My Statement

My art is a reflection of my emotions within. Painting, at first, became a therapeutic activity. Diagnosed with PTSD and major depression, I was finding healthy alternatives to cope with trauma. Painting was the only activity that seemed to “stick.” In the act of creation, I realized that my art is created involving my most important asset: my heart. Current day visionary artists such as Bill Bee, Alex Grey and past expressionist artists such as Van Gogh and Edvard Munch inspired me to lean towards the expressive visionary art styles. Growing up in Hawaii for 17 years, I took a strong interest in history, culture, religion and mythology. Hawaiian mythology and other pagan mythology revolving around feminine idols and goddesses became a huge inspiration for my own world with my own version of feminine idols and spirits in my paintings, often expressing a story behind my work. With storytelling, I have also made my own curated abstract patterned flow, and often appears within my expressive art pieces, creating an original piece of Janjan’s world. The message I hope to convey to my audience is how the experiences in my life have affected me emotionally and see how it translates onto a canvas.