Artist Bio
Kia ora, and thank you for visiting
Artwork is a form of prayer for me; it helps me to listen and ultimately serve God (AMDG). Daily I seek to follow the way of beauty (Via Pulchritudinis) because it connects us to the transcendent and creates community. Listening with gratitude and vulnerability happens one day at a time, helping me to act (in my life) to create connections through our beautiful, good, and true God.
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​The ups and downs in life do influence my art, and the stories I hear from others play a huge role in what I create. Listening is central to my spirituality and life, I feel strongly that this must come first in all my interactions and decisions. Some days I succeed, and some days I fail in epic proportions. But on those days when I'm most open, truly listening and vulnerable, artwork and creativity flow like a dance of interconnection. What I love most about creativity and artwork is not only the contemplative moments but, importantly, when I get to work with others to create—seeing reactions or hearing stories about what it has meant to others. Our gifts are not ours to keep alone; they are meant to be shared—God's melody is sweetest when we play all our instruments together.
Ultimately my artwork is about creating connections and living in service with gratitude.
You may just be wondering where my life began? Imagine a very young Jane running cross-country through dairy farms. My upbringing was classic, rural down-to-earth, small-town Aotearoa New Zealand. I grew up in a multicultural family (Maltese Mother and 4th generation Kiwi/ English Father). I believe strongly in what Jesus said about how we must "seek and find", be curious, seek joy, and enjoy life. Cartoons were an early favourite pastime, and I have sketched for as long as I can remember. As I have grown, so has my artwork, and it continues to be a work in progress. I have always been drawn to sketching with pen and pencil; enjoying the simplicity and the flexibility. Paint, paper, canvas and wood are also my common choices as I continue to experiment with digital media.
Through God's grace, I feel very blessed to have had many international adventures, including living and travelling around the world (including Snowboard instructing for seven back-to-back winters). My passion for the outdoors and the environment further fuels my creative process. I studied graphic design after high school and worked as a commercial graphic designer and illustrator for a number of years. I also operated my own design business for about nine years. During this time, I completed several commission-based projects and have also sold many personal artwork pieces. My employment base was mostly within the commercial design industry from 1999 - 2015. Including operating designjane Ltd. as a full-time freelance designer and artist from 2007 - 2015 (working with a worldwide client base). I also completed commissions for graphic design and fine art-based projects as part of my SOSJ noviciate (2015 - 2018).
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Through tragedy and joy, it's fair to say that my life has taken some unexpected turns. But, I can now see that all was gift; grace opened my heart, I listened, and was led to religious life. This trust in listening led me to profess vows for the first time on 13th January 2018—becoming a Sister of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
After my first profession, I had the privilege to be in full-time ministry at a High School in Sydney (Pastoral Care, Design and Marketing) for three years (2018 - 2020). I moved back to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2021, and am currently working part-time for NCRS. I continue to work on artwork projects for schools and parishes as a ministry and am also studying counselling part-time. I am particularly interested in continuing to work with schools to develop artwork; collaborating with students and staff to create a visual story of how God is alive in their community today. We never journey alone, artwork is community.
I believe that we can all find God in beauty, goodness and truth. I hope you can join me in solidarity as I live life as a Sister of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Everyone is welcome, and included no matter sexuality, race, age, and/or history. Everyone is welcome. I pray we listen together - that our lives may be a symphony played through deep listening.
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Shalom
~ Jane
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"Our creativity can thus only be an outcome of communion: it is not so much the achievement of a great individual genius, but rather the fruit of a great friendship. In other words, it is the fruit of love. As Christian communicators we are called to bear witness to a style of communication that is not just based on the individual, but on a way of community-building and belonging. The best way to convey content is to put together the voices of those who love that content. Working together as a team, making space for diverse talents, backgrounds, capacities, and rhythms, co-creating beauty in a “symphonic creativity,” is actually the most beautiful witness that we are really children of God, redeemed from being concerned only with ourselves and open to an encounter with others." (68) ~ Towards Full Presence (Dicastery for Communication 2023)
"...there is a need to let the light of hope shine in that darkness, in the midst of our selfishness and indifference. Help us to glimpse the light, the beauty that saves." ~ Pope Francis Address to Artists (23 June 2023)
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This, then, is your task as poets, storytellers, filmmakers and artists: to give life, flesh and verbal expression to all that humanity experiences, feels, dreams and endures, thus creating harmony and beauty. This “evangelical” task also helps us come to a deeper understanding of God, as the great poet of humanity. Will they criticize you? Fine, bear the burden of criticism, but also strive to learn something from it. Yet never stop being original and creative. Never lose the wonder of being alive." ~ Pope Francis (27 May 2023)
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