During a recent visit to Janette’s studio, we sat down with Janette, Jake, and their playful dog Murphy for a cuppa. As we chatted, Janette let us into her world and talked about what truly makes her tick and why working alongside Jake is such a fulfilling part of her creative journey. Nestled in the beautiful landscapes of Warkworth, where native bush meets lush bountiful floral and vege garden, Janette’s artistic world unfolds. Her studio, surrounded by the melodic presence of kerer? and t??, feels like stepping into one of her mesmerizing paintings. Together with Jake, Janette draws constant inspiration from their shared life in this tranquil setting, creating a perfect environment for their studio and creativity.
A Childhood in Bloom
Janette’s lifelong connection to flora began during a childhood immersed in the kaleidoscopic beauty of her family’s flower nursery. Growing up surrounded by vibrant petals and intricate patterns naturally sparked a creative passion. Her journey into the arts started with decorative painting and culminated in a Master’s degree, underscoring her dedication to capturing the fleeting beauty of nature. As Janette reflects, “Flowers speak to our senses; they enrich our existence and have been represented in some way in every culture on Earth.”
The Pentimento Effect: Layers of Life
Janette’s signature technique of layering paint and resin creates an immersive, dimensional world where birds, flowers, and foliage appear to float and intertwine. This method is inspired by the pentimento effect—a term derived from the Italian word for “repentance,” used in art to describe traces of earlier work that surface in a finished piece. Similarly, Janette’s works reveal ghostly floral forms beneath the polished resin surface, a nod to the old masters.
Janette describes her process with enthusiasm: “I love getting creative with paint, loading and blending colours on the brush, and letting them slip effortlessly over the surface to create beautiful flowers.” Each layer of paint is followed by a coating of resin, preserving and enhancing the vibrancy while adding a sense of depth. The resin acts like a lens, magnifying the details of each layer and creating a 3D affect that draws viewers in.
This intricate interplay of layers transforms her works into dynamic, ever-changing experiences. From different angles or under varying light conditions, viewers uncover new details, textures, and relationships between elements. This quality makes her paintings conversational and endlessly engaging—art pieces that truly come alive.
A Dance of Colour and Form
The blending of paint and resin not only adds depth but also celebrates the inherent spontaneity of the creative process. Janette embraces happy accidents, allowing her materials to guide the evolution of each piece. “Sometimes I remove more paint than I add,” she shares. “The work evolves without sketches, so it requires constant editing. There’s definitely an obsessive-compulsive side to my process.”
Her works, such as the wistful Hui on Te Berm and the exuberant Flower Power or Endless Hydrangeas, feel like luminous antipodean paradises. They highlight the fragility of New Zealand’s ecosystems while offering a vibrant celebration of their beauty.
Vanitas Reimagined
Janette’s connection to the vanitas tradition adds a deeper resonance to her work. Echoing the themes of 16th-century European art, her paintings explore abundance, celebration, and the transience of life. However, her vibrant compositions reinterpret these motifs for a modern audience, grounding them in the fragility of New Zealand’s natural environment.
“Flora and fauna are central to my practice,” she explains. “They reference vanitas themes but are reimagined for a 21st-century context. We are fortunate to be guardians of our beautiful land for future generations.” Her works elevate the domestic floral motif into a poignant reflection on the balance between beauty and impermanence.
Left: Detail from Endless Hydrangea, middle: Flower Power with Di Tocker’s Inferno on the table, right: detail from Hui on the Berm
Inspired by Nature, Fuelled by Creation
For Janette, inspiration is never far from reach—it lies just outside her door. The shifting seasons, the play of light on foliage, and the ever-changing weather imbue her work with a dynamic vitality. Every element of her surroundings—from the rustle of native bush to the vibrant energy of her garden—becomes woven into her creative process, adding depth and life to each piece.
Equally important to her artistry is the joy she finds in creation itself. “Blending colours, letting them slip effortlessly over the surface—it’s magic,” she shares. Experimenting with media and embracing the unexpected spark of happy accidents fuel her boundless curiosity, ensuring her process remains as captivating as the final artwork.
Artistic Style in Six Words
When asked to define her artistic style, Janette offers six evocative words: Colour. Floral. Embellish. Excessive. Nature. These words encapsulate the essence of her work—a celebration of life’s abundance, layered with complexity and joy.
A Timeless Reminder
Janette Cervin’s art is a love letter to nature. Her layered, resin-coated paintings remind us to slow down, appreciate the beauty around us, and reflect on our role as caretakers of this fragile world. As she puts it, “Flowers enrich our existence and are deeply significant in every culture, from birth to burial. They’re universal symbols of life’s fragility and joy.”
Next time you encounter one of her luminous works, take a moment to breathe, pause, and, as Janette so beautifully suggests, “smell the flowers.”
The Immersive World of Janette Cervin, photos in in her studio – Photography by Adrian Malloch