Wool, cotton or linen

Janice Atkins, artist

1947–2019

Wool, cotton or linen, 1988

Where object was made: United States

Material/technique: watercolor; paper

Dimensions:
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 28.5 x 38 cm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 11 1/4 x 14 15/16 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 16 x 20 in

Credit line: Gift of Virginia Jennings Nadeau and Richard Pierre Nadeau

Accession number: 2003.0161

On display: Perkins Central Court

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Looking After: Art and Care in Education Across Kansas

“At first, I used reflective objects to see myself in a new way… That is what my work is all about. Exploring new ways of seeing.” — Janice Atkins

Surrounded by bright colors and patterns, a large iron reflects a distorted portrait on its shiny surface. Diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 27, Kansas City artist Janice Atkins depicts her experiences of mental illness through many of her self-portraits. An interest in patterns and reflections features prominently in her work as both an artist and inventor of a method for making kaleidoscopic drawings.