Jan Ayers Friedman, Texas Sculpture Group

From Fort Worth, TX

Artist Statement:

Being strongly devoted to the study of classical realism and also happily energized by organically spontaneous gestures is an interesting contrast. How does an artist explain that they're both relevant and related? They're both expressions of what simply Is.

In 2011, I was told of a central religious tenet that proposes that we, as humans, exist in order to finish creating the universe. As a visual artist, that concept generated immense interest and has commanded the last few years of my work. I paint gesturally with large movements, and because of that, unexpected marks and gravity-induced drips add energy to the final result that is outside my own effort. Therefore I find the idea of the universe putting the final touches upon itself, with human intent as the brush, to be perfectly logical. It also agreed with the small study I had already made of quantum physics.

Translating a perceived energy into art that communicates a feeling is not much different than noticing the slope of a chin and tilt of a head, and then using that knowledge to capture a likeness that communicates a personality or an emotion that a viewer can also feel as they look at it. My art tells stories about feeling. When the viewer re-tells that story with their own perceptions about the art- that's when connections happen, and the Universe gains one more click into completeness.

Artist Biography:

Jan Ayers Friedman was born in Dallas, Texas in 1954 and currently paints and sculpts from her studio in the Fort Worth Museum District. She studied art and science curricula at ETSU and UTA and has served on boards of local arts organizations since 1984.

A co-founder of the Texas Jewish Arts Association, Jan is currently involved with helping build arts opportunities and education platforms that encourage open dialogue and creative innovation.