turner’s 'The Fighting Temeraire' and Hokusai’s 'The Great Wave', as well as paintings of the Brighton Pavilion and Mullion Cove, a harbour on the Lizard Peninsula.

She said: "I am overjoyed.

"The process starts with you entering online and then you get chosen for pre-selection, so you take them physically up to London, give them in and give them a little prayer and send them on their way.

Wow - Coins painted by Yvonne Jack (Image: PA)

"The Royal Miniatures Society is like the creme de la creme for miniature artists and the level of detail and commitment put into their work is amazing.

"It is a real honour to have got four coins in."

Creating these mini masterpieces is a meticulous process and takes several hours.

Yvonne commences by painting the coin white for a base, before sticking it to a table to stop it from moving, sketching a rough outline and then adding in the detail.

Deciding what to enter proved to be tricky for the artist and she asked for advice from friends who came up with different suggestions, but she ultimately selected coins based on her enjoyment creating them.

Yvonne added: "I always wanted to put the JMW Turner’s Fighting Temeraire as I enjoyed painting it and there’s quite a level of detail with the actual ship – the HMS Temeraire – and Mullion Cove because I have been there and so I feel quite connected to that one.

"I painted Brighton Pavilion because I was looking for a building that was beautiful architecturally.

"When I have shown The Great Wave (coin) to people, they would all say you have got to put that one in.

"I think it is because it’s a well-known image and people know it so well."

She also tried submitting her St Paul’s Cathedral piece, but it did not make the cut.

On seeing her coins displayed at the exhibition, Jack said the atmosphere was "electric" and that she was made to feel "welcome".

The exhibition was opened by Peter Lord, co-founder of the Academy Award-winning Aardman Animations studio, known for its clay-animated films including those featuring famous characters Wallace and Gromit.