Perry artist, Jann Johnson Lardie, spent a childhood immersed in art, with a special passion for sculpture, portraiture and art history. Marriage, family, and career changed her life’s course, and her pursuit of art fell to the loving demands of home and work. Upon retirement, her focus returned to art. She currently is exploring ceramic sculpture, pottery, pastels, watercolors, mixed media and fine silver jewelry.

Jann gained most of her art education in an informal setting. Pottery was learned at the Greater Lansing Potters Guild and the Shiawassee Art Center. Michigan potters, Jim Reinert and Linda Ruehle provided special mentoring and support. She explored ceramic sculpture with Okemos sculptor, Mark Chatterley, Debra Fritts, ceramic sculptor of Roswell, GA and Linda Hill of Owosso, MI. Workshops in clay with Tony & Sheila Clennell, Sam Chung, Bill Van Gilder and Suze Lindsay; pastel painting workshops with the late Jerry Powers and jewelry making with Debra Fehrenbach have given her further inspiration.

She has exhibited at the Shiawassee Arts Center as a featured artist (2007), in several of the SAC Statewide All Media Juried Competitions, the SAC Member Artists Shows, and in several of the Shiawassee Artists’ Guild exhibits. In 2008, nine of Jann’s tile assemblages where selected for the new Memorial Healthcare Cancer Center in Owosso. In 2009, her sculpture “Zuberi” won awards at both the Ella Sharp Museum of Art & History and the Shiawassee Arts Center. In 2009 her work was included in the Mid Michigan Artists Guild “Emerging Artists” show. Jann is a member of The Shiawassee Artists’ Guild and Mid Michigan Artists Guild.

Artist’s Statement:

“As a child, I saw the world as a place of awesome beauty, shapes, and colors. I dreamed of ways to capture it all — of finding a way to let others see what I was seeing…

Today, nothing has changed — I still feel compelled to express what I see and feel, through art. I am just beginning to scratch the surface — so many ideas, so many mediums to work in, and so much to express. Other artists tell me to select one area of focus. …Maybe. …Someday. Right now, I am just enjoying the freedom to explore. What a ride!”

Through art, I am just beginning to scratch the surface — so many ideas, so many mediums to work in, and so much to express. Other artists tell me to select one.