When looking at my art, I hope the viewer experiences the unexpected, a whimsical fantasy, and the joy of movement. My ideas begin by making paper collages from the pages of discarded magazines.  I make these collages very quickly so as not to lose the element of surprise and spontaneity. From there, I spread out numerous collages on the floor and select the one that strikes my fancy.  Next, I choose materials — hand-dyed and silkscreened fabric, discarded textiles, odd objects, and repurposed finds.  Then, the hand stitching begins, followed by reevaluations and adjustments until I am satisfied.  I know a piece is successful when the viewer’s first reaction is a smile.

Janis Hooker has worked in different fields, but her favorites include traveling as a picker for an antique dealer and the years she taught elementary art until her retirement. Janis has been a photographer, ceramist, and jewelry maker, but nothing has captured her interest like textile art. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked with simple needle and thread. Today, Janis incorporates notions, found objects, and repurposed finds to create unexpected, visually complex, and unique works displayed in galleries and art museums across Texas.