Janice Wright Cheney facts for kids

Janice Wright Cheney RCA is a Canadian artist born in 1961. She lives and works in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Janice is known for creating amazing art using textiles, which are fabrics and materials like cloth.

Meet the Artist

Janice Wright Cheney was born in Montreal, Quebec. She studied visual arts at Mount Allison University. Later, she also studied education at the University of New Brunswick. Today, she shares her knowledge by teaching at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design.

What is Textile Art?

Janice is a textile artist. This means she uses fabrics, threads, and other soft materials to create her artworks. Her art often explores ideas about nature and everyday home life. She takes ordinary materials and turns them into something extraordinary.

Amazing Art Exhibits

Janice Wright Cheney has created many unique art exhibits. Her work often features animals and insects, but not in the way you might expect!

Cellar: Furry Rats and Art

One of her famous exhibits was called Cellar. For this project, Janice made hundreds of rats. But these weren't just any rats; they were crafted from old, recycled fur coats! This exhibit was shown at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax.

Trespass: Animals in the Museum

Another cool exhibit was Trespass, shown at the New Brunswick Museum. For this, Janice created individual animals and insects. These included coyotes, tiny fleas, and even a giant squid! She placed her art pieces among the museum's regular exhibits. This made it feel like the creatures were "trespassing" and surprising visitors.

Disorderly Creatures: Beautiful Bugs

In her exhibit Disorderly Creatures, Janice focused on insects. She transformed them from something often seen as messy into beautiful and powerful art. She did this by embroidering insects onto fine linens. This exhibit was displayed at the Rodman Hall Art Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Oh, Canada: A Giant Grizzly

Janice Wright Cheney was also part of a big art show called "Oh, Canada." This show featured modern Canadian art at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. Her contribution was a huge grizzly bear covered in roses!

Awards and Recognition

Janice Wright Cheney has received several important awards for her art. In 2004, she won the Strathbutler Award for Excellence in the Arts. She was also chosen to be a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2010. In 2013, she received the Lieutenant-Governor's Award for High Achievement in Visual Arts. These awards show how much her work is valued in the art world.

Where to See Her Art

Janice Wright Cheney's art is part of many important collections. You can find her work in the permanent collections of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the New Brunswick Museum. Her art is also at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Even the Canadian government's Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development owns some of her pieces.