Hi, my name is Janet Bruhn and I am a painter. Love for color is a huge reason I'm an artist. Teaching inner city youth is a huge part of my creative practice. Being a parent has opened my heart and mind in profound ways. 

Recently, I have been building abstract painting surfaces with my two children (ages 3 and 7). The process is messy and full of joy. We use a variety of trowels and squeegees, from the hardware store, to push paint across canvas. Drips, pools, rivers and cracks of paint build up to create an abstract typography. Paint is anything on sale from Michaels or Blick. Burlap is another surface that I have utilized for it's organic, course texture. 

Later, I paint figures and props on top of these color field planes. I am interested in painting people in everyday and dreamscape settings. These people are creating, building, playing, resting, watching and connecting. They are apart of a community. One big question I ask; In a world of chaos, how can we build relationships?

 Magical Realism is an era of art history I reference. The rich, bold color palettes and tropical settings have connections globally. My students, from Mexico, have inspired me to research painters from Latin America. In the past, I was very inspired by Grant Wood and Georgia O’Keefe. Their interpretations on Realism and Modernism continue to inspire themes in my work. Abstract painting and theory from the 20th century certainly plays its part in building these paintings as well. 

Being a parent has molded me in new, wonderful ways. Life is more precious and urgent. Quick bursts in the studio, are more productive than the hours I used to log. For any parent reading this, I salute you. In 2025, I had my 6th and 7th grade art students paint portraits of the labor leader Cesar Chavez. Every student approached the piece with different ideas about how to mix and layer paint. Observing these innovations gave me fuel to keep teaching. 

Thank you for visiting this website. Send me a message with your thoughts.