Janet Mandel has received both regional and national recognition of over the past 20 years for her fashion illustration, weavings, portraiture and wildlife paintings. Her exclusive focus since 1995 has been her portrayal of wildlife as well as the tamer species. She is a member of several wildlife and animal rescue organizations and her work has been featured by several national organizations including the National Audubon Society and Smithsonian Institution.

Janet’s current work includes a series of humorous cat portraits, based on her own feline experiences, a series of wildflower "faeries," depicting her firm belief an magic in the natural world, as well as a series of Songbirds and Wildlife.

"I usually work in watercolor or water-based paint, building up values of texture and fur with many layers. I find I can get the detail I need by using brush strokes in the water media, but occasionally use colored pencil as well, for the same reason.