Jaanika Talts was born and raised in Estonia. She was drawing a bit like every child would do, but her life from the age 5 to 40 something, was filled with everything but art or anything remotely arty. She studied physiotherapy in Finland, lived in Sweden, somehow (long story) ended up in Ireland and after many years working in the beauty industry, running her own salon, she felt tired, bored of it all, and still restless. Life has a beautiful way to fix things, and after few very traumatic months that came out of nowhere, she discovered a way out. This time without running away or moving to another country. She made friends with a canvas that was happy to accept all her moods and tantrums, each brushstroke was like a secret language between the painter and the surface and the colours were words unspoken.
She had never experienced a peace like this and suddenly happiness happened, which has been and is the main reason Jaanika is painting today. Today, as a full-time artist, she spends the winter months in her Dublin studio and summers living and working in Estonia, surrounded by the forest and wild animals.
She is self-taught, although the word “taught” is not quite correct. She just paints, not really knowing how and few years ago she decided, to never find out the proper “know hows”. (If you do something wrong, at least you are not aware of it.)
Jaanika’s work is very much about colour. It’s the main subject, and the rest is about making it to sing and dance. In harmony. She has always been fascinated by the colour, how it affects us all, how we make decisions based on it, often unconsciously. She doesn’t want to know the answers, she loves mystery.
Today, her paintings can be found in private collections all over the world. She has been collaborating with interior designers, musicians, movie makers.
She just paints, first and foremost for herself, but knowing that her paintings inspire other people, make them feel something, is a bonus.