Barb Januszkiewicz

" Il y a inspiration, innovation et puis il y a ce qui est possible." " – Barb Januszkiewicz

Barb Januszkiewicz (born February 23, 1955) is an American painter, illustrator and filmmaker living in Arlington VA, US.

Januszkiewicz specializes in watercolor painting in a hybrid style – realism handled in a impressionist manner. Januszkiewicz studied under master artist in the Chinese tradition Mun Quan in the mid 70's at Jacksonville University. Januszkiewicz is a versatile and much-heralded artist whose work appears predominantly in the Washington area at such locations as the Phillips Collection,Corcoran Gallery of Art, Gallery K and The Art League. Her works can also be found in feature magazines, films, cable and international television formats. DC.http://artfile.wpadc.org/view_artist.php?aid=528 Januszkiewicz is on the staff of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Januszkiewicz founded "Art in the Heart", grant programs for the promotion of the arts in the community, 1999. She also started a Public-access television series showcasing artists and their works from the greater Washington Metropolitan Area "Creative Vision Television for the Arts" in 1997. Key documentaries include "Hilda Thorpe, in her own words"http://users.erols.com/januszkb/cvtv7.html See text, Washington Review Volume XXV1 No.1 June/July 2000 "Remembering The Present" Filmed in July 2000 at The Kreeger Museum in Washington DC. Januszkiewicz's work both in film and in painting have received numerous awards and honors. Januszkiewicz's Creative Vision TV for the Arts was remixed in 2010 to help show the many creative activists, who are using art outreach to create positive change in the world. Since her emergence as a renowned contemporary Pop artist in the early 1990s, Barbara Januszkiewicz has achieved distinction as a multi-media artist, filmmaker, visual journalist, and teacher with a passion for simulating and encouraging art awareness, education and creative expression. For this artist critical, creative thinking serves as a jumping off point for ideas which inspire change.

Januszkiewicz’s formal training was under the Chinese masterMun Quan, a traditional watercolorist whose influence can be seen in her simple Zen landscapes and in her wet and controlled technique. Over time, this artistic expression evolved into her signature “fusion” style of painting – realism handled in an impressionistic manner. It is here where she finds true freedom in placing paint on paper.

The influence ofAvant-garde artists includingAndy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, and others can be seen in Januszkiewicz’s choice of subject matter depicting everyday Americanism. Much like a classical performer embraces a range of styles, her compositions are inspired by scenes ranging from crowded city streets to close-ups of coffee and donuts and cafeteria foods to bicycle spokes and Ferris wheels. She paints mostly from memory to reflect on the relationship of pure, fresh color and design, resulting in a feeling of nostalgia while staying on the edge of realism. It is in floating between the conceptual reality and the limits of her media where Januszkiewicz has found her unique creative voice.

Like other period visual artists who travel to Paris for renewal, Januszkiewicz found inspiration during the summer of 2010 she spent in Paris reconnecting with her passion for jazz music and seeing her art in musical terms. In her latest works she captures movement and expression with optical illusions and bright hues. Her series of musical notations is based on jazz elements with a geometric and color fixation. These compositions gradually become more structured in a series of musical notations while keeping a loose and flowing touch. This latest fusion of jazz and painting has infused Januszkiewicz’s work with a rhythm and flow that addresses a new media form and opens new dialogues with other creative art forms and artists. The Jazz Vision Trio was formed in winter of 2011 with Januszkiewicz along with legendary jazz masters Dave Liebman and Jean-Marrie Machado. See www.jazzvisiontrio.info

"Creative thinking inspires ideas. Ideas inspire change. The arts matters.” -Barb Januszkiewicz http://crescentvisualarts.weebly.com/

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