Shapes of Serenity, an Artist Feature: Janel Garza | by Falyn Hunter Morningstar | November 2024

Phoenix based artist and designer, Janel Garza, has been developing her distinct style since childhood. As the daughter of an elementary school art teacher, Janel was introduced to an array of artistic mediums at an early age. In this environment, she learned to freely dive into whatever creative endeavors she felt drawn to. While her main medium is acrylic paint, Janel continues to work with a variety of materials. The scale of her work ranges a great deal as well. Whether it’s delicate wooden jewelry, hand-dyed textiles, or large scale murals, her distinct aesthetic is ever-present.

Janel’s current work has been heavily influenced by the surrounding Sonoran Desert, a passion for medicinal plant studies, and the clean orderly shapes found in modernist architecture. Rather than expressing an overt message, the aim of her work is to create an abstract sentiment with a sense of balance, harmony, and interconnectedness.

Janel, your work is known for its vivid colors, intricate patterns, and thought-provoking themes. What inspires you to create such captivating and unique pieces?

The aesthetic of my work has been a lifelong development. Recently while visiting with my mom, I noticed a piece of art I’d made for her when I was 6. It was a small black tile with lines of repeating geometric patterns. I’ve wondered over the years why I am so drawn to creating patterns and particularly symmetrical compositions. There is a soothing aspect to making these designs. The repetition and symmetry create a sense of balance and harmony that appeals to many of us on a deep psychological level. I aim to achieve a similarly calming and harmonious effect with my use of color. Symbolism and abstracted imagery play a large role in my work as well. It has allowed me to create a form of story telling and deep meaning while remaining open to interpretation by those viewing it.

Your art often incorporates elements of nature and the human experience. How do you weave these themes together to create a cohesive narrative in your work?

At this point in my life, it’s hard to see nature and the human experience as separate, but growing up in the society I did, I perceived a narrative where humans live in our communities, and nature exists out there. In fact, it was this sense of separation that lead me to study herbalism in my early twenties. I wanted to rekindle a relationship with plants that I felt was missing. Since then, much of my work has been imbued with symbolic plant imagery and seeks to highlight the numinous qualities that I find in the natural world.

As an artist who works in various mediums, from mixed media to illustration, how do you choose which medium to use for a particular project?

My use of different mediums has been directed by an impulsive curiosity and need for experimentation. One day when I got it in my head that it would be fun to make earrings, I figured out how I could do it with wood, acrylic paint, and a laser cutter. At another point I was intrigued by the process and tactical nature of working with linen and natural dyes. I was working at a Mexican restaurant at the time, and had access to a lot of natural dye materials such as onion skins, and avocado pits. I ended up developing a whole series and solo exhibition so that I could utilize these dyed fabrics. It’s been interesting to see the way the different mediums shape the way the work develops. Depending on different factors of a material and it’s limitations, the work takes on different forms.

Meta Communication

Could you share a bit about your creative process, from initial inspiration to completion of a piece?

Much of my work is a form of story telling through the use of abstracted imagery and symbols. I begin with a concept and break it down into various shapes. For example, I was commissioned to design a mural for a large tech company in Utah.They wanted the piece to have themes of technology and communication. I sketched out various images that could tell a linear story of the development of communication over the last century such as the Pony Express, rotary phones, cell phones, and even VR headsets. I then wove these images and ideas together with geometric shapes and line work that created a cohesive image. The last part of the process is choosing how to lay out the colors. There is always a sense of balance that I’m seeking and an effect of depth that I need from my color choices.

Many of your works feature a strong sense of movement and energy. How do you achieve this sense of dynamism in your art?

By creating literal through lines of bright contrasting colors, I’m able to draw the viewer's eye through the piece, creating a sense of movement and intentional direction.

Liminal

What role do cultural influences play in your work, and how do you navigate the balance between honoring your heritage and developing your own artistic voice?

While I feel that my work is more of an exploration of my internal world than a commentary on the outside world and cultural influences, I cannot deny that those forces have played a role in shaping my art to some extent. My father is Mexican American, and that aspect of my identity is something I have not put at the forefront of my work. This is largely because, for all intents and purposes, I appear very white and have experienced a great deal of privilege because of that aspect of my heritage. This exploration into my relationship with that portion of my background is going to play a major role in a new series I’ll be developing for a show next year, in which I will be sharing space with five other Latina / Latinx artists.

You've worked on several collaborative projects with other artists and organizations. How do these collaborations influence your artistic growth and development?

Collaborations are not a particularly comfortable arrangement for me. While I feel very accommodating and easy going in many aspects of my life, when it comes to art, I tend to have a need for control, as is evident in my work. But, it is because of this discomfort that collaborations are such a valuable practice. Having the perspective and approach of another helps me to move past my set ways of thinking and gives me valuable insights that I might not have otherwise experienced.

The Link Landscape

Your art often explores themes of identity, belonging, and connection. How do you hope your work resonates with viewers on a personal level?

The theme of interconnection is ever-present in my work. Growing up, I struggled with social anxiety and often lacked a sense of belonging. Over the years my experiences with holistic healing modalities have lead me to a deep sense of belonging and interconnection with not only other humans but the natural world around me. It is often my aim to share this quality of connection with the viewer, in hopes that they may experience it as well.

How do you approach the concept of "beauty" in your art, and what do you hope to achieve by challenging conventional standards of beauty in your work?

In my opinion, the concept of beauty doesn’t simply denote qualities of attractiveness but something that can be felt internally. When I’m creating a piece, there is a particular physical feeling I use as a compass. When I’ve reached a point where I can look at the work and my heart feels calm and steady, I know I’ve met the painting where it needs to be. This is a very intuitive practice, but for me, it has always produced results that can be deemed beautiful.

As an artist, how do you balance the need for self-expression with the desire to create work that is accessible and relatable to a wide audience?

Because of the abstract nature of my work, I think it appeals easily to a wide audience. The geometric shapes speak to us on a subconscious level of the psyche, and people are able to interpret the work as it applies to themselves. This wide appeal isn’t necessarily the goal but a happy coincidence. When I begin to cater to an external audience, the work loses some of its authenticity. Over the years I’ve become more consciously aware of a need to do the work for the works sake and simply hope that it is well received.

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