I am most fascinated by the in-between -- the journey, the becoming, the tension that exists between order and chaos. Creation vs entropy. Pattern vs decay. The line separating the knowable from the unknowable. Sex. Death. Etc.
bio:
born in tucson. escaped the heat into a vibrant fantasy life. graduated from the university of arizona in 2003 with a b.a. in media arts and film studies. delivered pizzas. moved to western washington state. counted salmon. moved to seattle. painted murals with kids. delivered more pizzas. baked pastries. moved to edinburgh, scotland. ate haggis. bartended at the private policemen's club. graduated from the edinburgh college of art in 2008 with an mfa in painting. moved to the scottish highlands. made art with kids. moved to southern india. learned to cook vegetarian tamil curries. made lots more art. moved to brooklyn at the end of 2009. freelanced. binded books. painted things. joined united scenic artists local 829 in 2011. met some movie stars. founded Sepioid.com in 2017. currently painting murals and making ceramic sea creatures. to be continued.
CV:
Born Tucson, Arizona
Education
2006-2008 M.F.A. in Painting, University of Edinburgh (Andrew Grant Bequest)
1999-2003 B.A. in Media Arts/Film Theory, University of Arizona (cum laude)
2013-2015 Russian Orthodox Iconology, Prosopon School, New York, NY
2011-2014 Scenic Artist Apprenticeship, IATSE Local USA829, New York, NY
2010-2011 Blacksmithing (Teacher’s Assistant Summer 2011), School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
Select Exhibition History
2019 “Iguanas Enamorados,” Akumal Arts Festival, Akumal, Mexico
“Their Survival is Our Survival,” (permanent mural), O Positive Kingston, 3 Dunn Street, Kingston, NY
Pueblo Magico, 198 Allen Street, NYC
“Pigeon Orgy,” (mural commission), Governors Ball, Randall’s Island, NYC
“Piapia Azuls Enamorados,” (mural commission), Casa Victorio, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
I’m Every Woman Biennial, La Mama Galleria, NYC
2018 "Geckos Enamorados," Akumal Mural Festival, Akumal, Mexico
"Herons in Love," Beltline Walls Mural Festival, Art on the Atlanta Beltline, Atlanta, GA
Euridices Gallery/Event Space, Brooklyn, NY
2017 100 Gates Project -- Staten Island (permanent mural), 125 Beach Street, Staten Island, NYC
100 Gates Project -- Staten Island (permanent mural), 54 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NYC
Arts on Terry, Participating street artist (second year), Patchogue, NY
Sacred Geometry (painted piano), Sing For Hope, 28 Liberty Street Plaza, NYC
2016 Burrowing Owls (permament mural), Audubon Society/Gitler & ____ Gallery (145th and Broadway), NYC
System #7, (permanent mural), Gallery 64/City of Charleston Commission, Lee Street, Charleston, WV
100 Gates Project/Tiger Gates, (permanent mural), LES Manhattan (135 Division Street), NYC
Arts on Terry, Participating street artist, Patchogue, NY
System #5, (permanent installation), Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge, Long Island City, NYC
Open (C)ALL: Up For Debate, BRIC Arts, Brooklyn, NYC
2015 100 Gates Project Gallery Show, Avant Garde Vape Lounge and Art Gallery, NYC
100 Gates project, (permanent mural), LES Manhattan (85 Chrystie Street), NYC
Wish You Were Here 14, A.I.R. Gallery, Brooklyn, NYC
Spring Fling Salon Juried Show, Greenpoint Gallery, NYC
Working Artists, Academic Gallery, Long Island City, NYC
2014 Staff and Student Show, Prosopon School of Iconology, NYC
2011 Transmigration (2-woman show with Elisabeth Belomlinsky), 567 Flushing, NYC
An Olympus in the Mind (collaboration with artist Rob Fairley), Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, U.K.
Resipole Studios, Acharacle, U.K.
2010 Murder by Hart, DRWR Gallery, NYC
2009 A Tree Grows in Shikshayatan, (permanent installation), Shikshayatan School, Tamil Nadu, India
A Book About Death, The Emily Harvey Foundation, NYC
Room 13 Exhibition, Dunkers Kulturhus Museum, Helsingborgs, Sweeden
2008 System #3, (permanent installation), Forest Café, Edinburgh, U.K.
Back Garden Biennale, 17 Fairmile Avenue, Edinburgh, U.K.
Doppelganger, (2-woman show with Eli Skatvedt), Komachi Gallery, Edinburgh, U.K.
Diromira, The Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh, U.K.
Annual Student Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, U.K.
Post Matters, Andrew Grant Gallery, Edinburgh, U.K.
2 Turven Hoog, (Children's Festival), Almere, Holland
NEW: New Edinburgh Work, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, U.K.
2007 Dialogue (solo show), Inverleith Project Space, Edinburgh, U.K.
Open, Corn Exchange Gallery, Edinburgh, U.K.
Les Carnaval des Animaux, The Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh, U.K.
On The Rocks, Granton Lighthouse, Edinburgh, U.K.
Darkspace II, (juried exhibition) Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, U.K.
January Exhibition, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, U.K.
2006 Fictional Academy, Hungarian University of Fine Art, Budapest, Hungary
2005 Obvious/Oblivious (solo show), Vera Art Space, Seattle, Washington
Staff and Student Show, Sev Shoon Art Center, Seattle, Washington
33 RPM, Vera Art Space, Seattle, Washington
Awards, Honors, Residencies, and Professional Memberships
2015 Nominated Scenic Artist for Art Design in a Period Film (Bridge of Spies), Art Director's Guild
2014-Present Journeyman Member, IATSE (United Scenic Artists Local 829)
2008-2009 Room 13 Shikshayatan Residency, Arasavanangkadu Village, Tamil Nadu, India
2008 Juried Prize Winner, ‘Post Matters’ Exhibition
Room 13 Lochyside Teaching Residency, Fort William, Scotland
Room 13 International Summer School Residency, Strontian, Scotland
2007 Andrew Grant Bequest, Edinburgh College of Art
2005 Sev Shoon Printmaking Center Residency, Seattle, Washington
Work featured in private collections in the United States and Europe.
Bibliography
“NYC Heads to Akumal, Mexico (Part 1)” Soldmagny.com, 3 November 2018.
"The 100 Gates Project Fills The Gates of New York Businesses With Street Art." Juxtapoz.com, 13 September 2016.
Mass Appeal. "Tiger Beer Transforms the LES into an Outdoor Art Gallery With the 100 Gates Project." Massappeal.com, 13 September 2016.
Bindelglass, Evan. "100 Gates Project Continues to Beautify the Lower East Side." Newyorkyimby.com, 8 July 2016.
Lee, Cyrena. "Meet the Artist: Jana Liptak." Brooklynboulders.com, 26 April 2016.
Gupta, Pratchi. "These 9 Women Are Helping Turn Metal Security Gates Into Beautiful Works of Art." Cosmopolitan.com, 2 September 2015.
Halle, Howard. "See street-art on storefront security gates that are completely legal." Time Out [New York] 10 August 2015.
Arino, Lisha. "Project Turning 100 Metal Gates in the LES into Works of Art." DNAinfo, 7 August 2015.
Mansfield, Susan. "It's in the bag if you keep an open mind." The Scotsman [Scotland] 23 November 2007.
McCall, Chris. "Open for Business." The Edinburgh Journal [Edinburgh] 20 November 2007.
Roberston, Guy. "Darkspace II." Student [Edinburgh] 2 March, 2007.
References and Work History available upon request.
contact: jana [at] culturedcuttlefish.com