Jane Ellen Horner

Jane was a lifelong artist. She majored in Studio Arts and Art History, first earning a BFA from UNCG, then next traveling to Europe. She then earned a Master of Fine Arts from UNCG, and then took off for New Mexico, Washington DC, Cape Cod and Boston before settling in Vermont for 30 years. Jane lived in New Bern for the past 14 years.

She worked in the professions of archeological illustration and fieldwork, early childhood education materials and garden restoration. Primarily, her life experience was within the world of Fine Arts: active as a curator of contemporary art, the teaching of drawing and painting, and the making and exhibiting of her own art. She was a fellow at both the Fine Arts Work Center of Provincetown, MA, and the McDowell Colony in Peterborough, NH. Her grants included the Colman Trust for New England Artists and several grants from the Vermont Arts Council. Exhibition venues included galleries, art centers, museums and universities – upon large walls of concert halls, churches, vacant buildings, skylights and atriums, and ordinary walls throughout the world, including Montreal, VT, Boston and Cape Cod, North Carolina, Atlanta, North Dakota, Johannesburg, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Inari, Finland. Her work is currently on exhibit at New Bern’s Bank of the Arts until the end of June.

Jane loved spending time in nature, collecting beautiful treasures to include in her artwork. Her beloved beagle, Lucky, was the joy of her life and constant companion on her many walks around town. In addition to her many formal and professional art accomplishments, she was the curator of many a family art project at our annual farm gathering, resulting in some very beautiful and esoteric pieces where she as able to skillfully incorporate the talents of even the least artistic members of the family! Jane’s creative and lively spirit will be missed by all who loved her. Her positivity in the face of illness was an inspiration to her family and friends and caregivers.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents, Larry and Helen Horner, and survived by her 3 sisters, twin Nancy Horner of Cary, Kathleen Conti (Marco) of San Francisco, and Susan Claire Hageman (Dan Jenkins) of New Bern. She will be remembered fondly by her nieces and nephew, their spouses, and her 8 great-nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday June 27th at 11am at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in New Bern. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Colonial Capital Humane Society, Craven Arts.Org, or Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints of New Bern, all causes which were near and dear to Jane’s heart.

Cotten Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Horner family.