Meet Janet Mueller

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Janet Mueller. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Janet, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?

Artwork is judged in infinite ways. To some people, a good painting matches the sofa. To others, a painting that resembles a photograph is awed. An artist with an eye for design, technical skills and extreme patience can make beautiful images. But artwork that provokes thought, created with a wild level of creativity, can leave a regular guy stranded outside his comfort zone.

I was 41 years old when I sold all my belongings, left my hometown in Illinois and became a painter and sculptor of fine art in Key West, FL. I gave myself permission to use my abilities and uncage my creativity. In my solitude, I listened to messages from the Universe. I challenged myself to express these messages in a contemporary style that reached my highest level of creative thinking. I was realizing my potential, the key to happiness.
I trusted that my bills would be paid if I was true to myself. When times got too tough, I’d get a temporary job until the next painting sale. I had the faith and the drive to live on the road less traveled.

My free-spirited, simple lifestyle, however, was causing me to lose those whom I loved the most. I succumbed to guilt, shame and self-loathing.

Twenty years later, while living in Miami Beach, I turned the negative feelings into an installation called, “Pest Control”. Encased in a wooden shadow box was a cardboard square with two rusty screws behind wire eyeglass frames. The crude face showed 3 big palmetto bugs made from clay, wood and wire, creeping into the brain area of the head. The bugs wore the words “shame”, “disapproval”, and “self-doubt” on their backs. A “guilt” bug made the lips on the face. The word “rejection” was labeled on a bug excluded from the rest. The clay bug backs were molded into faces with miserable expressions, though so subtle, the faces were mostly unnoticed. On the bottom of the shadow box was a can made from a wooden pole with a label “Pest Control”. Brown paper from a bag, painted with black spray paint, appeared to blast toxins from the can. Resting on the bottom of the shadow box was an upside-down clay bug. Dead.

People strolled past my studio one night during an open house and were captured by “Pest Control”. I was surprised to see women and men nodding their heads up and down. I did not realize that many people struggle with destructive thoughts. I was not alone. My demons lost the battle, and I moved on.

In 2015, the installation was included in a group show in NYC and purchased.

It seems to me that conservative people tend to value security, while liberals tend to prioritize freedom. I focus my attention on positive, supportive energy. I am grateful for the freedom to create on my own terms, and I love the wonderful relationships I have with my loved ones.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I create art that simplifies complicated issues. My work consists of paintings, sculptures, and installations.

When I create a painting, I am alone with my thoughts. My paintings are figurative, though the characters have distorted features and usually a floating eyeball. The portraits are pre-determined to some extent and filled with symbolism. Using acrylic paints, I create images that relay messages through bold strokes of crudely mixed paint.

Creations in 3-D are suspended from the ceiling or are free standing. Most sculptures are made with fabric, painted with dye and stuffed with pillow fill. The characters resemble the distorted figures I paint.

To visually express my opinions about heavy topics, I use light-hearted imagery or metaphors. The entertainment is meant to aid in understanding issues rather than diminish the importance of the messages. Government corruption, poverty, women’s issues, education, domestic abuse and mental health are a few of the subjects on which I have expressed my passionate beliefs through art.

Currently I am working on a large sculpture that demonstrates “We the People” defending democracy. I am thankful for a grant from Miami Individual Artists Program (MIA) to create a project entitled, “It is Up to Us”.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

SOLITUDE
The ability to be alone and quiet for long periods of time is essential for creating art from within. Each day I observe “lucky” moments, signs that I am on the right path.
LEARNING
All areas of knowledge are important for my growth: reading, grammar, mathematics, science, music, dance, plus art skills:
understanding color and mixing paint, perspective, creating light and shadows, drawing portraits, learning how to sew, working in Photoshop and other computer programs. Knowledge is power and the path to freedom.
LETTING GO
Whether it is moving to an unknown place, hurling paint on a canvas, spending my last dollar on an art opportunity or trusting someone else with more knowledge in a certain area, when caution is thrown to the wind, magic happens.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

I have learned many skills from other artists: Oil painting techniques, painting with gouache and an airbrush, stretching a canvas, using power tools, tips in Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro, marketing on social media and creating a website. The list goes on.

Artists have also helped me with my projects. One suggested I fill fabric sculptures with sand to add weight. Another artist gave me the idea of inflating a sculpture with air to keep it light.

Friends who excel in language have helped me decode information needed for another project. And countless conversations with my sister, who is knowledgeable in history and literature, have helped me create images with messages.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photos by Janet Mueller of paintings:

See Freedom, See the Good, Follow the Light, Time is Running Out,

Hello Neighbor, The Teacher, Knowledge is Power, Three Nudes,

Pest Control

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