We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jan Heaton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I grew up in Detroit. I have lived in Austin since 1975. As soon as I could hold a crayon I knew I would be an artist. My grandfather was a design engineer for Henry Ford. My father a display artist, calligrapher and sign painter. My mother an illustrator for General Motors, and an accomplished artist in multiple mediums. Every day they shared with me the tools of creating art. Mom set up still lifes on our dining room table to sketch from on snowy, housebound days. My brother and I learned from our parents how to observe, isolate, and find beauty in the smallest details. I learned that practice, persistence and repetition is key. I attended weekend studio classes at the Detroit Institute of Arts from the age of 10 to 14 where I studied the Diego Rivera murals and sketched with inspiration from the master works. I attended Cass Technical High School in downtown Detroit, a music & art magnet school. I discovered watercolor in high school. I loved working on paper, the fluidity and spontaneity of the medium, and the ease of transporting minimal materials. Our class would head out and paint the freighters on the Detroit River, the elderly people sitting on the park benches, the first flower of spring popping up through the gray, crusty ice. When we depleted our water supply we painted with melted snow.

Jan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My paintings are inspired by observing details in nature. My mother was a tireless observer of people and her surroundings, constantly collecting ideas and drawing. Like her I also record ideas in sketchbooks, and have notebooks stashed everywhere. I listen to music while I paint. Motown is my favorite. I have a growing stack of books to read by my bed. I always have a camera with me as I want to remember the details. I translate the images to paper when I am back in my studio. I teach watercolor at Anderson Ranch in Snowmass, the Contemporary Austin Art School, and Peninsula School of Art. The artists I teach there always inspire me. I believe in the power of color and imagery to alter the viewer’s sense of place. In the end my vision is to create a permanent visual space that influences a sense of well-being. Making art is my journey to understand the world, both materially, and conceptually, through the color, movement, and relationships inspired by forms in nature. My art is a visual journal and the sum of everything I know, observe, remember, and love.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My focus the past five years has been how line, color, and form can alter our sense of well-being. The new work inspired by living with my daughter during her cancer treatment in California, and my morning walks by the ocean in Laguna Beach that were my tranquil refuge. Seeking peace. Now. I am slowly healing, learning more about art therapy, grief, and its importance on this journey. Repetitive marks, spheres, color, and rhythmic lines, lifting the spirit, and hopefully communicating a tranquil place.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The opportunity to observe, record ideas, and connect with the world through my artwork. A visual journey I can share,

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary”. – Pablo Picasso

Contact Info:

• Website: http://janheaton.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janheatonwatercolor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janheatonwatercolors/

Image Credits
Jan-Headshot – J.Sparks Photography Jan-Panorama Studio Shot: Scott David Gordon Artwork Photography: Jan Heaton