Janice Hendra

About the Artist

Exercising in the visual arts has always been a part of my life. It has sometimes been a minor part, but since 2014 it has been the major part and watercolor is the main sport. Growing up in Detroit I had the chance to attend select art classes at the Detroit Institute of Arts throughout high school. Every Saturday the DIA was my playground and being surrounded by Diego Rivera murals and European masterworks instilled a reverence for painting and painters. Touching a brush to canvas or paper and creating an image that expresses a reality or a feeling that comes from within is a remarkable talent. Hoping to become an artist I attended Michigan State University and received a BA in Fine Arts (Ceramics) and Art History in 1972. That was a long time ago, and many other events (everyone  knows them, family, making a living, and life in general) kept me from putting painting on the top of the list. In the 1970’s I worked as a studio potter. Then in 1980's my life took a sharp turn when I discovered that computers fascinated me and I became a programmer. For the next 30 years, as a systems analyst, my creative outlet was designing IT solutions for the General Assembly of Maryland.​ Now retired from that career I can immerse myself fully in the wide world of visual art and use watercolor paints rather than computer code to express myself. In the past several years I have attended workshops given by Mark MeHaffey, Eric Weigert, and Pam Wenger. All have influenced me and have contributed to an emerging style. A style that includes both realism and abstraction and uses materials and methods that are both traditional and experimental. I love being able to pick and choose and freely get wrapped up in whatever visual exercise presents itself. I have exhibited with the Baltimore Watercolor Society and am an active member of the Annapolis Watercolor Club and the Galesville Painters.