PAINTINGS

Wandering through the Northwest rain forests in fall and winter, under a quiet cathedral of trees, I walk and photograph.

My paintings are a weaving together of the fragmented images I carry back with me and those of my own emotional, intellectual and spiritual experiences. Tangled plant matter, detritus, and sometimes personal symbols, form dense layers to create an intimate map of relationships.

Each work is an attempt to explore the liminal space between self and environment where boundaries fade, as well as an invitation to take a closer look at our human relationship to the natural world.

MURALS

I love the physicality of painting murals, the climbing and wide arcs of movement, the deliberate action of holding an intent, surrounded by the distractions of everyday life.

I like being a public servant, an advocate for the arts and an artist, on a street corner or parking lot... The ability to reach people who don't ordinarily think about art is important. People talk to you. There's a question or two about process or content, and then there's a story, a fragment of their story, a glimpse of an unknown life, a personal connection and a shared experience. 

A mural can also be a conduit for a community to express its character as well as its desire for change. People are energized by seeing their ideas concretely depicted in a mural that reflects positively back on themselves and their surroundings. Murals are often a jumping off point for further community action.

In regard to children and mural painting; A child's small voice is amplified through the deliberate action of making art. As an art teacher, I am sensitive to the notion that a single event or interaction can spark a child's imagination or reinforce a belief that they are not enough. Learning how to take an idea and turn it into something tangible, something greater than themselves, and share it with the world, is an essential skill practiced through art-making, which lays the foundation for becoming a fully realized adult.

BIOGRAPHY

Jane Degenhardt has been making art, teaching art and advocating for the arts in education for over 35 years. Her paintings and murals can be seen in private collections and public venues throughout the United States. She currently paints and teaches in the Pacific Northwest, immersed in the lush, intimate landscape that informs her work.

Curriculum Vitae (.pdf)