arts & culture
arrowcreek talent ArrowCreek has an incredibly talented
design, fabric design, advertising and along
emotional response, which is very gratifying.
sculptor and doll maker living among us.
with drawing, oils, and watercolors. She was
Originally, she made Santas because they
Her name is Janet Ouren. Janet started
a display artist for a short time after college
sold, and people really loved them. As
sculpting by taking a class in sculpting with
at Dayton Hudson Department Store (the
she became better, she sculpted children
polymer clay at a craft store in the 1990s
founders of Target) in Minneapolis. She
to older people. She likes the art form
because she was curious about a clay that
learned a lot about dressing, accessorizing,
because it incorporates sculpting, sewing,
could be cured in a home oven. She did
and creating displays that gave her a skill
and an understanding of anatomy and the
not have previous experience with that clay
set that helped in posing of the figures and
mechanics of making a successful figure.
but had sculpted off and on for many years.
presentation. She used her major to teach
She liked sculpting and was good at it. She
junior high school art for several years.
always took art classes in school and at the
She also used her ability to contribute to
Walker Art Center in Minneapolis where
the many volunteer activities she has been
she grew up. She also took classes from a
involved in everywhere she lived.
sculptor from the Franklin Mint when she
Interestingly, she only took one dollmaking class. She further developed her skills and knowledge through friendly connections with other doll artists and her own experience in sculpting. “Much of my early
She has been painting and crafting since she
knowledge came from AOL bulletin boards
project was a sculpt of an elderly woman.
was a youngster. Her parents encouraged
in the nineties. I can still remember the
her and each of her siblings in whatever they
AOL screech when signing on. Everyone was
After deciding that medical technology
were interested. Her grandmother was an
willing to share information, regardless of
was not for her, Janet took some college
excellent artist.
their skill level. It was also very social, so that
lived in Wilmington, Delaware. Janet’s first
art courses and had good success. She graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Art Education with an emphasis on
Her work is realistic. Some of the subjects are imaginary though. Her dolls evoke an
venue was a means of discovery on many levels. I am still in touch with some of those people.”
14 | ArrowCreek View | Homeowners Association Magazine ®
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