The love of letters & beautiful handwriting was my unlikely entrance to the world of art exploration. My first real art training was in calligraphy, and I've been fortunate to study with some of the best calligraphers of our time, including Sheila Waters, Denis Brown, Pat Blair (head White House calligrapher), Reggie Ezell, and a host of others. My immersion in the lettering arts led to experimentation with textures and colors, and a love of collage was born. Combining scraps of paper with scraps of words to evoke a sense of time, place, or emotion is a gift to myself, like a mini-vacation, a private journey. Expanding on the collage concept led me down two very different trails. Digital art is the perfect computer-age artform, combining both calligraphy and collage - with no mess! I have been adding digital artworks to my repertoire for the past few years.

On the messier side, I also enjoy the visceral excitement of throwing paints and the sensual pleasures of combining media and emotion in my mixed media acrylics on canvas. My abstract paintings and collages reflect my own expressive spirit, & my hope is that the viewer will also have an emotional response to the colors, rhythms, and textures that I have enjoyed putting together. The fun for me is in the creation. Letters in some form show up in most of my work, whether as a scrap in a collage, scanned into my digital collages, or painted onto a canvas. The branching out onto diverging paths has enriched my life. On these pages are a few of my favorite pieces. Prints are available of some images. Some originals are available. To contact me please e-mail: jan.hurst@insightbb.com