Mary Janacek is an interdisciplinary artist based in Fairfield, CT, whose practice is at the intersection of paper constructions, painting, printmaking, and bookmaking. Her work explores the ever-changing environment of the American landscape and has been in solo and group exhibitions across the country for over fifteen years. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Printmaking from the San Francisco Art Institute in San Francisco, CA, and her Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute for the Arts in Los Angeles, CA.
I begin my work with a repetitive process to form a substrate; cutting, tearing, folding, or squishing paper, canvas, or clay. The meditative process creates a surface for the paint to collect and pool, layers of material to interweave, and spaces for materials to dissolve and build back up again. Surface textures form paintings with physical and illusionary space.
My work aims to create an intimate visual space for reflection and contemplation on grief, unrest, and transformation.