Janet Searfoss

Janet Searfoss


Janet Searfoss is a painter of Batik, the antique appearing paintings done with hot wax
and dyes that often resemble stained glass in fabric form. Janet combines the ancient
craft of batik with the art of painting . Her technique is often a radical departure from
the traditional batik. Janet often combines acrylics and fabric paints with the hot wax
layering, creating her distinctive style of mixed-media batik painting which she refers to
as "American Batik" or wax-resist painting.

Her paintings often will take over 100 hours to complete. "I want my Batiks to have a
visual dialogue with the viewer"- Art that speaks to the heart. The Paintings show
various perceptions of reality and are intended to stimulate the imagination.

Janet's professional education began at Michigan State University and continued at
Wayne State University where she earned her degree. She taught high school art in the
Detroit area for eight years before her career with Batik. Janet shows and sells her
Batiks at Art Shows throughout the Country. She has won numerous awards and is
considered one of the Masters of Batik.

Husband, Harold, does the custom matting, framing and giclee printing. He makes it
possible to do the art show circuit throughout the country. The art acts as a portal to the
spiritual realm for her and others. Imagination and intuition is her way of connecting the
physical with the spiritual. Some of the art has deep symbolic meaning while other
pieces are light hearted. The art is the beginning of a story with the viewers becoming
the storytellers. The image opens up the "book" allowing the story to unfold and
allowing the light to enter.

Recent and Past Awards

Second Place Atalaya Art Festival Huntington Beach State Park Sept. 27-29 2013

Merit Award 61st Annual Arts & Crafts Festival Fairhope, Al March 15,16, 17 2013

Honorable mention Sanibel Arts and Crafts Festival Sanibel Island Fl February 16, 17 2013

Award of Distinction (2nd Place) Blowing Rock, NC May 12, 2012

Best of Show Historic Pendleton Spring Jubilee Festival Pendleton, SC April 7, 2012

Best of Category - Decorative Fiber Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff St. Joseph, Mich July 9, 10, 2011

Purchase Award Piccolo Spoleto Crafts Fair Charleston, SC June 3, 2011

Honorable mention Sanibel Arts and Crafts Festival Sanibel Island FL Feb.2011
www.SanibleCaptivaDaily.com (photos of event)

Honorable mention Amelia Island Art Festival Amelia Island, Fl. Oct. 2010

Second Place Whalehead Club Arts Festival Corolla, NC June 23, 2010

Award of Distinction (2nd Place) Blowing Rock, NC August 15, 2009

Award of Excellence (Best of Show) Blowing Rock, NC May 17, 2008

Judge's Choice Blue Ribbon Amelia Island Fall Art Festival Amelia Island, Fl Nov. 2007

Fourth Place 32nd Annual Atalaya Art Festival Huntington Beach, SC Sept. 2007

Award of Excellence Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 2007

First Place 37th Annual Golden Isles Festival St. Simons Island, Ga. October 2006

Award of Excellence Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 2006

Batik Exhibit at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Upstate Visual Arts Gallery
July-August 2006

Honorable mention Inman Park Arts Festival, Atlanta, Ga. April 2006

First Place 34th Annual Eastern Shore Outdoor Art show, Fairhope, Al. March 2006

Second Place Golden Isle Art Festival, St. Simons Island, Ga. Oct. 2005

Second Place St. Augustine Arts Festival, St. Augustine, Fl. April 2005