Jan's parents discovered her abilities at 8 years old. They encouraged her in drawing and painting all her life. At 10 she did a self-portratit that was a remarkable likeness and at 12 she started painting in oils (and her parents still encouraged her even though she ruined the carpet in her room), and at 14 she was copying the masters and came to love Vincent Van Gogh, whose influence you can see in her paintings today.

Jan continued painting until she was 21 when she began an exciting new career. She spent 14 years in Thailand where she came to love the people and culture. She returned to the States in 1992 and began taking college art courses. Her excitement for, and excellence in, each medium was evident to her instructors. Each class added to her skills, while keeping her own gracious style.

Jan's paintings are on display in the International Headquarters of Good Samaritan Ministries in Beaverton Oregon, the offices of Puget Sound Trading in Tacoma Washington, and also at House of Myrrh in Oregon City, Oregon. Her works are well collected and have also been sold at benefits, auctions, and fundraisers for the people of Thailand.