Janet Main is a native of Kitchener, Ontario. Her
family owned the Mansfield Shirt Company,
manufacturer of made-to-measure shirts. Sales trips
involved family travel and camping across Canada
most summers since she was 6 years old. Traveling
extensively in Canada nourished an intimate
familiarity with the varied natural beauty and wide
spaces of her country, from little-known places in
Newfoundland to the West Coast Trail. Janet’s camera
has been a constant companion to record the beauty
she sees around her.
After studying Canadian native cultures and
religious studies at the University of Toronto, she
moved to Elphinstone, Manitoba, and lived for three
years near Riding Mountain National Park. Here, she
deepened her interest in native arts and culture and
studied the Saulteaux language, healing herbs, wild
flowers, plants and wildlife. Then, Janet lived
three years in Brandon where she studied the
spirituality of various traditions, drama, native
studies, and English at Brandon University, before
coming back home to Kitchener to work with the
family business.
Now, Janet enjoys time spent with family and
friends, including two
dear grandchildren. She now lives in a cottage on a
small lake near Elmwood, Ontario. Her interests
include watercolours, travel, healing work, writing,
and photography.
Janet began to develop a serious interest in
watercolour painting in 2004. She has studied with
local artists, Ardythe Campbell and Marion Anderson,
and also with Gordon MacKenzie of Sault Ste. Marie.
Shows: Ardythe Campbell invited Janet to show her
work to an extended circle of friends and family for
the first time, in Ardythe’s home, June, 2007.
Janet’s first public show was a solo show in the
Belvedere Gallery in Baden, Ontario, March 2008.
“Playful Beauty and One Large Beast” was an attempt
to express the delight Janet takes in finding her
own way in watercolours. She plays with the medium,
inspired by the beauty in her world, just letting a
picture happen without getting too serious or
worried about conforming to one particular style. The ‘beast’ is a magical dragon. Her grand-children
seem intrigued by the sense of mystery and imagination
in this painting.
Kuntz House of Waterloo hosted another solo show for
Janet in summer of 2008, “All Things Bright and
Beautiful”.
As a result of her watercolour shows, Janet has
accepted commissioned work as challenges to stretch
her creativity and imagination.
At present, she is working on a series of mountain
scenes for her sister and brother-in-law’s
bed-and-breakfast just north of Jasper Park,
Alberta, as well as other Canadian scenes of
dramatic beauty she encounters as she travels across
this vast land.
Janet’s watercolours are found in homes and offices
in Canada, USA, England and Spain.
