Janelle Douglas
MADISON, MS
Acrylic abstract artist exploring the landscapes of the Mississippi Delta. I create bold, vibrant works that reflect life’s dualities and transformation.
Message
Janelle Douglas is a self-taught, Mississippi artist who has spent over 20 years intermittently exploring the world of oil pastel, watercolor, and acrylic painting. She spent her formative years living in the rural Mississippi towns of Merigold and Cleveland, later moving to Oxford and then Greenville, where she would live for eleven years as an adult. During this time, she experienced the Delta’s vibrant contrasts and deep histories, fueling her creative process today. Janelle currently resides in Madison, Mississippi.
Her abstract paintings often embody the spirit of mysticism, merging natural forms with symbolism to evoke a journey of self-discovery. Over the past five years, Janelle has increased her knowledge, practice, and body of work. While practicing as a board-certified nurse case manager until January 2025, she fully embraced her identity as a professional artist, showcasing and selling her work through pop-up art shows and gallery submissions. She finds endless inspiration in the physical landscapes and the inner emotional terrains she navigates through her art.
Statement
I paint to capture a sense of place—both literal and spiritual. My work often focuses on abstract landscapes, particularly inspired by the Mississippi Delta, where the tension between beauty and adversity is palpable. The interplay between light and darkness, chaos and calm, nature and mysticism drives much of my artistic vision.
I strive to create pieces that provoke introspection while honoring the natural world’s inherent dualities. Painting in acrylic, oil pastels, and watercolor, I find freedom in the fluidity of form, allowing the colors to mirror both my internal journey and the external landscapes that inspire me. My goal is to evoke emotion, stir a sense of connection within the viewer, and ultimately reflect the beauty of balance and transformation.