Jana Charl

Discarded ranch equipment and metal parts are the source of my inspiration for creating sculptures which explore perceptions of the female form and psyche. Serendipitous discoveries are made each time I delve into the metal scrap pile at the ranch where I work. From visit-to-visit there is no guarantee what will be available, the element of chance is part of the process and challenge of forming the narratives of unrelated components.

Furthermore, the chance effects caused by small explosions, fires, and molten splatters, inherent in welding and melting metal that is rusty, greasy, dirty, and often with remnants of paint, are all part of the creative process which defines the sculptures.

A piece of a pole with a bolt that appears to be randomly welded onto it was the inspiration for "Screwed." The body consists of broken blades which follow the curves of a woman's figure. Similarly,"She Has Balls" is comprised of a pole and blades; the narrative is derived from the discovery of the metal balls which I welded onto the blade base.

Rebar is always available in the scrap pile which influenced my preplanning of a tall sculpture. However, when I arrived at the ranch I could only find small pieces and had to rethink the concept which resulted in “Standing In A Forest.” A woman is cut out of a long piece of steel and the resulting curves allow her to stand out instead of simply standing tall.

My artwork has been exhibited internationally in galleries and museums.

Jana Charl was born in Los Angeles and currently resides there. Not married to a single medium, she paints with acrylics and also sculpts metal and polymer clay. Her artwork reflects a fascination with capturing the human form and psyche with minimal, distinguishing curves.

After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Art at the University of Redlands, California, she was in her first group exhibition at Ars Futura Galerie in Zürich. Since 1993, her artwork has been exhibited internationally in galleries and museums. As a dual US-Swiss citizen, she has also lived in Zürich and enjoys traveling between the two countries.