The Vault: Janice Gay Maker - Stories from the Earth

Artist Statement for Stories from the Earth:

“Being a naturalist at heart, painting is the perfect vehicle by which to communicate feelings and passions for the natural world around me.
My paintings in this collection are oil on panels using the landscape and creations of nature as my subjects. I’ve consider trees one of my longtime favorite subjects as they can be depicted having anatomical and emotional qualities much like ourselves. Trees can be mighty, benevolent, and wear a crown. An exposed root can resemble a knee, a branch can be an arm. Humans, forever have had an intimate relationship with them and trees do so much, providing oxygen, wood, and food while their beauty brings us so much joy.

As an artist I can’t help but have that constant internal conversation with my environment, analyzing and translating what I see into plains of color, shape and space.

My painting, ‘Memories Of Summer,’ is of the beautiful and elegant gazebo from the back yard of my childhood home, which is where my love of all things in nature began.”

- Janice Gay Maker

Artist Bio:

Artist Janice Gay Maker is known for her use of color & patterns of light in creating her landscapes. Over the years working in oil paint, oil pastel and soft pastel, she has created lively, passionate vistas from observation in the natural landscape. “As my work has progressed my goal has been to create an understanding with the viewer the places and objects in my paintings may not last forever. In our modern culture land is developed, trees will be removed, man wants to reorganize what nature has created. Nothing stays the same and we are becoming more removed from the beauty of nature.”

“Being a naturalist at heart, painting is the perfect vehicle by which to communicate my feelings and passions for the world around me. With over 40 years of painting experience, seeing the world through painters eyes is never ending for me, this is where my paintings begin. As an Artists I can’t help but have a constant internal conversation with my environment analyzing and translating what I see into a painting.”

“Much of this work reflects landscapes and urban scenes, ‘colorative’ in nature. They convey a sense of peace, tranquility and mystery, a place where one may escape. Seldom does my work confront the viewer, but welcomes them in. There is a spirit in nature that touches our senses. It makes us feel whole...it makes us feel satisfied. The dawn and the dusk hours are particularly intriguing to me as this time presents its veil of mystery. Its colors like our impressions are continually changing from moment to moment. The intent of my work is to discover the soul of the subject. Here there is a past, present and future.”

www.janicegaymaker.com
FB: /jgmakeart
IG: @Janice_Gay_Maker

April 20th 5:30 - 7:30 is the opening reception for our Flourish Exhibition in The Main Gallery, as well as Janice Gay Maker's Solo Show in The Vault.

More about the Flourish Exhibition:

Flourish is an exhibition of artworks that feature floral and botanical artworks from across the country.
For the second year in a row, The d’Art Center is partnering with local garden clubs during the Historic Garden Week of Virginia. Our Flourish Exhibition reception begins right after Norfolk’s Garden Tour during the Historic Garden Week of Virginia.

Our 2023 Flourish Exhibition is in memory of Kathy Protogyrou, member of Harbor Front Garden Club, who loved beautiful flowers and botanicals. The reception will be a wonderful place for tour goers to end their day, and local Garden Club Members will create flower arrangements inspired by the artwork in the exhibition that will be revealed during the Flourish reception!