The Art of Jan Ketza Harris

The Abstracts ... I traveled across the States for many years exhibiting at art shows all over the country. With the traveling, I often wondered as I looked at the landscapes, “What would that look like with a giant wash of colors coming down that hillside?” This is what an artist does, they think outside the box. I had hours of drive time traveling and needed to keep my mind in a creative state.

In my studio I experimented with this idea over years and in the late 90’s developed this art technique which I call “Controlled Chaos”. The canvas is not stretched but floating in the air supported by platforms. I create nooks and valleys and pour paint down my imaginary hillsides. Then like a force of nature, water is thrown along side chosen colors to mimic erosion. Paintbrushes are not used. There is a state of mind I have to be in to create these images. There is a feeling of happiness, peace, and calm before I will even begin. If I am not, the canvas is not successful. All of these paintings have occurred while living in Warren IL (Galena-Jo Daviess County).

The Landscapes ... Here I combine my love of the abstract with the suggestion of the real. I receive great inspiration from the landscape along the Stagecoach Trail in Northern Jo Daviess County, Illinois and Taos, New Mexico. In both of these places I feel the vibrations of the land. Often I under paint the canvas and paint en plein aire, which isFrench for painting outside. To start a painting outside on location is the most exciting way to paint. The weather, nature, all of my senses are inspired and the results are delivered to the canvas. In Taos, I workshop with Leigh Gusterson and paint in a southwest landscape way. As part of the ‘Taos 10’, we gather as a group of experienced artist from all over the country and paint intensely. All learning from each other, we share a very similar passion for the Taos Landscape and take that home with us to paint in our regions. I paint the Galena Landscape in this southwest technique which I call Galena Expressionism.

The Art Jewelry ... All the principles of art I have learned in painting are applied to creating Art Jewelry.  Size, shape, color, value, texture and so on are all included in the designing. For 20 years I had a successful Wearable Art Clothing Company called, Picasso’s Creative Clothing. My customers wanted jewelry to go with the outfits I created. So I experimented in jewelry making. Then they wanted to buy the beads I selected for jewelry making. Several years later, I am happily a co-owner of Galena Beads-“Serving Creativity” Galena IL. Here we teach jewelry making techniques to the Galena Tourists and create our, ‘Made in Galena Jewelry’. My specialty is Wire Crochet Jewelry. Please visit www.galenabeads.com to learn more about us. In November 2006, a jewelry piece of mine was selected to appear on the cover of Stringing Magazine, Fall 2006, Interweave Press-Beadwork Magazine.