Janet Searfoss Batik Artist phone: 989-316-2123 |
Janet Searfoss is a painter of Batik, the antique appearing paintings done with hot wax and dyes that often resemble stained glass in fabric form. Janet combines the ancient craft of batik with the art of painting . Her technique is often a radical departure from the traditional batik. Janet often combines acrylics and fabric paints with the hot wax layering, creating her distinctive style of mixed-media batik painting which she refers to as "American Batik" or wax-resist painting. Her paintings often will take over 100 hours to complete. "I want my Batiks to have a visual dialogue with the viewer"- Art that speaks to the heart. The Paintings show various perceptions of reality and are intended to stimulate the imagination. Janet's professional education began at Michigan State University and continued at Wayne State University where she earned her degree. She taught high school art in the Detroit area for eight years before her career with Batik. Janet shows and sells her Batiks at Art Shows throughout the Country. She has won numerous awards and is considered one of the Masters of Batik. Husband, Harold, does the custom matting, framing and giclee printing. He makes it possible to do the art show circuit throughout the country. The art acts as a portal to the spiritual realm for her and others. Imagination and intuition is her way of connecting the physical with the spiritual. Some of the art has deep symbolic meaning while other pieces are light hearted. The art is the beginning of a story with the viewers becoming the storytellers. The image opens up the "book" allowing the story to unfold and allowing the light to enter. Recent and Past Awards 1st Place Fibers West Shore Art Fair, Ludington, Mi July 6,7 2019 Honorable mention / Best in Category Grand Haven Art Fair June 29,30 2019 Award of Excellence-Best in Category Art & Apples Rochester, Mi Sept. 8,9,10 2017 Honorable Mention- Grand Haven Art Festival Grand Haven, Mi June 24,25 2017 Second Place Spring Jubilee Festival Pendelton, SC April 2, 2016 Best of Show Riverside Art Festival Bay City, Michigan June 13, 14 2015 First Place Atalaya Art Festival Huntington Beach State Park Sept. 26-28 2014 Second Place Atalaya Art Festival Huntington Beach State Park Sept. 27-29 2013 Merit Award 61st Annual Arts & Crafts Festival Fairhope, Al March 15,16, 17 2013 Honorable mention Sanibel Arts and Crafts Festival Sanibel Island Fl February 16, 17 2013 Award of Distinction (2nd Place) Blowing Rock, NC May 12, 2012 Best of Show Historic Pendleton Spring Jubilee Festival Pendleton, SC April 7 ,2012 Best of Category - Decorative Fiber Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff St. Joseph, Mich July 9, 10, 2011 Purchase Award Piccolo Spoleto Crafts Fair Charleston, SC June 3, 2011 Honorable mention Sanibel Arts and Crafts Festival Sanibel Island FL Feb.2011 www.SanibleCaptivaDaily.com (photos of event) Honorable mention Amelia Island Art Festival Amelia Island, Fl. Oct. 2010 Second Place Whalehead Club Arts Festival Corolla, NC June 23, 2010 Award of Distinction (2nd Place) Blowing Rock, NC August 15, 2009 Award of Excellence (Best of Show) Blowing Rock, NC May 17, 2008 Judge's Choice Blue Ribbon Amelia Island Fall Art Festival Amelia Island, Fl Nov. 2007 Fourth Place 32nd Annual Atalaya Art Festival Huntington Beach, SC Sept. 2007 Award of Excellence Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 2007 First Place 37th Annual Golden Isles Festival St. Simons Island, Ga. October 2006 Award of Excellence Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 2006 Batik Exhibit at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Upstate Visual Arts Gallery July-August 2006 Honorable mention Inman Park Arts Festival, Atlanta, Ga. April 2006 First Place 34th Annual Eastern Shore Outdoor Art show, Fairhope, Al. March 2006 Second Place Golden Isle Art Festival, St. Simons Island, Ga. Oct. 2005 Second Place St. Augustine Arts Festival, St. Augustine, Fl. April 2005 |
About THE ARTIST |