Meet the Artist
"As an Artist, it is my mission to paint the illumination of nature, to harvest its beauty to open people's eyes to the natural world around them, and to encourage conservation and preservation of the environment for future generations to enjoy."
~ Jan Shaw King, Watercolorist
~ Jan Shaw King, Watercolorist
JAN SHAW KING, Watercolor Impressionist
Jan Shaw King is a well-recognized, award-winning professional American Watercolor Impressionist and Illustrator. As a naturalist and en plein air painter, Jan’s work embodies her love of Western landscapes, seascapes, nature’s beauty and lighthouses. Her watercolors are richly painted with a palette of warm earth tones and light pastels, capturing patterns of light and geometric shapes as found in nature. Her loose impressionistic style is known for painterly skies, atmospheric perspective, fluid, lively brushstrokes, and scenes of serenity and light that capture a moment in time. Jan has received many awards for her unique Impressionistic style. Her paintings have been shown in galleries and juried art exhibitions. She is a sought-after commissioned Artist whose Watercolor Workshops are very popular.
Jan is inspired by the works of Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, Frederick Remington, Norman Rockwell, Impressionists Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Mary Cassatt and Georgia O'Keefe. She studied under Master Watercolorists: Martin R. Ahern, AWS; Zoltan Szabo; Ferdinand R. Petrie; and Carole A. Battle. Jan’s lifetime passion of painting began at an early age. Every summer in Cape Cod, little Janet sketched the natural world around her while seated by her Grandmother’s side, an accomplished Oil Painter. With her Grandmother's guidance, Jan learned to "see" the natures palette in shadows, reflections, shapes and tonal values, the foundations of art. Growing up in New Jersey, Jan attended Ridgewood School of Art while in high school and won Scholastic Art Awards. She studied Fine Art in college, and specialized in Illustration, Graphic Design, business and marketing. While painting with oils, Jan developed allergies to oil paints and turpentine. After switching to painting with acrylics, she soon happily discovered the challenge of the Watercolor medium. As a Children's Book Author-Illustrator, Jan was encouraged by an editor of Random House to illustrate in Watercolor. She was mentored by legendary Eloise Wilken, Children's Book Illustrator for Golden Books of Western Publishing and Random House. While studying under master watercolor painters, Jan mastered the watercolor medium, She joined art societies, exhibited in galleries, juried art exhibitions and one-woman shows and became an award-winning professional Watercolor Impressionist. While raising three children in Upstate New York, Jan managed Creative Visions Design Studio as Concept Designer, Producer, Graphic Designer, Marketeer and Author-Illustrator of Children's books, and was Member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Jan taught courses on Painting, Drawing and Illustration. She published PickleNoodle News children's newspaper (25,000 circulation, Upstate New York), an ancillary supplement to the first TV news shows for kids that Jan produced and aired on CBS / PBS. She was a Character Artist on Cable ACE award-winning children's TV series, which launched her career in television, including Celebrity Host of Travel Series (CBS) (PBS) (The Travel Channel), Warren Miller's "Come Fly, Come Ski" (Time Warner) followed by relocation to Los Angeles, California, "Escape to Las Vegas" (The Travel Channel) to write, produce and direct content for TV and film. Jan entered "Falls at Half Dome: Yosemite National Park" for the 1st National Arts for the Parks annual competition held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. One of Jan's passionate life goals is to paint the National Parks in celebration of the 100th Anniversary, and the rich texture and vibrant colors of Western landscapes to promote conservation of the environment and endangered species. A cancer survivor, the Lighthouse is Jan’s symbol of hope, strength and courage. Her painting passion includes lighthouses on the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts, as well as Seascapes and Western Landscapes.. As part of her Grand Canyon National Park series, a tribute to the National Parks' 100th Anniversary, Jan recently entered "View From Mather Point, Grand Canyon South Rim" for juried consideration for American Watercolor Society's 2017 National Exhibition. In addition to being a Watercolorist, Jan is a Creative Consultant, Concept Designer and Writer for Leisure and Themed Entertainment, Producer, Writer and Director of film and television reality series, travel and children's series, and is a Yoga and Reiki Practitioner. Jan is Author-Illustrator of books of inspirational verses: Life Lines, Love Lines, and Natural Etchings She is in process of writing a book of watercolor techniques that Jan applies in her Watercolor Workshops: Painting Watercolor en plein air: Nature, Healing Air and Light. Her most recent book is in process, How to Paint the Grand Canyon in Watercolor, following Jan's step-by-step instructions to paint scenic Grand Canyon overlooks with Watercolor. Focus is on layout, perspective, capturing natural light, color palette, shadows, shapes, push-pull layering using wet-on-wet, washes and dry brush techniques. Jan is a Sustaining Associate Member of the American Watercolor Society, Sustaining Associate Member of Watercolor West, Member of Central Florida Watercolor Society and Winter Garden Art Association. She resides with her husband in Florida and California, and teaches Watercolor Workshops en plain air in various locations around the United States, including National Parks, and exhibits her work in juried art exhibitions and galleries. Curriculum Vitae: Jan Shaw King, Watercolorist Style American Watercolor Impressionist
Subject Matter Western Landscapes, National Parks, Seascapes, Lighthouses, Nature, Still Life Studios /Year Established Beacon of Light Studio (1997 to present) Creative Visions Studio (1982 -1997) Education - Associate in Art w/High Honors, Fine Art, specializing in Graphic Design /Illustration Finger Lakes Community College, New York - Bachelor of Science w/High Honors, Business Management, specializing in Marketing University of Phoenix Southern California Professional Studies under Master Watercolorists: - Martin R. Ahearn, AWS - Carole A. Battle - Ferdinand R. Petrie - Zoltan Szabo Galleries - SoBo Gallery, Winter Garden, Florida - Roselawn Galleries, Pittsford New York - Centurian Gallery, Artisan Works, Canandaigua, New York Professional Art Memberships - American Watercolor Society, Sustaining Associate Member - Watercolor West, Sustaining Associate Member - Central Florida Watercolor Society - Winter Garden Art Association, Member - Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators (previous) - Pittsford Art Group (previous) Juried Art Competitions - Entry: American Watercolor Society - National Arts for the Parks Competition, Jackson Hole, Wyoming - SoBo Gallery, Winter Garden, Florida - Winter Garden Art Association / City Hall Exhibition - Clothesline Art Festival, Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, New York - Finger Lakes Art Competition, Canandaigua, New York |
AWARDSNational Entry
- "Falls at Half Dome: Yosemite National Park" (22" x 30") First Art for the Parks National Exhibition Jackson Hole, WY (image NA) Private Collection Regional First Place Award (Blue Ribbon) - "Study in Primary Colors" Still Life (diptyc, 22" x 30" ea) Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY Private Collection - "Red Rocks of Sedona, Reflecting Pool" (22" x 30") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY SOLD - "Cape Ann Light, Rockport MA" (22" x 30") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY SOLD Members Choice Award (Blue Ribbon) - "Motif #1: Morning Fog Lifting" (15" x 22") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY SOLD - "Reflections in Mahogany, Lake Ontario Marina" (15" x 22") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY SOLD Designer's Choice Award (Blue Ribbon) - "Chinese Urn and Lilies" Still Life (diptyc, vertical, 30" x 22" ea) Top Award: Homearama Showcase of Homes Rochester, NY (image NA) SOLD Award of Excellence (Certificate) - "Autumn at Mendon Ponds" (15" x 22") WXXI (PBS) Juried Art Competition Auction, Rochester, NY SOLD Honor Award (Gold Ribbon) - "Red Barn Centenarian" (11" x 15") Finger Lakes Juried Art Exhibitiion, Canandaigua, NY SOLD EXHIBITIONS
SoBo Gallery, Winter Garden, FL Sep 2016 - Great Outdoors "Dunes With Sea Oats, Anna Maria Island ("21" x 28") Winter Garden City Hall, Winter Garden, FL Sep - Nov 2016 - Celebration of Citrus "Fresh Picked: Citrus Delight" (28" x 36") SoBo Gallery, Winter Garden, FL Nov - Dec 2016 - The Gift of Art "Aspen Under Anthracite Range, Colorado" (19.5" x 23.5") |
Second Place Award (Red Ribbon)
- "Kerry and Pooh" Portrait (30" x 22") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY Private Collection - "Grand Canyon South Rim, View from Yavapai Point" (22" x 30") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY Private Collection - "Grand Canyon South Rim, View from Mather Point" (22" x 30") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY Private Collection - "Boathouses" (22" x 30") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY SOLD Third Place Award (White Ribbon) - "Study of Crocks" Still Life (22" x 30") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY SOLD - "Wichmere Harbor, Cape Cod, MA" (15" x 22") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY SOLD Honorable Mention Award (Yellow Ribbon) - "Sailboat Regalia, Canandaigua Lake, NY" (11" x 15") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY SOLD - "Skiff in Cattails, Irondequoit Bay Yacht Club" (15" x 22") Clothesline Art Show, Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY SOLD - "Golden Glory Maple" (15" x 22") Pittsford Art Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY Private Collection |
