Jan Blacka has always liked to make things.

She started making dolls out of the peel-off papers from the wide band-aids as soon as she was old enough to be allowed to have magic markers and tape. A long, long way from band-aids, markers and tape, but still in love with media and tools and process, Jan makes her own stuff, but has added a computer with a pen tablet to her toolset.

Using a pen tablet enables her to draw and paint on the screen as fluidly as on paper or canvas. Her working methods are closely related to collage and print-making in the use of repeated elements and layering. She sometimes includes her photos and scans of objects in her images. The finished work combines the precision of computer-aided design with a hand-made sensibility and the emotional immediacy of abstraction.

She earned her BA at Williams College and her MFA at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Jan worked as a studio assistant for a master printmaker and for an American Craft Council fiber artist. She has taught art in many venues, including summer camp, various art centers, and the Maryland College of Art and Design.

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Jan Blacka and Bob Friedenberg show at Old Ox Brewery

Alizarin Graphics provides efficient and elegant web design and maintenance services.

As a web designer, Jan Blacka is proud to assist David Hazard, bestselling author and writing coach with Ascent, which he founded to help people reach the level of health, fitness, creativity, or business success they want to achieve.

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Jan was delighted to learn that the recently redesigned Unispec Enterprises Website was honored with a Graphic Design USA: 2010 American Inhouse Design Award in the Internet Design category. Jan served as the Web Developer/Programmer on the team.

thumbnail of GD USA cover

A few of the websites that Alizarin keeps up to date: