Janel Schelzel

Janel Schelzel was born near Thief River Falls, Minnesota. She spent some of her childhood in Ecuador, but most of her life she has lived in South Minneapolis. She went to Roosevelt High School and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2005 with a degree in Art.

It maybe because she grew up in Ecuador, or because she is incurably analytical, that she has always had a deep need to understand the physical world and our collective human experience. Over the years she has processed these thoughts and ideas through art making. Every idea develops into a series of paintings or prints that best describes the understanding gained in the process. Her work is colorful, expressive and relies heavily on symbolism to create its own visual language. The ideas expressed from year to year vary, but the aim is always to create connection and understanding of shared experience.