Janet Cristenfeld's large "Blue Love", oil on linen, 76" x 62", was part of a series she created about relationships. The artist says, "I was trying to make some sense of my experiences with men. I think the large size seemed appropriate for big emotions."

MJ: When did you fully realize that you wanted to follow the path of being an artist?
JC: I can’t remember ever not being an artist.

MJ: What are your first memories of experiencing self expression through art?
JC: As a child I spent countless hours drawing stories that I made up. I think it was a way of working through what I was experiencing in my world.

MJ: Your color is so intense and emotional and obviously an important tool. Your coloristic style is very unique. Which artists have influenced you most?
JC: Early on I was very influenced by Matisse, Picasso, and Van Gogh. I was always amazed at how much feeling there was in a Matisse painting even when the people in the painting had so little expression on their faces. It had a lot to do with line and color.

MJ: You refer to yourself as a spiritual energy healer. Can you explain what that means exactly?
JC: About eight years ago I learned what is called Reiki healing, which was the beginning of quite a spiritual journey. I channel what feels like heat or energy through my body and hands into other people. While it may appear to be healing physically or emotionally, I believe it is a form of prayer where souls come together to be with God and that’s how healing, on whatever level, occurs. I see art as another way of expressing that energy from the Universe or God. I think art heals by touching us and helping us communicate. I have always felt more “at home” when painting than anywhere else, and I now understand that’s because, for me, it is an act of connecting to God.

MJ: Your two paintings "Christ" and "Purple Jesus" (above) are spellbinding. What inspired these paintings?
JC: I am not religious in the sense of following any specific religion or path. I have always been drawn to the story and words of Jesus Christ. The very first painting I remember seeing and falling in love with, as a child, was Rembrandt’s “Head of Christ”. Jesus’ message of love, forgiveness and being true to your Divine Spirit is endlessly inspiring. Painting those images is a way of immersing myself in the essence of that message.

MJ: Does your artistic process involve preplanning or does it occur spontaneously?
JC: My process is a very unconscious one that then builds upon itself. I’ll have a feeling; sometimes quiet, sometimes urgent, that needs to be expressed and I’ll begin drawing on canvas or paper. Even if I have an idea of what I want to do, what comes out is never what I expected. The first day of a painting is always the most exciting because I go from blank canvas or paper to an image that is new and alive for me. I basically let my unconscious dictate where the painting goes. Once the image is there I just keep bringing it out more and more. I can never imagine what any of my paintings will end up looking like.

MJ: The painting Blue Love is large – more than 6 feet tall! How did scale and color play a role in your intentions behind this piece?
JC: At the time I did several paintings about relationships. I was trying to make some sense of my experiences with men. I think the large size seemed appropriate for big emotions. The whole series came out in cool colors, perhaps as a balance to intense feelings.

MJ: Do you have any favorite artists – past or present? Who are they and why?
JC: There are so many! For me it is important for a work of art to move me on some level. I just recently saw Klimt’s painting, "Adele Bloch-Bauer 1", and the use of gold in that piece is exquisite and breathtaking. I find his figures so very graceful. Then there is Van Gogh who I love for the intensity of emotion and color. And Jackson Pollock whose lines and squiggles seem to carry so much feeling. I like the expressiveness of many of Picasso’s paintings of women. I have always been in awe of Michelangelo for the strength of his figures and deep spirituality in his work.

MJ: I can see how these artists share your reservoir of inspiration. However, I must add that you listen to the beat of your own drummer. You have a very distinctive and unique style of your own. Have you always worked in this style and subject matter? When did you begin and what inspired your work initially?
JC: The seeds for my style actually began in college, when I was studying photography. I used to make slide shows of people using colored filters over slide film or infrared film. I was playing around with the emotional effects of color in a way that I eventually used in painting. Color is energy and that energy is always expressing something. The colors I choose for a particular figure seem very natural and real to me. I enjoy the human form and it’s been the best way for me to convey states of mind and consciousness.

See more of Janet Cristenfeld's work and read her Artist Profile.