JAN is an expressionist artist based in Pretoria, South Africa, whose work explores emotion through colour, texture and movement. Each painting begins with a moment of inspiration drawn from nature, people or imagery that sparks a personal response. From there the canvas develops slowly through layers of oil paint, allowing the work to evolve naturally until it reaches its final form.
Music often plays a central role in the studio. With headphones on and brush in hand, JAN allows mood and rhythm to guide the movement of the brush. Rather than following strict rules of colour or composition, he approaches each painting intuitively, allowing instinct and feeling to shape the process.
JAN’s artistic journey began during his school years through pencil drawing, but life initially led him into the creative world of hairdressing, where he continued to work with colour and personal expression in a different medium. In 2018 he returned to painting and began working with oil paint, refining his technique under the guidance of artist Lucas De Witt. This experience reignited a lifelong passion for art and opened the path toward his current body of work.
Influenced by artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Salvador Dalí, as well as contemporary South African painters like MIES and Lionel Smit, JAN is drawn to the freedom and expressive energy found in their work. Their influence can be seen in his bold use of colour, visible brushwork and the emotional character of each piece.
Today JAN’s paintings are held in private collections across South Africa. Each artwork is created with patience and care, often taking weeks or months to complete, and reflects a moment of emotion translated into colour, texture and movement.
