Jan Bushart
"I have always enjoyed painting from life."
Jan's creative parents recognized and encouraged her unusual talent
in art. Her father, Ken Smith, still plays cornet with the Golden
Eagle Jazz Band and her mother, Flossie Smith, is a painter exhibiting
her work in southern California. They raised Jan and three siblings
in a noisy, creative household surrounded by art and music. She
was encouraged to paint...outside. She continued to paint her
surroundings despite the instructors in school trying to convince
her to work from photos.
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| "Coco,"
Oil on Linen, 9" x 12" |
She received a scholarship from the Laguna Beach School of Art
while studying watercolor with Roger Armstrong. At that point
she knew she would forever be cleaning paint from under her fingernails.
She went on to receive a BA in Art from California State University
at Chico where she studied with Ann Pierce, Sal Casa and Ken Morrow.
She helped support herself in college by selling her paintings.
By the time she graduated, Jan was represented by galleries in
California, Alaska, Arizona and Hawaii.
In 1998 Jan moved from California to Hawaii and joined Plein
Air Painters of Maui. At this point she started working primarily
in oils. She recently founded the first statewide outdoor painting
group, Plein Air Painters of Hawaii.
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| "Makawao
Spring" Oil on Canvas, 12" x 16" |
Jan's paintings have recently received awards at "The Great
Makawao Paintout" at Viewpoints Gallery and "Coastal
Trees of Maui" competition at Lahaina Arts Society. She has
been represented in Hawaii by the Coast Gallery in Wailea, Gallery
Pacific in Lahaina and Ohana Gallery in Makawoa and Hilo. Her
work is collected by Hollywood Studios Gallery who rent the paintings
to the Hollywood film industry. They have supplied paintings in
countless films such as "Million Dollar Baby ". Jan's
paintings are in private and corporate collections around the
world. She's currently represented by the following galleries:
- Maui Hands Gallery, Lahaina, Hawaii
- Maui Hands Gallery, Paia, Hawaii
- Maui Hands Gallery, Kaanapali at the Hyatt Regency, Hawaii
- Maui Hands Gallery, Santa Monica, California
- Kaukini Gallery, Kahakaloa, Hawaii
- Aloha Images, Kapaa, Hawaii
Artist's Statement
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| "Mango
Stand" Oil on Canvas, 16" x 20" |
"I paint because I must. I may be so inspired by the way
light strikes a particular scene for a brief moment in time that
I simply need to paint it. I find painting on location (en plein
air) to be the most honest and direct form of painting there is.
I literally immerse myself in the scene. We become one for a while,
sharing our secrets on canvas. I can feel the cool breeze, smell
the salt air...while I gradually become aware that the ocean is
now lapping at my legs and trying to steal my easel. There is
an urgency to capture the fleeting light and shadow patterns that
make plein air painting so fascinating. (There can also be the
urgency to complete the painting before the tide comes up.) Nothing
sharpens an artist's skills like painting on location."
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| "Morning
Calm" Oil on Canvas, 12" x 16" |
"A successful painting is like a symphony. All of the color
notes should be harmonious with one another except for purposeful
dissonance for contrast. Any fine tuning of a piece must be limited
to leave space between the notes and allow the viewer the opportunity
to relate to the painting in their own way. I want share the 'essence'
of the scene."
"I moved to Hawaii because it is truly the most inspiring
place I've ever painted. Hawaii is a land of contrasts and has
the perfect balance of warm and cool colors. Blue waves turning
to white foam as they crash into black lava. The diversity of
people and cultures in the islands are intriguing and mysterious.
When I paint on location I absorb more than I realize at the time
and it restores my spirit. "
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| "Kauai
Lumahai" Oil on Canvas, 8" x 10" |
"Hawaii brings out the child in everyone. I met a 70 year-old
couple building sand castles and frolicking in gentle waves together
on their first vacation in over 30 years. Such joy! That gets infused
into my work." "I also enjoy painting in very diverse
environments like California, Arizona and Colorado. It keeps my
eyes fresh and surprised by different pallets. Traveling also
helps appease the gypsy in me."
"Beyond every curve in the road, every boulder on the trail
is a scene waiting to be painted. I enjoy anticipating the mystery
that awaits me."
For more information about Jan Bushart, please visit www.janbushart.com.
You can also contact her at:
Jan Bushart
P.O.Box 2288
Kihei, HI 96753
Email: janbushart@gmail.com
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