Background: I’ve been doing art since I was a kid. My electives in high school were always art and music. I never learned to sew a button or boil an egg because I was busy taking art. … Once my kids were grown, I jumped into art full time and got on Instagram and started sharing it.
Style: I consider myself, at heart, a collage artist. All of my work is happy themed. It’s always meant to brighten and bring happiness and joy. I use a lot of bright colors, a lot of vintage book images, and often there are kids or animals. It’s all meant to lift you up.
Artists of all experience levels are welcome to contribute art to the gallery. Visitors might encounter originals from NC-based professionals, friendship bracelets woven by Fuquay neighbors, and collages by Jana herself.
Legacy: It is a huge amount of energy to make art a full-time business. I have several chronic illnesses which slow me down. With my health, I felt more called to make a mark in the world and leave something important. Once you start making art, there’s only so much you can keep. So it naturally made sense to start giving it away.
My first project was Art Happy Mail. Most of the originals that I make are small, 4 by 6 or smaller, and I gift most of them. People will send me names on Instagram of people that are having surgery, or have had a death in the family, or are struggling with something, and I send out my Art Happy Mail free.
I’ve seen how much it has helped others. I have people tell me all the time how much it means to get a piece of art and to know that somebody’s thinking about them … that they’re loved in this world.
There’s so many kind people that care about others and want to make the world more beautiful, and this is my way of doing that. There’s only so much I can physically do, but this is the way that I can improve our world.
Gallery: I always wanted to have a Free Little Gallery. I entered a drawing in December with Impact Racks — they take old newspaper racks and refurbish them — and I won. Once I won (a rack), I decided to get this going right away, working on all my art friends to support me with little tiny art. A lot of local North Carolina art friends are sending me pieces. And local artists are swapping when they visit.
I didn’t anticipate the overwhelming response. Everybody was so excited about it. It definitely was something that was needed and wanted.
People have dropped off jewelry and keychains. Kids have painted rocks. It doesn’t have to be fancy; it doesn’t have to be framed. Any kind of art is welcome: professional, amateur, hobby. Everybody should look at art in their house.
janasartspace.com
instagram.com/janasfreelittleartgallery
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