Listen to Janel's interview on "In Black America" for KUT here.

Janel Jeffersons use of color, texture, and form creates captivatingly haunting portraits that lend a glimpse into a past. Whimsical or serious, the eyes of her subjects reflect the depth of their collective experience.

Janel was born in Anchorage, Alaska, raised in San Antonio, Texas. In 1986, Janel received a BFA in Studio Art from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas (currently known as Texas State University). When shes not traveling around the globe, climbing Kilimanjaro, trekking to base camp Mt. Everest or hiking on Easter Island, Janel resides in Simi Valley California, but passionately calls Austin, Texas her home.