Artist's Statement
My mission is to help you process your world by providing a different lens through which you can “make sense” of living. To always invite you out into a much larger world than you might have imagined you belonged to in the first place.

I try to generate thinking and emotions through the process of movement interacting with resistance. My work positions contrasting elements together, pushing and pulling each other with the wild rapture of our unpredictable worlds or moments, however glorious or dark. Art is organic and dynamic – it is always shifting for both the artist and the viewer, continuously active, incomplete, but always becoming. I hope you, the viewer will experience something unexpected and find a new adventure propelling you forward through your day.

Core Technique
The batik technique strictly involves applying hot wax to an organic substrate, such as cotton, by various means. I further develop this concept with the use of anything that will seal the medium it encounters, so when dyes are introduced they will only permeate those areas that contain no "resists". The new dried, dyed areas are then also resisted to seal the new colour, more dye is added and the process is repeated. In the end, I remove the resists and the resulting images emerge. I use Procion MX dyes, well known for their depth and longevity of colour.


The Artist
Born of settlers in unceded Mi'kmaq and Wolastoqiyik Territory, I grew up on the East Coast of Canada and “fell into batik” while observing a friend composing a market scene with wax and dyes. That first enchanting evening of story-telling shaped my award-winning, core expressionist approach. Through this, my focus has been on the thinking and emotions generated within viewer, not just the work itself. To this end, I have developed a vigorous, organic style stimulated by the extremes of any experience outside my comfort zone. My work is also strongly informed by university degrees in Music and Library and Information Science, and professional work as an archivist.

Upcoming and selected previous shows:

2024: Artistonish Magazine, 51: Evolution of Green Energy.
2024: ARTAVITA Finalist, of 675 participants.
2024: TERAVARNA International Juried Art Show. Group show. Honorable mention for Galipolli
2024: Fall - juried group exhibition with Gallerium.
2024: Scenic - 2024 juried exhibition with Gallerium.
2024: Juried into “Portrait” show with Gallipoli piece. Gallerium.
2024: Honourable Mention, Circle Arts Foundation, NYC.
2024: TERAVARNA International Juried Art Show, honourable mention.
2024: KBM Gallery, Los Angeles.
2024: Certificate of Artistic Excellence, Circle Arts Foundation.
2024: Group exhibition, San Pedro, Atacama, Chile.
2024: 3-week residency, Atacama Desert, Chile.
2024: The Sky Above International smart online group exhibition.
2023: Circle Quarterly Art Review, Artistic Excellence Award.
2023: Vivana: "Artists to Watch in 2024."
2023: Published in Artistonish magazine, November edition.
2023: Selected to be showcased at Biafarin Awards international online group exhibition.
2023: PhotoED Magazine, Water Edition. Photograph of my selfie.
2023: Honourable Mention, Teravarna International juried exhibition, LA.
2023: ArtAscent Magazine (v58), "Distinguished Artist", juried publication.
2023: Colour and Form Society’s Annual Juried Exhibition.
2023: Finalist, Camelback: Abstracts in Red. Arizona, USA.
2023: Ontario Society of Artists’s 149th Open Juried Exhibition, Colour Splash.
2023: Colorium 2023 international online group exhibition, Vancouver.
2023: Diversia 32nd - UN Calendar International Online group exhibition and publication.
2023: Artistic Excellence Award, Circle Foundation for the Arts, Greece.
2023: Shapes and Colors International Online Group Exhibition, Gallerium, Vancouver.
2022: Residency, Caetani Centre, BC.
2022: Selected: Biafarin online "Queen" show.
2022: Published in Artistonish Contemporary Art Magazine, September.
2022: Finalist in the Artavita Artist Contest
2022: Artist of the Month, Camelback Gallery, AZ, USA.
2022: United Nations: Diversia online exhibition.
2022: Beaux Arts Brampton Gallery Show.
2021: Scarborough Annual Juried Show.
2021: Distinguished Artist: ArtAscent (51), Connection.
2021: New Members - Colour and Form Society,online.
2021: "Distinguished Artist", ArtAscent "Abstract" juried publication.
2021: HeART of HealthCARE Exhibition, Edmonton, juried online exhibit.
2021: 2' x 2' Colour and Form Society, Niagara, ON.
2021: Cultural Center of Cape Cod, MA, international juried show.
2020: Elected Member, Colour and Form Society.
2020: Colour and Form Society’s 68th Annual Open Juried Exhibition.
2020: Finalist, Camelback Gallery, international juried show.
2020: Tall Sequoia Gallery, Ordinary No Ordinary.
2020: Honourable Mention,Tall Sequoia Gallery, virtual show, Toronto.
2020: Carnegie Arts Center (NY), virtual summer show.
2018: She Said I'd Thrive, 43, published in ArtAscent, 34 (December).
2018: Scarborough Arts’ 33rd Annual Juried Exhibition: Equity Through Emergence.
2018: Artusiasm Gallery: Celebration 2018, Toronto
2018: Artusiasm Gallery: Autumn Hues, Toronto
2018: International Art Competition “Colors”, NYC: Honourable Mention
2018: Artusiasm Gallery: Abstraction, Toronto.
2018: Artusiasm Gallery: Colour Energy, Toronto.
2018: Artusiasm Gallery: "Shedding Light" in partnership with CAMH, Toronto.
2018 - Present: Editor. Batik Guild Magazine (International Art Magazine)
2017: Artusiasm Gallery, "Best in Show", Toronto.
2017: Scarborough Arts Juried Exhibit and Big Book (2 works accepted)
2017: Artusiasm Gallery, "Abstracts", Toronto.
2017: Artusiasm Gallery, "Textures", Toronto.
2017: Artusiasm Gallery, "Faces and Figures",
2017: Artusiasm Gallery, "Summerfest", Toronto.
2016: September, Artisans at Work, juried show, Toronto.
2016: Headwaters Arts Festival, juried, Caledon, ON.
2016: Neilson Creative Centre juried exhibition, July/August, Toronto.
2016: Parkway Place Art and Accessories juried Exhibition,
2016; Toronto Guardian featured artist article.
2015: Featured artist The Batik Guild Magazine, November edition.
2015: Emerging Toronto Artists Show and Awards

Professional and Education Chronicle
Bachelor of Music Education, Acadia University: 1982.
Post Graduate studies of 20thC. and Canadian Music, Western: 1984
Masters in Library and Information Science, Western: 1988.
Continuing education courses at Ontario College of Art and Design, the Toronto School of Art and the University of New Brunswick.

All images and text ©Jan Creelman