Janet Black

Artist Statement

In an increasingly complicated world, the mind seeks a resting place. I want my art to be a visual meditation, bringing the viewer into another place, creating a window to another possibility. I seek the images that lead me through that window. As an artist, it is my task to bring back and share what I discover there. Many of my pieces include words that have been inspiring to me, from contemporary song lyrics and poetry to ancient sacred texts. My subjects often represent the iconic feminine, and my never-ending fascination with wild creatures, especially cats.

I often say that those who take the time to look will be rewarded. Collage allows me to incorporate subtle details and materials that are perhaps surprising and thought-provoking. I use papers of all sorts from around the world, although avoiding magazines. Text and calligraphy become messages or abstract design elements, patterns become texture. Inset levels call you further inward and reveal objects. The whole becomes an exploration of its parts returning to comprehend it again as a single image.