Jane Aukshunas

"People who love my work say they feel as though they can walk right into my images and take a deep breath, because the space there is so tranquil and inviting. My use of vibrant color and undulating shapes create a sense of calm yet buoyant joy, as the color and shapes carry awareness of a journey throughout the picture space. I frequently use pathways or roads to invite exploration."

Searching out the Pacific Northwest's most beautiful places in different seasons, Jane Aukshunas tunes in to the mysterious power of the natural world and translates what she sees and feels into the essential elements that are the crux of her imagery. With a lifelong interest in textiles, it follows that her imagery is influenced by fabric design.

Aukshunas revels in the creamy medium of oil pastels and uses a hybrid technique that can be regarded both as drawing and painting. She applies thick layers of richly colored oil pastel to paper or wooden panels and works the medium with her fingers and other tools. Her giclee prints convey the texture and richness of the original work.

Jane Aukshunas holds a Bachelors of Fine Art from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, with additional studies of Japanese art at Harvard University and fashion design at Parsons School of Design in New York City. The artist also studied traditional Balinese painting in Indonesia, and developed her current oil pastel techniques through experimentation in her studio.