About the Artist
Jan McAllaster Stommes
Specialties: Trompe l'oeil, Impressionism, Realism, Children's books
HOW I STARTED MY ARTISTIC JOURNEY
How I got started with painting involved a life changing event for me. When my middle son was only a few months old, my brother [that was eighteen years older than I] died when his home furnace malfunctioned and he succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.
I was devastated.
While tending to my toddler and infant, I happened to see William Alexander on TV,
who preceded Bob Ross as the "Happy Painter".
He made painting seem so easy as he quickly completed a painting in the short time of the TV show.
I tried my hand at painting, reading countless books from the library.
Through my grief I found a new passion.
It was NOT an easy process, but I stuck it out.
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Jan Stommes is a self-taught artist whose work has evolved during her many years of painting. She is an eclectic person and feels that her painting should reflect that aspect of her personality. Her academic endeavors trained her to be a research scientist, which developed the observational skills necessary for creating art. During her artistic journey, her interest in subject matter has varied and the choice of her medium has evolved.
Jan is a Signature Member of The Society of Animal Artists and is also a member of the International Guild of Realism, the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionists Society.
Jan started her painting career using watercolor on paper, and after many years, she switched to super-realism by means of acrylic on illustration board. She then added impressionism and painterly realism in oils, on supports of canvas or panel, to her repertoire along with soft pastels.
Jan constantly strives to take on challenges by trying something new in each painting that she creates. Creating trompe l’oeil images connects her art and science. These paintings are so life-like that viewers of her work have thought that the images are collages instead of paintings.
Jan feels that her paintings show the consistent level of excellence that she aims for. This is evidenced by the acceptance of her artwork to numerous juried museum exhibitions, international shows as well as art magazine contests. Her life activities have contributed to how she views the world. Her desire is to use her experiences to connect with others through her artwork.
Jan’s love of cooking gourmet cuisine led her to create a series of food paintings. These images have been licensed into many format, some of which are print, calendars and coasters.
In addition to her work in fine art, Jan has written, illustrated and published several children’s books about science. These books, written in a humorous , rhyming form that are illustrated in a manner to intrigue children of all ages about the various marvels of science.
In addition, she has created a line of children’s books to teach coping skills for young students that have the learning differences of dyslexia and dyscalculia.
Jan Stommes
Website: www.janstommesart.com
Follow me on Gab.com as dcowman
After turning 65, I decided to not enter as many shows as I used to. Just a personal choice.
Resume of Selected Accomplishments
2025. International Guild of Realism's online Exhibition, "Fishing at Riverhaven".
2024 " Trompe l'Oeil Series: The art of preening", Birds in Art, Woodson Art Museum, Wausau
2022 "Silent Hunt", Birds in Art, Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
2022-2021 "ANIMAL GROUPS", curated exhibition, four paintings and triptych, two venues, Kansas.
2021 "ANIMAL GROUPS", curated exhibition, four paintings and triptych, two venues, Kansas.
2021 Finding Magnificence in the Ordinary: A Second Look at Agriculture and Nature, Jan McAllaster Stommes August 12, 2021
2020 "The Storyteller", 2020 Richeson75 Figure/Portrait, Meritorious Selection .
2020 "Is that him?", Salon Show Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils.
2020 Birds in Art, "Fast Food", Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI.
2020 "Corned Beef & Cabbage, "Silver & Olives" and "Limes & Salt" featured in COLLECTOR'S FOCUS:STILL LIFES, Standing Still, American Art Collector, January 2020. Issue 171
2020 "Trompe l'Oeil Series: The Eyes Have It", International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition SPRING SALON ONLINE EXHIBITION
2019 "Triple Trumpets", International Guild of Realism 14th Annual Juried Exhibition, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA
2019 "Trompe l'Oeil Series: Boca Beauties", International Guild of Realism's Winter Salon Online Exhibition
2018 "Sharing the River", Oil Painters of America Eastern Exhibition, McBride Gallery, Annapolis, Maryland
2018 "Cliffside Nursery" Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum's 43rd annual Birds in Art exhibition, Wausau, Wisconsin
2018 "Trompe l'Oeil Series: The Art of Iridescence", SAA 2018 Annual Exhibition, James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg, Florida
2018 "Branch Shadows",Oil Painters of America Salon Show at the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Traverse City, Michigan
2018 "The Kid", Culture & Agriculture, New Visions Gallery, Marshfield, Wisconsin
2018 "Pas de Deux", AIS Impressions Small Works Showcase, Cincinnati, OH
2017 "Moving On", Artist's Magazine Annual Competition, Honorable Mention Award
2017-19 Birds in art, “Moving On”, Woodson Art Museum, Touring Exhibition
20 17 Birds in Art, “Moving On”, Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
2017 “Trompe l’Oeil Series: The Art of Iridescence”, 12th Juried International Guild of Realism, Carmel, CA
2017 “Tromp l’Oeil Series: For Love of Africa”, The Society of Animal Artists 57th Annual Exhibition, Oradell, NJ
2017 “Waiting”, Oil Painters of America 2017 National Exhibition, Cincinnati, OH
2017 “Prairie’s Edge”, 2017 Culture & Agriculture, Marshfield, WI
2016 Root to Bloom, International juried exhibition, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA
2016 Roots- The Ties That Bind, Center for the Visual Arts, Wausau, WI
2016 "Merganser Morning", Society of Animal Artists, INC. 56th Annual Exhibition, Art and the Animal
Houston Museum of Natural Science
2016 "Last Light", "In the Shadow of Giants", "Keeping Hope Alive", "After the Storm", Society of Animal Artists and African Wildlife Foundation, Out of Africa
2016 "Trompe l'Oeil Series: Pheasant Tribute", Society of Animal Artists Member’s Show, Fredericksburg, TX
2015 Woodson Museum purchase of painting, "Trompe l’Oeil Series: Lovely Birds"
2015 Artist Residency, Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
2015 Birds in Art 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Woodson Museum, Wausau, WI
2015, '13, ’11, Birds in Art, Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI.
’09, 08,’07,
’06,’02
2015 "Fleeting Glimpse", 10th Annual International Guild of Realism Exhibition,
Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA
2015 " Trompe l'oeil Series: The Art of Raptors", Masterworks from the International Guild of Realism
Museum Tour, R. W. Norton Art Gallery, Shreveport, LA
2015 Society of Animal Artists 55th Annual Exhibition, Roger
Tory Peterson Institute, Jamestown, NY
2015 ACRYLICWORKS 2, selection for book publication: Trompe
l’oeil Series: The Art of Raptors.
2014 ACRYLICWORKS, selection for book publication: abstract
painting, Happy.
2015 Masterworks from The International Guild of Realism
Exhibition museum tour.
2015 Masterworks in Miniature, Gallery One, Mentor OH.
-07
2014 Artist's Magazine Annual Art Competition, three landscape paintings and one of her abstracts pieces were selected as finalists in their respective categories.
2013 Artist's Magazine Annual Art Competition, three
paintings were accepted as finalist in the categories of Animal/Wildlife, Landscape/Interiors and Still Life/Floral.
2013 Salon International 2013 Jury’s Top Sixty Award: “Strawberry Temptation”.
2013,’10, Salon International exhibition, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, TX
’09 ‘07
2011 International Artist magazine, Finalist for Art Prize
Challenge No. 63 Trompe l’Oeil Series: Water Birds.
2010 Artist's Magazine Annual Art Competition, Herefords Resting, finalist in the Animal/Wildlife category.
2010 Oil Painters of America: Eastern Regional Exhibition, NC
2009 The Wall Street Journal, “Birds of a Feather, Together,”
issue: Thursday, October 1, 2009, written by Ann Landi.
Trompe l’Oeil painting, The Bird Cupboard, was featured.
2008-‘04 New Visions’ Culture and Agriculture, New Vision Gallery,
Marshfield, WI
2008 Barns & Farms, Barnsite Gallery, LLC, Kewaunee, WI
2008 18th Annual Midwest Winter juried exhibit; Award of
Excellence, Wausau, WI
2007 Eastern Regional Exhibit- Oil Painters of America,
Weatherburn Gallery, FL
2007 Paint the Parks Top100, “Hidden Splendor”, Topeka, KS
2007 Paint the Parks2nd 100, two paintings, Topeka, KS
2007 Paint the Parks MiniTop50, “Day’s Catch”, Topeka, KS
2007 Paint the Parks 2nd Mini50, one painting, Topeka, KS
2007-1995 Fall Festival, Wild Wings, LLC, Lake City, MN
2006-2007 Birds in Art, National Tour
2006 Birds in Art, Activity Guide, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art
Museum, Wausau, WI.
2006 International Artist magazine, volume 50, page 10, finalist: Challenge 34, “Your Favorite Subject”, competition.
2006 Arts for the Parks, Top 200 Winner, three paintings.
2006 Arts for the Parks, Mini 100 Winner, one painting.
2005 2005 Mini 100 Region III Winner, Arts for the Parks,
National Park Academy of the Arts, painting: Prairie Storm.
2005 2005 Mini 100 Winners, two painting accepted to top 100.
2003 Loons on the Lake Calendar, Bookmark Fine Art Calendars.
2002-‘03 Birds in Art, National Tour
2002 Birds in Art, Calendar of Events, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
Book Publications
2020 Real Butter is Best! Written by Jan and Richard Stommes, illustrated by Jan Stommes
2019 Mitzy meets Little Bluey Written by Jan and Richard Stommes, illustrated by Jan Stommes
2019 Brown Spot & Seven Written by Jan and Richard Stommes, illustrated by Jan Stommes
2019 Do you drink real milk? Written by Jan and Richard Stommes, illustrated by Jan Stommes
2018 Fearless Frieda Written by Jan and Richard Stommes, illustrated by Jan Stommes
2017 Black Tips and Blaze Written by Jan and Richard Stommes, illustrated by Jan Stommes
2017 The Tundra Biome Alphabet: Arctic and Alpine Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2017 Can Ewes Use a Clipper? Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2016 The Deceptive Dunnart Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2016 How many sleeps in a week? Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2016 Biology is as easy as ABC: The Desert Biome Alphabet Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2015 Worker Hands, Helper Hands: letters Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2015 Worker Hands, Helper Hands: CAPITAL LETTERS Written and illustrated by
Jan Stommes
2015 Worker Hands, Helper Hands: Numbers Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2013 The Puzzling Pangolin Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2013 Carbon is Cool Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2013 The Science and Art of Grazing Dairy Cattle Written by Richard Stommes. Illustrated and edited by Jan Stommes
2012 The Enchanting Echidna Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2012 The Peculiar Platypus Written and illustrated by Jan Stommes
2012 Grandma and Grandpa are trapped in the computer! Written and illustrated
by Jan Stommes
Lectures and Public Speaking
2006 Interview for Wisconsin Public Radio.
2006 Interview for WAOW, TV Channel 9, Wausau, WI.
2004 Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin, Earth, River, and Light: Masterworks of Pennsylvania Impressionism. "Snowscapes: In Light and Shadow" demonstration in the galleries.
Selected licensing
Pine Ridge Art Calendars
Bookmark Fine Art Calendars
Images in Tile, Dye-sublimated Tile Murals.
Elm Puzzles, Specialty Puzzles, loon painting.
Published by Wild Wings, LLC:
Prints:
Savoring the Day
Country Breakfast
Broken Egg Study
BLT
Sweet Promise
Promise Realized
Soup Du Jour-Ham and Bean
All About the Grapes-Wine and Cheese
Icy Cold
Silky Smooth
Crisp Cocktail
Wrapped Canvas Art:
Where’s the Milk?
Prairie’s Edge
Shadow Boxes:
Prairie Gold
Prairie Heat
Prairie Song
Wood Signs:
No Work Zone
Saloon Rules
Vision Art Glass
Be Happy
Wild Wings ladies apparel: North Rim Pullover with embroidered loons from painting.
Wild Wings ladies apparel: Cold Pass fleece jacket with embroidered loons from painting.
Wild Wings Loons Leather Travel Purse embellished with loons from painting.
Education
2003 Biology teacher’s license, chemistry teacher’s license, Broad-field science teacher’s license.
1993 Bob Kuhn, Master Wildlife Artist, workshop; Montana.
1980 University of Minnesota, Graduate School, Reproductive Physiology
1978 University of Minnesota, Bachelor’s degree, with honors, Animal Science.
Other:
Member: International Guild of Realism, Oil Painters of America, American Impressionists Society and a Signature Member, Society of Animal Artists.
Board member of the Owen Public Library
Work History in Education:
2004-2014 Professional Educator: Biology, Chemistry and Broad Field Science Teacher
1998-1999 Emergency Permit
1996-2005 Short-term Sub Permit
