Jan Stratton

Weather and Light

April 23 - May 31, 2021

Featuring Paul Walsh, Jan Stratton, Jay Holobach, Chance Brown and Katherine Liontas-Warren

Jan Stratton

There's no Crying in Plein Air Painting

“Plein air painting ain’t for sissies! In fact, I’ve discovered many (maybe most?) studio painters find it plein miserable. (See what I did there?). It’s not the weather so much, although you do have to contend with wind, wet and maybe some creepy-crawlies. Then you have the Sherpa-like job of lugging your paint gear over hill and dale. No, it’s that you have to prepare, plan and paint pronto. That light’s gonna change, maybe the weather and then there’s all that GREEN—but no agonizing allowed. No time. It’s something I still struggle with. The upside is there really is nothing better than being outdoors under beautiful skies, near a lake or mountain, doing what you love, especially with a painting buddy.

“I consider myself a representational artist with a nod toward Impressionism. I love broad brush strokes and painterly art—to me, they connote emotion and energy. I’m working on it…..Meanwhile, I want a painting to stop me in my tracks … ”HOW did they do that?” Or, “Wow, that’s gorgeous!”. Or, “Oh, this makes me so happy!”. And that’s my goal every time I pick up my brush.”

From the Studio to the Stage to the Boardroom

Jan retired from her 34-year broadcasting career at KSWO-TV in 2014 where she worked, at various times, as Public Affairs Director, reporter, photographer, producer, anchor and News Director. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2014,

Jan has performed in dozens of theatrical productions over the past 50+ years in Virginia, Kansas and Oklahoma. Some of her favorites are Rose in Gypsy”, Agnes in “I Do, I Do” (both in the Cabaret production in 1975 and the Lawton Philharmonic presentation in 2013), Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker and most recently, Frau Blucher in “Young Frankenstein”. She received a Best Actress award from the Oklahoma Community Theater Association for “Duet For One”.

Jan has been on numerous boards throughout her career and currently serves on the board of Arts For All. She’s moderated and emceed events and political debates for more than 30 years.

A Full Time Artist

When Jan retired, she returned to painting and drawing, something she’d loved as a young girl. She’s taken lessons and workshops from Tom Biggs, Katherine Liontas-Warren, Christine Lashley, Matthew Hughes, Mary Whyte, Kathleen Dunphy, Qiang Huang and Peggy Immel.

She counts herself as one of the lucky ones who’s gotten to paint at the Tuileries in Paris and Monet’s Gardens in Giverny, France.

A Member of Oil Painters of America

She’s currently a member of the Oil Painters of America, the Paseo Art Association, and the Wichita Falls Art Association.

I’ve participated or shown at the Galleria at the Forum at the Kemp Center, the WFAA Show at the Kemp Center for the Arts, the Gallery at WFAA, Paseo Artist Association Juried Small Art Show, the Medicine Park Art Walk, Arts For All Festival, St. Paul’s Art Show, the Museum of the Western Prairie Holiday Market, Lawton-Fort Sill Arts Council, Lawton Community Theatre, Leslie Powell Gallery, Pride Gallery, and Chisholm Trail Art Council shows.

Jan was awarded the One To Six Purchase Award by the City of Lawton’s Arts & Humanities Council in 2018 and her art was chosen for a special drawing at the Arts For All Gala in 2019.

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111 East Paul
Pauls Valley, OK 73075

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