Born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan, Jane Schmidt’s landscapes originate from outward and inward experiences of nature. She observes her subject, and later based on memory, her paintings connect the reality of what is seen to the realm of what is felt. Color is the soul of her painting. She calls herself a Colorist. Interlocking organic forms, invented color schemes, thick impasto and decisive brushwork characterize her landscapes. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan, and her Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Arizona State University. She says that like the Abstract Expressionists, she’s inspired by the act of painting as she explores the edge between representation and abstraction. It was in Michigan where she nurtured her love for painting after realizing that she had the talent.
Jane moved to Phoenix, Arizona with her husband in 1982 where Jane managed a successful graphic design studio for more than 25 years. They raised their two children Nicholas and Emily in Michigan, and once the children were safely en route to college, Jane changed her focus from a design career to one as a fine artist. Once again she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2006, where she currently resides and paints. Her constant quest for inspiration and beauty takes her to the countryside of California from the coast of Maine. She finds and paints her unique combination of landscape forms and expressive palette. She has exhibited at Coos Art Museum, Coos OR, Shippensburg University, New Haven CT, and at many other venues.
