ARTIST STATEMENT
I look for the action and reaction of light to objects with which it interfaces, whether they be landscapes, portraits or floral; what happens to the light and the appearance of the object as the light surrounds it, reflects off the surface or reverberates in a shadow.
In painting I strive to go beyond the subject matter into what would be the essence of a work of art. My inspiration here is a quote by Henri Matisse: "A work of art must carry in itself, it's complete significance, and impose it upon the beholder even before he can identify the subject matter."
Jane Ziegler need not go far to indulge her brush in the light and shadows of mountains, the Giant Sequoia’s or the waterways of King Canyon National Park. Glacial lakes and the high country demand the use of her horse and pack horse for weeks of summer painting.
While much of her painting is done on location, more complete pieces are accomplished in her studio at the Stonehouse Residency for the Contemporary Arts in Miramonte near where she lives. In winter the studio is filled with pastels, drawings and large montage photographs made from these treks.
Children portraits are a particular interest: the age of innocence before we forgot who we are. Be it old weathered mountains or the fresh look of youth, painting for Ziegler is derived from much exploration of the subject by making many drawings and using the camera by taking hundreds of photos searching for the essence; “it’s complete significance”.
Portrait commissions and commissions of other subjects are welcome