The Fantastic & Real – Jana Vodesil-Baruffi
Realism and fantasy combine in a unique art style Jana Vodesil-Baruffi calls Fantastic Realism. Recognisable forms, many of them of the human face and body, transform into hypnotizing figures that combine seamlessly with the elements of nature. Through the dynamic imagination of the artist a woman’s face materialises from rocks in a pool of water, a man’s arms evolve into tree limbs, and the full form of a woman becomes intertwined with the heavens and the earth through her arterial system. It is impossible to look away.
After emigrating to Australia in the 80’s Czech born, Jana developed her technical skills as a serious artist while working on realistic drawings and paintings. Her fascination with faces is evident in her Portraits, another primary area of Jana’s work where she interprets facial expressions that go beyond the visible and reveal the character of the subject.
For “Permanent Impressions,” a benefit for the Leukemia Foundation, Jana created a 50 portrait collection celebrating women of WA in 2013. The result is a book of the collection that won the bronze medal in the Best Regional Non-Fiction category of the 2014 Independent Publisher Book Awards in New York.
A third area of Jana’s work is her Visual Diaries which focus on beautiful images from her extensive art tours around the globe. These works capture the essence of destinations such as Italian countryside, streetscapes in the Bahamas and Prague, and the natural beauty of New Zealand.
Her lifelong interest in art has led to an award-winning career and numerous exhibitions around the world. Vodesil-Baruffi is a regular contributor to the Doug Moran, Archibald and Black Swan portraiture competitions. This year marked Jana’s fifth time as a Black Swan Prize finalist.
In 2013 Belmont Business Enterprise Centre presented Jana with the “Most creative award” in its small business category.
In 2014, she launched the contemporary Australian Surrealists movement with exhibitions at the Metamorphosis Art Gallery and together with her husband Kevin Baruffi, established the Not for Profit organisation “Paintings for a Cause” with the purpose of to promoting artists and art as a vehicle for fund raising for various worldwide causes.
Jana Vodesil-Baruffi continues to combine her art with involvement in the global issues with a new collection of Fantastic Realism paintings based on the oppression of women in the developing world.
To view more of Jana’s work and find out more about this dynamic multi- talented artist – see: www.janavodesil.com & www.metamorphosisartgallery.com
This article was published in our luxury homes annual – WA Custom Homes 2016