Mary Rose Janya

Ever since I can remember, I enjoyed drawing, painting and writing. I liked illustrating my own stories, especially with watercolors.

For my 7th birthday, I received a paint-by-number kit of a Japanese landscape with a pagoda. I could hardly wait to get started. As I began with number 1, a bright red, I saw the structure of the pagoda take shape. It was amazing! Then, as I added other numbers, I became frustrated because I wanted to change the colors. I quickly realized that I didn’t need the kit. I could do my own paintings - and I have from then on.

Through the years, while working as an editor and later raising a family, I continued my efforts to advance my skills. I studied with many accomplished local artists, including Judy Wengrovitz, Roberta Lintner and Darlene Kaplan.

I am a member of the Springfield Art Guild and am currently serving on the Board. I have been juried into numerous local shows and have won a variety of awards.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I’ve always been attracted to watercolor because of it’s fluidity, vibrancy, and transparency. More recently, I’ve been exploring mixed media using gel, gesso, rice paper, watercolor and acrylics. Each painting is an adventure!

Why paint? It’s that desire to capture a magical moment - the way the morning light shimmers on the pond, the joyfulness of jazz, the rhythm of a dance, the warmth of friends sharing coffee at a cafe’. I like to paint people engaged in activities they love - music, sports, reading, hiking, painting. I also like to paint nature and outdoor scenes to help people appreciate the beauty and fragility of the Earth and the need to take care of her.