Professor
She/Her/Hers
As a sculptor / site-specific installation artist, Janna has had her work published and shown both nationally and internationally. She has received numerous grants including from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artist Foundation and is on the Board of Directors for Transcultural Exchange and The Quarry, Contemporary Art Center, and is a member of the International Ceramics Academy (IAC) and the NCECA Green Task Force.
Raised on a small farm with traditional life methods and materials, Janna has embraced every opportunity to explore the world. Her curiosity started in 1973, at 21 years old, she drove the length of Africa; since then she has had direct cultural experience in 48 countries. As an explorer, Janna absorbs history, culture and science which she reflects upon in her work
As Professor at MassArt, for 45 years, Janna developed her courses to combine technical instruction with cultural, environmental, and social issues. Since 2009, her course Objects that Change Lives, has addressed problems / solutions related to food, water, sustainability, health & shelter, as does the student club, Clay for Change, she also started in 2009. Since 2000, Janna has given students direct cultural contact while teaching her courses in Cuba, Vietnam and Brazil.
The course Objects That Change Lives is particularly includes a lot of sustainability content. Students learn about issues related to water and food crisis / solutions. They also learn about how ceramics studios are addressing issues related to environmental impact.
