"The contemporary person is separated from the life-infusing myths of tribal man. Today people must work at telling their own stories if they are to reclaim their personal identities..... God made humans because God loves stories."

Sheldon Kopp
If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him!

Although her work frequently contains physical nudity, it is a psychological nudity, exposure and power that Janice Hightower reveals in her bold narratives about birth, death, love, passion and power, and the myth, ritual and celebration that surrounds these aspects of life. We quickly see that the stories she is telling are about us.

Like the German Expressionists and Mexican Muralists, Hightower’s images are loaded with symbols that recall the primitive, preliterate and primordial, even though they begin as observations of what she sees in the contemporary world around her. Through her unique interpretation, they evolve into universal themes that address the primal feelings and psychological poignancy that is part of human experience. Regardless of the time or place in which they are rooted, there are universal truths present within them which transcend time and space and which we recognize because they show us our humanness.

In addition to Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Fine Art, Hightower also holds degrees in Psychology and Cultural Anthropology. So, it is not surprising that her deep interest in the psyche, as well as in culture and its effects on the individual, are the constant topics of her artwork.