Creativity runs in my family on my father’s side. I think he totally ignored I was a girl and taught me how to use all the tools in his shed. We were always creating something, small or big and I was right next to him. He was also the one who showed me how to draw. So, naturally I can’t even remember when my desire to paint first formed, it seems to have just flowed from doing one creative thing to another.

I finished a 5 years Interior Design study in Prague, Czechoslovakia and after escaping the communist regime there in 1981 and arriving in Australia, I embraced art fully and with passion. I learnt to paint on porcelain and glass, studied and practiced copper enameling, fabric printing, water colours, ceramics, painting furniture and everything else. Well if it didn’t move I probably painted on it. Pastels became my first real love, after that came acrylics and through a slow progression I now primarily work with oils but am always happy to intermix and play with all mediums.

For 13 years I ran a decorative art business; painting murals, trompe l’oeils, imitations of precious stones and different textures for decorating walls, ceilings and furniture, using mostly commercial specialist acrylic and oil paints. All this practice and experience slowly led into teaching. I started teaching art first in a purpose-build little studio in my garden, and now I teach in a beautiful, large studio in Yampi Way, Willetton to a devout and talented group of students of all ages. My interactions with them are very important to me as they keep inspiring me to constantly improve so that I can always offer something new and exciting!

Here is a blast from the past for a bit of a laugh…

Painting on porcelain and copper enameling:

1989 – my first big solo exhibition, all with pastels:

Starting my first creative business:

Jana's Art Studio - How It All Started