Gary Janis

Gary Janis is a traditionalist, in the sense that he paints in the modern tradition of abstraction. One realizes that what makes his works distinctive are their moodiness and emotional profundity. This moodiness is generated by the nuances between the numerous blocks of color with which they are constructed. Light filters through, or seems latent, between the geometrical gestalts, implying an underlying depth.  What Janis does is to restore a feeling of poetry and rhythm making his work unexpectedly romantic in the traditional sense of romanticism.

Looking at the many paintings of the series, which mostly are intimate easel works, one can see his faithfulness to his own nature. In his work, this self-taught artist has learned to speak a certain language that combines vivid hues with pale ones, producing eye-catching contrasts.  

“Painting has been such a big part of my life.” Janis says, “that it touches my soul. It’s what I do. It’s what I’ve always done. When I first started painting Miro was my major influence. I’ve also been deeply influenced by some Russian constructionist artists such as Malavisch, Anna Kogon and Moholy Nagy.”  

“In the beginning painting was like a puzzle deep inside of me. And to face each blank canvas and piece the puzzle together felt like an exciting challenge. Although I still get the same sense of challenge and each piece feels new, now, with more experience I am less judgmental and I am actually freer. Being able to express myself through my paintings, no matter the size, makes my life complete.”  

Janis’ work reveals the artist’s understanding of balance, flow and composition that explores the relationships of color and space.

His stylistic vocabulary speaks clearly in a nonobjective idiom, suggesting a natural environment that breathes new life and subtlety into modern abstraction.