"Too erotic!" "Too exotic!" That's how Vancouver City officials viewed Rose Ann Janzen's work in 1984. They ordered the painting in question removed from a City Hall Public Exhibition of British Columbia Artists. Art critic Max Wyman, among others, rallied in support of Rose Ann but to no avail. The painting remained "banned from City Hall."

Intended to amuse rather than titillate, Janzen's eclectic blend of eroticism and humour have found more appreciative patrons at exhibits in Switzerland. Her striking images often make the viewer do a double-take. The bright, bold lines of colour and the fantasy and playfulness all combine to provoke a totally non-cerebral response.

Mainly a self-taught artist, Rose Ann has studied in the Netherlands, at the Banff School of Fine Arts and at the University of British Columbia. Whether exploring the medinas of Morocco, trekking through the jungles of Costa Rica or sailing the south Pacific, she is the irrepressible traveler, never without sketchbook in hand. It is no surprise, then, that travel and discovery are keynotes in Janzen's work.

Rose Ann's current situation: view opposite is from her garden on the Sunshine Coast of Beautiful British Columbia. She shares her current residence with two cats and a modest clutch of chickens.

Rose Ann's paintings can be viewed at the Swallow's Nest in Gibsons, Retrotiques in Sechelt and at her studio by appointment. Please Contact Us for details.

Exhibits & Appearances