Artist Statement

I am an abstract artist and paint intuitively, to express a feeling, a memory and may even begin with no theme beyond the joy that I find in color, movement and texture. During the last few years I have worked in acrylics on paper, canvas and birch cradle boards. 

More recently, I’ve been drawn to colored inks. I find that the flow and interplay of the inks produces work that I’m unable to achieve in any other medium. I believe the use of inks has sharpened my artistic eye and enabled me to see my compositions through a sharper lens. I’ve also begun to experiment with a variety of substrates, including aluminum and yupo paper. As a multi-media artist I continue to experiment and draw in other media.   

As a largely self-taught artist, my paintings are stimulated by the work I’ve just completed, the view outside my window, study and admiration of other’s work, and the outcome of asking, “What if I … and then I become deeply involved in following that ‘what if’ thinking.”

Artist Bio

Janice was born in North Carolina and spent a large portion of her life as a southern girl before moving to Wisconsin in 1972. As a descendent of generations of women who expressed their creativity in functional arts such as sewing, crocheting, knitting, and baking, she had little other exposure to the world of visual art. Yet, as a fourth grader, she created a drawing of a Japanese samurai in an elaborate kimono and won first place in the school-wide art competition. That was the first time that making art made her heart happy. 

Other things made her happy in the years that followed. She married (49 years and counting), had two children, four grandchildren, became an elementary school teacher, earned a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 1968, she has lived in 6 states and traveled to 22 foreign countries. She worked at three universities as a researcher and teacher, wrote books and articles and gave presentations at the regional, national and international level. In 2009, she retired, moved to Seattle and is never leaving. 

At that point, she broadened her creative instincts and began to paint. Using the research skills from her former life, she took workshops and classes and spent hours in independent study. She became intensely focused on abstract art, studying the work of great talents such as Helen Frankenthaler, Georgia O’Keefe,  Joan Mitchell, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Pablo Picasso. Knowing that expert status comes only after spending 10,000 hours in practice, she spent time nearly every day in her studio. For Janice, the continued lure of creating art is new learning and experimentation.  

To further stimulate her development, Janice joined a painting group with other abstract artists. She became a member of local and national art organizations, including the International Society of Acrylic Painters, Northwest Collage Society, Seattle CoArts, and Cosmos Critics. She valued the support and education in these groups and worked to add to their value by helping with small tasks, organizing exhibits and juried shows. Janice also began applying to juried shows in 2015 and has been successful in getting her work shown at the Edmonds Arts Festival, Mountlake Arts of the Terrace, the Schack Art Center, Gallery North and some smaller venues and festivals. Janice’s passion for abstract work is focused and she continues to learn.  And, yes, her heart is very happy.

Curriculum Vitae

exhibitions

2017

Edmonds Arts Festival, Juried Gallery; June 16-18, 2017

Pacific Regent Invitational Show, Pacific Regent Tower Condominium Association  & Seattle Co-Arts; Nov 5, 2016 – Jan 27, 2017

Evergreen Association of Fine Arts (EAFA) Open Juried Abstract Exhibition; an 6 – Feb 26, 2017

2016

Pacific Regent Invitational Show, Pacific Regent Tower Condominium Association  & Seattle Co-Arts; Nov 5, 2016 – Jan 27, 2017

Arts of the Terrace, 2016, Mountlake Terrace 38th Annual Juried Art Show, September 24 – October 9, 2016.

Evergreen Association of Fine Arts (EAFA) Open Juried Abstract Exhibition, September 24 – October 9, 2016.

Roslyn Art Festival Juried show, running August 3-September 3 in Roslyn, WA.  

Beauty of the Northwest, Gallery North, Edmonds, Wa.,  Juried Show, August 1-31, 2016.  

The Schack Art Center, 20th Juried Art Show, Everett, WA.  

ArtSplash, show sponsored by the Edmonds Arts Commission and Artists Connect (July 21-23).

2015    

Small Works Show, Gallery North, Edmonds, Wa., March 1-30

Edmonds Arts Festival, Edmonds, Wa., June 19-21  

Kenmore Art Show, Kenmore, Wa. , June 24-28.

Holiday Show, The Schack Art Center, Everett, WA. (Nov. 18-Dec. 24)

Richmond Beach Art Festival, Shoreline, WA.

Honors and Awards

July, 2016.....ArtsSplash People’s Choice Award, second place (tie)

Service and Leadership

2017............Seattle Co-Arts, Chair, Seattle Co-Arts 67th Annual Juried Show, Brushstrokes from the Soul

2016..............Volunteer, Arts of the Terrace, Mountlake Terrace (WA.) 38th Annual Juried Art Show

2016..............Seattle Co-Arts, Co-chair for Annual Juried Show

2016..............Seattle Co-Arts, Assistant Chair for 2016 juried show, Colorful Imagings

2015–...........CoArts Board from September 2015 to the present.

2015..............Judge for Youth Art Division for Edmonds Arts Festival at Martha LakeElementary School

2015–...........Hospitality Co-Chairperson, Artists Connect, Edmonds, WA.

2015–...........ArtsSplash Committee Member, Artists Connect, Edmonds, WA.

2015..............Seattle CoArts, Committee chair for holiday exhibit at Schack Art Museum, Everett, WA.