Janel Jacobson's inspiration comes from the natural world around her rural home. An intimate look at creatures and plants in their environment yields themes with elements of serenity or surprise.

Her work points out little things in nature that most of us tend to disregard during our busy lives, and might present a small story which arouses quiet memories in the mind of the viewer.

After 25 years of working with clay, Janel came to be a carver of wood. Interest in carving began while she learned to make pottery. As a maker of functional pottery in the early and mid 1970's she combined drawing, clay and her love of nature to begin carving on tiles and pottery vases for short periods of challenging and stimulating exploration.

In the late 70's compelled by a need to carve new ideas, Janel began carving for increasing periods of time exploring new ideas and methods. She always returned to making pottery for income until the mid 1980's when she decided to stop pottery making, to devote all her time to carving.

At that time, Janel was carving images in shallow-relief on wheel-thrown, porcelain lidded boxes, vases, and shallow bowl forms which were then enhanced with celadon glaze.