PSBA Member SPOTLIGHT

Q: Tell us about your path as an artist.

My mother, my first teacher, gave me the encouragement and space to be creative and to follow my muse, which I translated into being outside in nature. There I was, with grass stains on my knees, twigs and leaves in my hair, and posies in my pocket. [You’ll find this girl in Jan’s 2024 and 2025 exhibit entries.]

By the time I was in high school, I knew I was in love with art. I was drawn to sculptural work—something solid and tangible. For example, I was one of the first girls to take wood shop. 

However, practical decisions had to be made for college. I chose Chamberlayne Junior College in Boston for interior design, where I could combine art with earning a livelihood. On the first week of school, I announced to all my dorm mates it was my intention to get an education. That same week, I met Chuck. My dorm mother announced, “There’s a male visitor for Miss Jan.” All the girls were leaning over the banister to see who. I was the one who had the first date of the year. Even though I transferred to Massachusetts College of Art for another year of “education”, karma led me down a whole other path. 

After Chuck graduated from MIT, we moved to UC Davis, in California, for his graduate work. For me, the school had a beautiful craft center, and that’s where I learned more spinning, weaving, and dying—my new loves. As an aside, we also helped build our home, the first passive solar house in Northern California.  

Five years later, we moved to an unincorporated area in Washington to live the dream. We bought a farm, raised a variety of animals, and later had two boys. I joined the Arachne Weavers Guild and Moonspinners Guild. In a year or two, I was superintendent of the Sheep to Shawl exhibit at the Western Washington State Fair.I also did some production weaving (50-yard rolls) for a local fiber artist. Picture me nursing our new baby while moving the shuttle back and forth. Not surprising I got a JOB, a real job, a paying job.

By the mid-80s, I became “that lady” in wooden shoes who created displays and gave grade-level visits to students in the Puyallup School District’s Karshner Museum. My next stop was the Science Resource Center, where my partner and I managed the science kit program for 23 elementary schools.

Q: How did you meet book arts? Or paper arts?

In 2008 or so, I made an online connection with Milliande from the UK. She had started a discussion group for artists. She’d give a prompt, and her followers would respond with work. Milliande was a fascinating person. She began as an illustrator and became a supporter of women’s growth in the arts. Her artist book was the first one I ever saw. Under her instruction, I made several basic book structures. She was intuitive and tried all sorts of things. She combined unusual materials and imagery together. One of her themes was womanhood. [Jan shows one of Milliande's pieces hanging on her wall.] This approach fascinated me—how women develop when working together.She opened a path to an alternate form of art for me. 

Q:  Now seems the time to ask you how you discovered PSBA?

My daughter-in-law, Kate, heard about the newly formed PSBA and bought me my first membership. It was a time when things were starting to happen in Tacoma because of the growing fame of the glassworks. People started to notice Tacoma is a good place for artists—it was the beginning of the beginning for all sorts of ART. PSBA was just one of them. I really took to the new group. I am not sure if I was at the very first meeting, but I was definitely there for the next ones, and play dates, and workshops, and whatever else PSBA offered.

Woman on the Water entry in the “All Stitched Up” Exhibit

Q: Who were your mentors or influencers:

Lucia Harrison, MalPina Chan, Deborah Greenwood, Debbi Commodore, An Gates, and Pat Chupa. We shared that milestone PSBA workshop event with Marilyn Frasca, who led us through a Progoff process. And because of the “wonderfulness” of this group, we made a connection (an affinity group) where we have met and worked together for years.

Lucia organized this workshop. One of the gifts of PSBA is the subgroup of artists who are connected to the art world. They know people and bring us all together. They have that spark that says let’s do this, let’s try this, let’s get together… We need the worker bees who make it happen, we need the idea people who say, “Let’s try this.” But, without the connections to the outside world, it doesn’t go forward.

These women are so important to me. And what sadness we feel with the loss of MalPina. She had the Seattle connection—she was in with them and had shown her work there for years. The mentors in this group were all confident people, and I benefited from that. I was elated that we were interested in some of the same things: nature, expressing the stories of our lives, and creating an individual artistic identity. Even the side trails of embroidery and cloth books and earth pigments are interests that have been important in my work. As an example, Lucia’s connection with science and art has provided additional opportunities. I can’t say enough good things about these strong and willing mentors from our past and the new ones that are showing up to help PSBA move forward.

Q:  Which of your books would you like to highlight?

In terms of my work, the book that gives me the most joy was my entry for “All Stitched Up,” a juried exhibit sponsored by the Collins Library in 2019. The word went out for a collaborative project that had to do with sewing. I asked the WOWers (long-standing rowing team of the Vérité, a 38-foot captain’s gig) to participate. I just smile now to think how this came about.  When I proposed the idea, the Rowers sat there pretty dubious, with eyebrows raised.I told them I’d give them each a piece of cloth and photos if needed. Just like in rowing, we helped each other. Instead of our 18-foot oars, we used tiny needles and thread to tell the story of the Vérité. Each square was unique and fitted the personality of the rower. The variety in that book was amazing.

Q: What do you want to work on in the near future?

I want to focus on communication: to create more meaningful text, stories, and emotions in my books. That might mean more work on writing stories. Or on the flip side, it might mean exploring non-traditional use of letters and letter forms to express emotions and feelings, such as asemic writing or Japanese characters. 

My next goal is to get back into printing. The print world is such an expansive place to explore. Seeing Debbi Commodore and Abbie Birmingham’s pieces have been inspiring. Now, to find a way to gain skills for translating that inspiration into my own themes. Speaking of themes, I’m sure this year’s theme of Wabi Sabi for the book exchange will add fuel to all my New Year’s goals.

Q:  Can you describe your studios? 

Crow’s Nest, my tiny home studio, built by Lincoln High School students, is now my home base. It is where I keep my notes and basic supplies and spend most of my art time. It is also the spot for Zoom get-togethers. Raven’s Lodge, the tinker toy shed Chuck and I built, is just a few steps away. It is my printing studio and the place where I work on larger (messier) projects. You ask, how is it possible that the house is still full of art materials and the camp shed too? 

Crow’s Nest

Q:  We’re wrapping up now, so it’s time for the dinner party question—who would you invite to a dinner party, anyone from across time and space?

I want a dinner date with my mom. I want to know more about her life stories. She lived to be 99 years old and had interesting experiences. In many ways, she and I had similar unexpected occurrences in our lives. She shared simple statements of truth, which I call “little pearls.” I would love to document these pearls and put them in a book for my family. 

Q: Do you have a motto?

Yep, it’s “be prepared.” What you may not know about me is that I was a Cub master for 82 boys. I held every position and was awarded the Silver Beaver Award—also earned a few grey hairs.

Q:  Any closing thoughts on PSBA?

PSBA keeps an open mind on the definition or criteria for a book. I appreciate that because this openness allows me to bring my developing—and some might say non-traditional—style to this form. 

I appreciate the abundant opportunities to learn new skills and be exposed to best practices. Participating in the smaller groups, where members share their work-in-progress, has been both supportive and inspiring. I also want to add my thanks to those members who have been willing and able to help PSBA thrive by either volunteering on one of the committees or by serving on the board. It’s wonderful to be amongst so many creative, talented, kindred spirits who are now friends.

Q: And finally, describe your perfect day.

It’s 72 degrees, sunny with a slight breeze. Birds are singing, and there are no surrounding sounds of power motors from the neighbors. I’m either on the water or in Crow’s Nest happily pursuing something tactile—making, creating, using all the resources at hand, while looking at life either in a new way or responding to my muse.

You’ll find more of Jan’s work at her blog: crowzenart.blogspot.com