Courtney’s painting on display at National Weather Center

by Cori Hilsgen

news@thenewsleaders.com

Sartell resident Janice Courtney’s oil painting entitled Luminous Light was recently accepted in a juried exhibition at the National Weather Center in Norman, Okla.

The painting was one of 76 selected to exhibit from 560 national/international artists who entered images of their artwork.

“I was honored to be one of the selected artists,” Courtney said.

Courtney and other artists were honored at a reception April 22 at the Mainsite Contemporary Art Center and a dinner at the Main Street Event Center in Norman.

At the reception, she met artists from other states, including Arizona, California, New York, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin, as well as a person representing an artist from Italy.

“I was very proud to explain where Sartell, Minnesota is,” Courtney said.

An opening reception was held April 23 at the National Weather Center.

This biennial juried exhibit has a focus of weather-related artwork. There were three categories – painting, photography and mixed media.

Courtney said she has been painting the great variety of skies that she observes from her house from May through October for the past six years.

In her artist’s statement, she explained when the southern Gulf of Mexico’s warm air mixes with the cool Canadian air, central Minnesota gets some spectacular cloud formations.

“I continue to be inspired,” Courtney said.

When she heard about this art exhibit by the National Weather Center, Courtney said it seemed her paintings might depict what the juror for the exhibit was looking for in weather-related artwork.

Courtney has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of North Texas in Denton, a master’s degree in painting from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces and a master’s degree in multicultural education with art emphasis from St. Cloud State University.

She worked as the assistant director and adviser for visual arts, performing arts and literary arts in the University Program Board at St. Cloud State University for 12 years.

Courtney also curated the St. Cloud State University Atwood Gallery with a student committee. The group installed six art exhibits each year, as well as a summer juried show.

“I enjoyed my job and working with college students in the arts,” she said.

Courtney has been painting full-time in her studio, since retiring from SCSU in 2013, and has had several exhibits of her paintings. One of her larger shows was in Dallas, Texas in 2015.

She will also have a solo exhibit of her paintings Nov. 1-30 at the St. Cloud Hospital. The subject of her paintings will be the skies of central Minnesota as well as scenes from her travels to Hawaii, France and Italy.

Courtney has served on the Central Minnesota Arts Board for nine years and has been chair of the board for the past three years.

The juried exhibit, which includes her Luminous Light oil painting, will be at the National Weather Center through June 19.

To view more of Courtney’s paintings, visit fb/JaniceCourtneyArtist.