About
James’ work has been exhibited in multiple museums on the West coast, including a Ten-Year Retrospective at the Woodbury Art Museum. Recent publications include Western Art and Architecture and “Five To Watch” in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. She is represented both by traditional and contemporary galleries, with her unique work being received by collectors nationally and internationally.
Artist Biography
Utah is my place of birth and home of continual adventure. I love to camp and hike the mountain trails with my dog, to smell the minerals of the earth on a rainy day, hear the crunch of the snow beneath my feet, smell the decay of leaves from trees hibernating through winter and enjoy a stream flowing at my feet in spring. It is the four seasons of Utah that provide unlimited inspiration as I watch the colors of the trees change from brown to bright yellow and back to lush green.
The outdoors is a source of abstraction and color for my artist’s eye. It is the muse that gives life to the work I do no matter the medium I choose for the expression. Seeing nature through this lens provides me endless opportunities to explore and create.
Artist Statement
Classically trained at the Bay Area Classical Artists Atelier, Belmont, CA and Studio Escalier, Paris, France, James has been traditionally trained and then ‘untrained’ through the intentional deconstruction of the formal art process. Taking from the methods of Reverse Glass Painting of the 15th Century, James has found a way to take what is old and make it into something new in her most recent landscape series painted on multiple-layers. These 3-D works are ten layers deep, painted on the front and back of five panes of 1/8” acrylic glass, creating a 1” thick painting.
Playing with color, light refraction, projection and sculpture, it is her inspiration from nature along with her fortitude, that opens the door to so many possibilities in her process. James uses a myriad of mediums from canvas, acrylic glass and hardware supplies to invent and create. Looking at her 3D paintings on multiple panels of acrylic glass, her layered acrylic wall sculptures, modern mobiles, traditional and abstract paintings, the depth of her creativity seems limitless. Not to mention, a soon to be added portrait series with commissions now available.
Propelling her creativity is the interplay between environment and light that contributes to these kinetic works as they individually compliment the space they occupy. It is this playfulness with light, color, shape, that capture the imagination and draw the viewer into these intricate works. James’ work is a journey between traditional and modern art, blending both in a way that is seamlessly accessible.
Oakley, UT with my girl Roxy (2005-2019)
Reviews
“Janell James’ pieces must be seen in person to be fully appreciated. They are mesmerizing, vibrant and sophisticated.”
“I have always admired and collected Janell’s unique multi-pane art. When I learned that she was going to apply portraiture to the unique style she has developed, I instantly knew that she was the artist commission I had been searching for to capture my two daughters. I wanted something that exemplified their youth and life, while at the same time — wanting a piece of art that stood on its own, the kind of portrait that could be collected, even if you weren’t personally attached to the subjects. The work that Janell produced exceeded my expectations in every way, and is a testament to her artistic talent. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!”
“Janell’s creative drive and passion to paint and to create the highest quality artwork are admirable. She studies continually and paints masterfully in a style she has uniquely developed as her own. Her paintings are recognizable at a distance because of their unique quality and subject. Her trees make you feel like a child again, lying on the ground and gazing up toward the sky, looking at the leaves and delicate branches. These paintings often contain surprising vibrant colors that give them vitality and interest.”
