Jan Forkert’s paintings, enamel wall pieces and jewelry (including her three-dimensional silver sculpture on a two dimensional background of watercolor painting or etching), and her forged silver and enameled copper jewelry will be in our gallery from December 7-29, with an opening reception on the Sunday, the 7th from 12 – 2pm.
Recipient of the Master Artist Award from the Door County Art League in 2012, Jan holds a BS in Art Education and a BA in Fine Arts from UW Madison. She taught art in the public schools for 14 years and later served as Director of the Peninsula School of Art. Her need to explore the possibilities of other forms led her to move from two dimensional watercolor and printmaking to silver and copper jewelry in three dimensions and then on to her distinctive blend of painting and metalsmithing. Her mixed media paintings, enameled landscapes, floral sculpture, jewelry and centerpieces have been shown at the Fine Line Design Gallery in Ephraim, at Woodwalk Gallery in Egg Harbor, in anniversary shows at The Ridges and The Clearing and in national shows.
Jan’s inspiration comes from both nature and art; they are inseparable in that she sees the world as art. An astute observer of patterns in rock, plant life and water throughout the seasons, she brings a lifelong familiarity with silver and watercolor from her parents’ studios that allowed her an unusual degree of freedom to experiment with forms drawn from nature. She particularly loves the challenge of compressing, twisting, stretching and pounding metal because art, like nature, is for her always in a state of metamorphosis. The thrill of discovery is palpable in her one-of-a-kind work.
The Gallery is open Sunday 11:00 am -12:30 pm and Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 1-3 pm.
