Jan Lawnikanis
Gympie, Qld
Jan is a Queensland based representational artist whose passion for teaching has spanned three decades.
Message
Jan Lawnikanis has been teaching art classes consistently for nearly 30 years and tutored over 200 workshops in a variety of media. Students have praised Jan for her teaching skills and preparation which has gained her an excellent reputation with all ages.
Jan has been the featured artist in Australian Artist Magazine, with 5 full-length articles on using coloured pencils. Other publications include the Paradise Magazine-GC Bulletin, Art Newsflash, the International Watercolour Institute catalogue, the Coloured Pencil Magazine, the Australian Coloured Pencil Network, Art Edit magazine and Artwise textbook for the Australian Curriculum.
Her award-winning artworks hang in many private and corporate collections. Jan’s watercolours have also been selected over the last few years to represent Australia for an international watercolour festival in Fabriano, Italy.
Statement
Born in Sydney and now living in Gympie after 30 years on the Gold Coast, I am a representational artist with 29 years continuous teaching experience throughout Queensland and New South Wales. Art is such an important part of my life. The need to create is a strong force that is both stimulating and satisfying. I also enjoy the challenge of learning new skills and it is especially beneficial being able to pass on what I’ve learnt to students in the many art classes and workshops that I tutor.
Painting florals in watercolour is my particular passion. I strive to create uplifting paintings of truth and beauty, pieces that are a pleasure to live with and that inspire the viewer. Sunlight dancing on transparent petals, the nuances of colour in shadows and reflective lights; these are subjects that motivate me to record nature in some of its finest moments. Coloured pencils are another medium I have explored since the beginning of my art career, with recognition gained through articles written for leading art magazines.
Quickly produced work is not my style. Focusing on details of the natural world is a contemplative experience and I enjoy the process as much as the outcome. By being immersed in the study of God's creation, I aim to achieve a sense of quiet and stillness in my work.