About Janna
Baltimore County
My most recent photographic constructions reference the natural world in an effort to consider the transitory essence of being, and to confront a sense of existential dread. Finding comfort in the ephemeral cycle of Nature, I hope to convey tranquility and solitude through these compositions.
I am an artist and educator living in Phoenix, Maryland. I am the Exhibitions Educator (curator), and an Arts faculty member at The Park School of Baltimore. I hold an MFA in Studio Art, Digital… more
I am an artist and educator living in Phoenix, Maryland. I am the Exhibitions Educator (curator), and an Arts faculty member at The Park School of Baltimore. I hold an MFA in Studio Art, Digital… more
Jump to a project:
Semblance of Devotion
My photographic and video exploration is a response to motherhood, interpersonal relationships, emotional identification, and a search for self. In my recent explorations I compose still-life portraits of small plastic toys and mass-produced objects. I consider them self-portraits, a reflection of my own identity. An examination of stereotype and myth, I call attention to the fracture between personal identity and accepted gender roles. The imagery I present reflects the repetitive simplicity of daily life through the placement of mass production alongside natural forms. My more recent research presents ideas through sound and video. These tableaus often include mythic symbolism and social context. They suggest our identification with media driven identity and mass culture through the use of inconsequential objects as metaphor. These observations reflect on the ever-increasing divisions within our pluralistic culture and are contrasted with our human connection to nature and biology. I am interested female personal identity in contrast to the stereotypes and ideals that are placed on us by external forces. How do we chose our life path and what forces come to play on our personal decisions?
-
Semblance of Devotion, 2009Multichannel video with soundtrack
-
Fire, 2008pigment print 16 x 12"
-
Isis, 2008pigment print 16 x 12"
-
Devotion, 2008pigment print 16 x 12"
-
Over, 2008Over, 2008 archival pigment print 16 x 12"
-
Perspective, 2009pigment print 16 x 12"
-
Annie, 2009pigment print 16 x 12"
-
Diligence, 2009pigment print 16 x 12"
-
Kittyjump, 2009pigment print 16 x 12"
If You Only Knew
A series of portraits relating to female identity and isolation. These images explore the details of the individual that we often overlook. Homogeneous, mass-produced objects are examined as unique individuals. These dolls symbolize the ideals of womanhood. Upon closer inspection we determine some things are askew.
Fat and Happy
A series of images in response to motherhood, external forces, and personal decisions. As with most of my recent work, I shoot often. Sometimes I just shoot random scenes or random moments. Other times I have a specific thought or emotion I want to convey. It's later that I begin composing images side-by-side to invoke new connotations. These juxtapositions have specific meaning that may or may not be obvious to the viewer.