Janet Jian Liu is a Montreal-based visual artist whose work explores the dynamic intersection between traditional East Asian aesthetics and contemporary Western abstract expressionism. Spanning over two decades of studio practice, her oeuvre encompasses delicate ink and wash on xuan paper, gestural oil and acrylic on canvas, and conceptual mixed-media installations. Formally trained in Fine Art at Concordia University in Montreal, New Media Design at Centennial College in Toronto, and Industrial Art & Design at Zhengzhou University of Light Industry in China, Janet combines rigorous technical discipline with an intuitive, spontaneous approach to mark-making.
At the heart of Janet’s practice is a formal investigation into spatial void (xu), luminosity, and the material tension between permanence and impermanence. Her paintings establish an intercultural dialogue where the fluid absorbency and monochromatic restraint of traditional Chinese brushwork meet the impasto, color theory, and gestural scale of modern canvas painting. Through translucent washes layered with vibrant pigments, she translates internal experiences of time, memory, and physical transformation into evocative visual structures.
Janet’s artistic trajectory was profoundly reoriented by her experience with physical trauma, illness, and spiritual renewal. Following a breast cancer diagnosis in 2005, her studio work initially immersed itself in existential inquiry, dominated by monochromatic tones of black, white, and grey that contemplated the fragile nature of existence. As her health restored over a decade of recovery, her palette underwent a dramatic metamorphosis. Embracing faith, gratitude, and a re-centered spiritual outlook, her painting transformed into brightly colored, light-filled compositions—reinterpreting abstract art not merely as reflection, but as an active celebration of the human life force.
Living and creating in Montreal, Janet continues to expand her visual vocabulary across creative works and hybrid substrates. In an era marked by heightened sensitivity to life’s fleeting moments, her paintings serve as a bridge between objectivity and abstraction, inviting viewers into a contemplative space centered on resilience, hope, and the restorative power of light.