Artist, Educator and  Author

Janis has lived in Breckenridge, Colorado, for over forty years.  She splits her time between Breckenridge and Tonto Verde, Az.  She had a thirty-year career in the Summit School District where she was a classroom teacher, art educator and ended her career as an elementary principal.  During her career she was named Colorado Art Educator of the year.  

Janis teaches art both locally in the Breckenridge Arts District and in workshops in the Southwest for both children and adults.  She continues to participate in master classes and attends workshops in the mountains and the southwest to learn new techniques and enhance her work.

Janis and co-author Stephanie Bissell Briggs, published a multicultural book titled, “Pictures and Poetry.”  The book depicts the relationship between art and poetry.  The activities in the book and the biographical sketches of famous artists and poetry are the basis for the many types of classes and workshops that Janis teaches.  Students enjoy learning the brush strokes of the Impressionist artists, creating reflection paintings in the style of Monet or creating window paintings using the examples of  Matisse.

Janis writes…I am an Impressionist style painter who uses color, texture and various brush strokes when doing a piece of art.  I enjoy using acrylic paints for the texture of various brush strokes and their layering effect in my work.  I also paint with watercolors and with oil paints when outside doing plein air painting.  Most of my paintings are landscapes of the mountains and the desert.  My abstract work is usually done with wax using the encaustic techniques.

I often use poetry to inspire my work and will paint a picture that reflects the mood and feeling of the poem.  At times I will paint a picture and then write a poem about the painting. 

artbyjanisbunchman.com