Janiva Ellis facts for kids

Janiva Ellis is an American painter born in 1987. She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY and Los Angeles, CA. Janiva Ellis creates paintings that show people and figures. Her art often explores what it's like to be an African-American woman. She also shares her own journey of understanding who she is within the Black community.

Janiva Ellis's Early Life and Education

Janiva Ellis was born in Oakland, California. She is biracial, meaning her mother is white and her father is Black. Her mother raised her. When Janiva was seven, they moved to Hawaii. They lived on different islands, including Kauai and Oahu. From age 10 to 16, she lived on Kauai.

Janiva started painting when she was 10 years old. A Black woman named Tammy Day, who was 20 years old, helped her learn to paint. Hawaii has a small Black population. Because of this, Janiva's art often looks at the different feelings and experiences from her childhood. It also explores how her biracial background shaped her identity.

Janiva Ellis studied painting at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She finished her studies in 2012.

Starting Her Art Career

After graduating in 2012, Janiva Ellis took a break from the art world. She went back to Hawaii. At first, she didn't feel inspired by the art scene in New York. She also missed having friends who shared her ethnic background. This was hard for Janiva, as finding her identity was one reason she had left Hawaii.

After a few years, Janiva returned to New York in 2017. She had a new way of looking at her childhood. She also felt more sure about her identity as both Black and white.

One of Janiva's recent paintings is called The Angles. It was shown at the Hammer Vault Gallery in Los Angeles, California. In this painting, she shows how confusing it can feel to find yourself. She also shows the beauty of accepting who you are. An art writer named Aram Moshayedi said that The Angles shows "decay and loss." But if you look closely, you can see "moments of flourish and signs of life."

Janiva Ellis, The Angles, Hammer Projects (2022), Oil on Canvas

How Janiva Ellis Creates Art

Janiva Ellis, "Doubt-Guardian", 2018, Oil on Canvas

Janiva Ellis says her paintings are a way to talk to non-Black women about her experiences. She also wants to ask other black women, "Do you feel this, too?" Art writer Rachel Corbett has praised Janiva's paintings. She noted how they show a lot of deep thought and feeling.

Rachel Corbett also mentioned that the calm landscapes in the background of Janiva's paintings often look very different from the people in them. These people sometimes seem troubled by cartoon characters. Sometimes, Janiva's paintings include religious symbols. These might be lambs or angels. This connects her work to older religious paintings. In every piece, Janiva keeps sharing her story. She includes different parts of her own identity.

In 2017, Janiva Ellis had her first solo show in New York City. It was called "Lick Shot" and was at 47 Canal. In 2018, she took part in the New Museum Triennial art show, called “Songs for Sabotage.” Then, in 2019, Janiva was part of the Whitney Biennial. This important show was put together by Rujeko Hockley and Jane Panetta. In 2025, her work was shown at Harvard University's Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts in an exhibition called "Fear Corroded Ape."

Janiva Ellis's Exhibitions and Awards

Janiva Ellis has shown her art in many places. Here are some of her exhibitions:

• 2017 - "You Catch More Flies With Arsenic Than Honey” - Club Pro, Los Angeles, California
• 2017 - "Cabin Fever" - BBQLA, Los Angeles California
• 2017 - "Lick Shot” - 47 Canal, New York City
• 2017 - "Prick Up Your Ears” - Karma International, Los Angeles, California
• 2018 - “Painting: Now & Forever, Part III” - Greene Naftali, New York City
• 2018 - Triennial: “Songs for Sabotage” - New Museum, New York City
• 2018 - "Keebler’s Revenge" -The American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York City
• 2019 - Whitney Biennial 2019, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City
• 2021 - "Janiva Ellis: Rats" - Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
• 2022 - "The Angles" - Hammer Vault Gallery, Los Angeles, California
• 2025 - "Fear Corroded Ape" - Harvard University's Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts

Janiva Ellis has also received awards for her art:

• Rema Hort Mann Foundation Grant, 2018
• Stanley Hollander Award, 2018