About Janine

Janine Wesselmann is known globally for her parodies of European and American life and has been listed in “Who’s Who in the World” and “Who’s Who of American Women” since 1983.

Born in New York, and growing up in the State Department milieu, she began painting at age six and spent her formative years in locales as exotic and diverse as Morocco, Iran, Kenya, France, Ecuador, and Haiti. The color and drama of camel caravans, villages, as well as the cafés and soirées in Paris, were her inspiration. The contrast of moving among different social spheres and political arenas imbues her paintings with a unique insight, empathy, and humor. She completed her formal education in the United States and received her degree from Cornell University. After serving in the Peace Corps, she continued a life of whirlwind travels and painting through France, Spain, Italy, England, Switzerland, and the Caribbean.

Janine was awarded the accolade of “Outstanding Contribution to the Arts” in 1992. She was the first American woman to be accepted into the Collection d’Art, Modern de la Ville de Paris, and the Centro Culturale d’Italia, Rome.

The artist set up a studio in Naples, Florida in 2008. In 2009, the von Liebig Art Center acquired her painting, “Sarasota Circus” for their prestigious permanent collection.