As a textile artist and designer, Jan has taught, woven, dyed, spun, embroidered, sewn, knitted and quilted her way through life. She worked as an art teacher, a window designer, conference planner, and youth leader. While raising a family she operated her business, Perceptions Ltd., in which she designed and produced custom-woven fabrics for interiors. She has continued to take workshops and classes through guilds, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Split Rock at the U of MN, and Shakerag in TN. She earned her BFA at the U of I Chicago where art and architecture students followed the Bauhaus curriculum. Her creation of the group "Women’s Journeys in Fiber" in 1998 has been a journey of discovery. Artists work individually and as a group on the same problem, sharing the creative process, and creating powerful works that connect their hands and voices. Jan's work reflects her interest in art, science, and connecting things and people.