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Since turning professional
in 1982, Jan has exclusively depicted the nature and wildlife
with which she holds such a bond. Known as an artist and naturalist
who paints nature's diversity, she depicts African, Rainforest
and North American subjects with equal expertise. Studying nature
and its intricacies is a passion of Jan's. She strongly believes
that to depict nature in such a way as to evoke emotion from
the viewer, the artist must experience all the nuances of the
out-of-doors. To touch the velvety textures of moss, to smell
the pungent spruces in a marshy bog, to let the whistling wind
of the tundra lift your hair from your forehead - all these things
must be inside an artist to be able to come out convincingly
from the end of a paint brush.
Jan travels extensively
in a constant quest to satisfy the gnawing hunger inside her,
which is to learn and experience nature in every way she can.
From the chilly hummocks of the autumnal tundra in Alaska to
the deep snowy recesses of the Montana wilderness, and on to
the steamy tropical rainforest of the Peruvian Amazon and the
golden savannahs of Africa, Jan sketches, paints and photographs
all that nature has to offer. At home, Jan's extensive library
of natural history books, field guides and videos help sustain
her hunger when she is in her studio. Drawing on all these experiences
in combination with the visual tools of the photos, sketches,
study skins, etc. she has at her fingertips, Jan sets about creating
the art that is her homage to the nature she loves.
Working in Acrylic
with ChromaColour paint on smooth masonite panel, Jan creates
the fine details, textures and lighting that are the hallmarks
of her work. Manipulating the paint with her brushes, sponges,
Saran wrap and fingers, Jan creates lifelike renditions of fur,
feathers, mosses and rocks. The surrounding habitat is always
scientifically correct, yet an artistic backdrop to the main
subject of the wildlife she is depicting.
Jan Martin McGuire
currently lives in the Osage Hills of Oklahoma. She shares her
life with her husband James Gary Hines who manages the business
aspect of her career. They strive to live environmentally friendly
and in tune with nature by actively reducing, reusing and recycling.
They share their home with Jan's teenage daughter and with a
variety of animals.
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