Jan Harrison facts for kids
Jan Harrison is an American artist born in West Palm Beach, Florida, on December 18, 1944. She is known for her paintings and sculptures, which mostly feature animals. Her art explores the feelings and thoughts of animals, and how they connect with people and the world around us.
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Exploring Animal Souls Through Art
Jan Harrison's artwork is deeply inspired by a philosophy called deep ecology. This idea suggests that humans and nature are closely connected, and that all living things have value. Her art aims to show the hidden parts of the human psyche (our minds and spirits) that might be forgotten because of how society works. She wants to bring out the wild, natural side of human nature through her animal art.
"Animal Tongues" and Unique Performances
Beyond painting and sculpting, Jan Harrison also performs using what she calls "Animal Tongues." This is a special language she created using sounds and singing, without regular words. She performs these "vocables" alongside her visual art, adding another unique layer to her artistic expression. It's like she's giving a voice to the animals and the natural world she portrays.
Awards and Recognition
Jan Harrison's unique art has been recognized with several awards. She has received six grants for her work in the arts. In 2019, she was the very first person to receive the Recharge Foundation Fellowship for New Surrealist Art from the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). This shows how important and influential her art is in the art world.
Exhibitions and Current Work
Jan Harrison's art has been shown in many exhibitions across the United States and in other countries. Her work is also featured in a book called In The Making: Creative Options for Contemporary Art. Today, Jan Harrison lives and works in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley, where she continues to create her powerful and thought-provoking animal art.
