Janet Nagl displays her watercolor Colorado Gold.
Jill Gianino
The PebbleCreek Art Club has awarded the December Artist of the Month to Janet Nagl. Janet, a native of Illinois, was born and raised on the far northwest side of Chicago. She met her future husband Mike in Estes Park, Colorado and has the distinction of being married for over 50 years.
Janet and Mike are snowbirds living here for six months each year. They have been renting in PebbleCreek since 2001 and purchased a home in 2009.
Janet reports she had always wanted to be an artist when she grew up.
She recalls being interested in art in elementary school where her class painted local merchants’ windows for Halloween. As an elementary school teacher, she made a point to incorporate many art projects into her curriculum.
Janet frequently engaged in watercolor on a more superficial level through the years of her teaching but she always felt she “truly believed I would get with the program upon retiring.” However, she remarks this didn’t really happen until they moved to PebbleCreek when she started taking classes. Janet continued to take art classes on her trips back to Colorado during the summer. She participated in the Paint Around organized by the PebbleCreek Art Club and feels she learned that watercolor is her true passion.
Janet cites a particular watercolor teacher here in PebbleCreek, Diane Walenda, who has “taught me how to express myself through watercolor over the years, so now, I guess, I have indeed become an artist!”
Janet is an active member of P.E.O., a philanthropic organization that raises monies for furthering women’s educational goals. She adds she is a long time collector of bookmarks and has donated some of her paintings for P.E.O.’s major fundraiser, Books & Brunch, held annually as well as donating paintings for drawings held each year. A sample of her bookmarks is on display in the Creative Arts building Artist of the Month window display.
Personally, Janet is an avid reader and belongs to two book clubs. She enjoys using our beautiful fitness centers and recently has gotten back into walking.
Janet’s painting at the Eagle’s Nest clubhouse is titled Precocious Petunias painted this summer using liquid watercolors and a pressurized spray bottle. The artwork at Tuscany Falls Clubhouse is named Colorado Gold which is a painting of aspen trees, a subject she loves to paint.
Janet affirms it is a very surprising and humbling experience to be named Artist of the Month and wishes to thank the Art Club.
She asks to close with a favorite quote of hers from the book Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein: “That which you manifest is before you.” Janet states, “I now do believe myself to be an artist and I am most grateful.”