Janie McGrory

Painting with oils, acrylics or watercolors, it is obvious that intense color, magical places and the love of animals and nature permeate Janie McGrory’s work.  A self-taught artist, she spent her early years in New York City and later traveled the world with her family in the State Department.  This lifestyle continued after marrying  the Reverend John R. McGrory, Jr. and raising a family around the world as he served in the Chaplaincy of the United States Air Force. After 20 years in the Air Force and a lifetime of globe-trotting, Janie and family moved to Montana, where her husband became the Rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Bozeman.  Living in Bozeman, she embraced putting down roots here and became deeply involved in her community, church and artistic scene.

She has explored every type of artistic expression throughout the years. Collage, Pastels, Oils, Acrylics and Inks can be found in her body of work. It’s not unusual for her to use multiple media’s to create depth and interest in one piece. Her subject matter comes from her broad life experience of travel, children and her capacity to see the beauty in simple, everyday moments.  Her workshops with Barb Starner, Susan Blackwood, Judy Patti and Loren Kovich have afforded excellent experiences and inspiration.

Janie has exhibited her work throughout the world  including Okinawa, Morocco, Texas, Michigan, Nebraska and Montana. Since moving to Montana 33 years ago, she has been involved in the Montana Institute of the Arts (MIA) and was a member of the Bozeman Artists Cooperative in the Emerson Art Center until 2004.  She has expanded her work in recent years to include a collection of her favorite scenes of life in the Gallatin Valley.  Painted in watercolor and ink, they portray the charm of Bozeman with a sweetness and child-like quality. Ever expanding on her Vignettes, don’t be surprised if you see her and her Westie side-kick, Fergus,  “out and about” sketching at one of the many Bozeman activities around town. Her passion and skill for portraying the vibrant Bozeman scene has become an important part of her artwork and brings a smile of recognition to everyone who views it.