_____As a child in Auburn, California, a Sierra Nevada foothill community, Janet Tarjan Erl spent much time hiking and exploring. The outdoors clearly made an impression, and as a teenager she began her first series of drawings and paintings of the American River. Click the titles to see larger images.

Original Oil: Sweet Summer x" x x" (image), 29.5" x 35.5" (frame), $call* Original Oil: Seasons of Color x" x x" (image), 26.5" x 34.5" (frame), SOLD _____We met Janet at a wildlife art exhibition in Sacramento, and we were impressed by the clarity of her pieces and her poetic descriptions. You will find unique original oil paintings by Janet in our gallery. Janet comments on Season of Colors - "... a woodland scene with many horses in the autumn season. As you might expect I have taken my usual artistic liberties and put several horses in rather than just two - couldn't help myself - it just felt right!"

Original Oil: Bear 21" x 14" (image), 32" x 27" (frame), $call* Original Oil: Buffalo 20" x 15" (image), 30" x 23" (frame), $call* Original Oil: Wolf 20" x 28" (image), 32" x 27" (frame), $call* Detail Janet began her formal art education at Sierra College and continued at the University of California, Davis. There she studied under Wayne Thiebaud, Robert Arneson and other accomplished artists. Janet freelanced as an illustrator for computer game companies during her college years.

_____She created cover art for notable companies, namely 20th Century Fox and Sirius Software. She expanded her list of clientele to include nature and science museums who commissioned her for exhibit artwork. She also did a variety of other projects such as patent drawings, logos, and posters. Send Me into Sleep (Mountain Lion) 475 S/N 8" x 12" $60.00*

Seek the Warmth (Wolf) 500 S/N 19.75" x 29.25" $125.00* _____After illustrating for several years, Janet decided to pursue a fine art career and began painting landscape scenes on location. As time passed, wildlife crept into into her landscape paintings - much as she would see them - from afar. Today most of her work is painted in the studio, and she paints predominantly wildlife. She still considers the landscape as vital and equally important to the content of the painting as the animal subject.

_____Whether it be a landscape, wildlife scene, or western scene, Janet's artwork is reflective of her awe and admiration of nature. One can find a broad range of moods in the pieces from somber and lonely to vibrant and energetic. While some of her paintings may be peaceful and relaxing, others are contorted and hidden like the many trees in an Aspen forest. All these things she claims are aspects of life's ceaseless creativity. Janet feels it is her endeavor to observe and learn from the subjects she paints and to interpret those observations and lessons in a meaningful and artistic way. Winter Radiance (Bear) 65 S/N AP 14.25" x 23" $105.00*

* Prices and availability subject to change. Prices reflect shrink-wrapped pieces, please call for framed prices and sizes. Some prints and originals have special editions or accessories.

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