My goal as an artist is to provide a quiet space that draws the mind toward contemplation.  Building up layers of materials, I create a textural surface with veils of color much like the surface of an ancient mural or stained wall.  As I work, I try to release my conscious mind and let images from the “inner gaze” appear—a leaf, a feather, a vessel, a veiled woman, or just abstract forms—that provide a point of focus.  My yoga instructor calls this drishti—a point of focus to keep my balance so I may go more deeply inward. 

Biography

Jane Emens began painting at four years old, creating watercolors of the Vermont landscape with her artist mother.  After years of painting in acrylics, Jane discovered the excitement of texture and sculptural forms through fiber and textile arts, and received her MFA in Fiber and Mixed Media Art, creating “archeological” fragments from paper and mixed media.  Retaining her love of texture and layers, Jane returned to the 2-dimensional surface working with images inspired by the walls of Pompeii and cave paintings, before turning to the current work shown here.  See resume for additional information: 

Materials

The current work uses mixed media (acrylic paint, oil pastel, spackle, matte medium, and pencil) on canvas or hardboard panels.