JANNA VANDERVEEN
Fiction Author & Artist
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Watercolor and Pastel Painting | Illuminate. I am continuing to learn new techniques of painting, some whimsical and detailed, others abstract and intuitive. This painting may look more lifelike in comparison to the more illustrative paintings I’ve been painting recently, which might make one think that it was more of a drawing study and more detailed. However, this type of painting embraces the fluidity and uncertainty of watercolors and allows for an… Read More
Watercolor Painting | Hidden I am drawn repeatedly to paint women peering through secret gardens, as if they are inviting me to enter their sacred sanctuaries where suffering, striving, competition, and inequality no longer exist. They live there, not because of something they have done, but simply because they “are.” In this haven of light, where love is the water of life, all are welcome and none are denied.
The wind, the trees, All bend their knees As love flies next to me, Like lightest air It touches my hair And slowly wakens me. I sigh its name The soft refrain Like water, drenches me. Its eyes meet mine Warm flowers that shine And knows the depths of me. This garden of light Where lovers delight Has won the heart of me. ~ Janna Vanderveen
You prepare a table Within this valley of beauty And my tears flow For I know I am in good hands You and me together. ~ Janna Vanderveen
When you speak, Wild things rise and shine, All a flutter, And my dreams flourish, Golden in light. ~ Janna Vanderveen
“Knock, and he will open the door. Vanish, and he will make you shine like the sun. Fall, and he will raise you to the heavens. Become nothing, and he will turn you into everything.” ~ Rumi. I completed this 8 x 10 painting using Daniel Smith and Winsor Newton Professional Watercolor Paints and Luminance Pencils by Caran D’ache. Painting inspired by a photo taken of a ball-jointed doll created by artist… Read More
Mankind is like a garden of blossoming wild flowers, beautiful as a whole, yet stunning with its unique parts and individual differences. May we continually see the beauty created by our differences and love with open arms. My watercolor study of Danielle Donaldson’s art.
When the rocks cry out And animals sing They boast of love And peaceful things. Each hallowed night With reverent tone They linger in the embrace Of their Holy Unknown. ~ Janna Vanderveen This 16″ x 20″ painting was completed using Golden acrylics, FW inks, a variety of ephemera, chalk pastels, Derwent Inktense pencils, Caran D’ache watercolor crayons, and Luminance Pencils.
We are star walker’s, each and every one of us, wading through light and darkness, while awakening to goodness and love. In the darkness we feel alone, yet God entered our darkness so we would never be alone, and thus darkness is but an illusion. In the light, we see the truth of God’s goodness and we no longer fear the shadows, for we see that they also are illusions which dissipate… Read More
There are moments when I layer prose into my paintings. Amidst the layers of ephemera, inks, watercolors, and acrylics, I nestle words of encouragement, whispers of hope, and expressions of gratitude. I like the idea of hiding within each piece of art, a secret letter of love, that maybe some will see and others will feel. I scrawl my thoughts in French, since it’s considered the language of love and it’s appearance… Read More
I followed a YouTube tutorial by Lucy Brydon, a Gel Printing master, to create this abstract-type, midnight landscape. It consists of many different layers of transparent colors. I used golden open paints, a Gelli plate, brayer, and Posca pens.
Mixed Media Painting | Penelope Bloom’s Ballerina Bunny Penelope Bloom has been on my mind again, along with her beloved toy bunny, reminding me of the purity and innocence of childhood. For a brief moment, I saw a Penelope Bloom bunny come to life, dancing in the light of the moon, free of everything that would weigh her down as she moved without constraints. Perhaps someday we will do the same. I… Read More
My daughter and I tackled another mixed media painting together, after she asked me to paint her a second puppy portrait to place on her bedroom wall. She drew this image over top of a mixed media, ephemera-rich background. I used inks, Caran C’ache Neocolor 2 crayons, golden acrylic paints, Winsor Newton Oil Bars, oil pastels, Posca Pens, Gelatos, and a Stabillo pencil to complete this look. We both like how she… Read More
My daughter and I collaborated on this painting. She drew the puppy which I then painted using inks, acrylics, gelatos, neocolor 2’s, oil pastels, and oil paints. Her excitement as she watched it come to life was contagious. We will have to do it again.
I cannot begin to tell you how much fun it is to paint freely and forget all the rules. This abstract painting was a study of Juliette Crane’s, “Wild and Free” course. It makes me think of winter, traveling, and the colors of Christmas.
When starlight dances, It bequeaths pure light, Empowering fireflies, And princesses alike. It whispers of magic, It resonates might, It sings in the darkness, And transforms the night. ~ Janna Vanderveen
This painting captivates me. I find myself contemplating the untold story within its layers, only to grapple with the feelings it evokes, ones of sadness, intrigue, and wonder. The forest looms, yet is beautiful. The princess appears to be lost and alone, yet is accompanied by her faithful friend (the bunny). Her bunny seems trapped, unless it climbed onto the branch to nestle in the crook of the tree’s arms, to better… Read More
I had a vision of a girl standing between the trees with her bunny, staring out at the world. She was neither happy nor sad. Accepting, I think. Maybe somewhat lost and alone. But ultimately, I knew that she belonged in this forest of light, where peace, love, and beauty abound. Girl in Forest, Janna Vanderveen 2017
I recently stumbled across Canadian painter, Melissa Mckinnon’s artwork. I have long-loved incorporating finger-painting into my artwork, as evidenced by my previous paintings, and felt inspired to try and paint my own birch/aspen tree. I completed this painting on an 8 x 10″ piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper and used a variety of acrylic paints as well as modeling paste for texture.
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Sweetheart by Janna Etsy Shop
JANNA VANDERVEEN 