Jan J. Beran was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia in 1954, to a family of artists and filmmakers. Raised in the atmosphere of creativity and experimentation, Jan tried his hand at sculpture as a young child. At the age of six, Jan had his first sculpture exhibition in Sarajevo. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in television journalism from Sarajevo University, Jan began working as a TV/ film cameraman and a Director of Photography for several production companies.
Jan studied art in the rich environment of Sarajevo, influenced by the mixture of Eastern and Western cultural traditions in the city. While traveling around the world, the young artist was exposed to a variety of different cultures which helped him grow as a painter and develop his distinctive style.
Jan’s realistic images are penetrated with a subtle mysticism. Executed with photographic precision, Jan’s series of works includes oil paintings and collages on wood panels and canvas. In a series of female portraits, his main subject, Jan pays tribute to the tradition of canonical icon painting by utilizing gold and silver leaf, incorporating rusted metal details, and using traditional techniques of canon painting mastered hundreds of years ago. Full of emotions and inspired by the events from his own life, Jan’s paintings weave stories of love and hate, beauty and sensitivity, while juxtaposing past and present. Jan's paintings are full of references to his travels, art studies, rock music, and his life spent in the bustling world of Hollywood. Jan’s portraits on canvas are reminiscent of medieval era paintings, translated into a contemporary visual language.
Jan moved to California in 1994, where he currently resides and continues to work in the film industry. For more than 10 years, Jan has been working for Camera Control Inc. in Santa Monica, as well as with Crystal Pyramid Production in San Diego. He is exclusively artistically represented by Galeria JAN in beautiful La Jolla, California.
Comments about Jan’s work:
“Jan Beran’s painting is our new pride and joy. It takes a central wall in our house and is one of the first things people see when they walk in. A Mona Lisa-like smile already has friends and neighbors talking”.
-Mr. and Mrs. Popert, Texas
“Jan Beran has been working with Crystal Pyramid Productions for many years as a Director of Photography and Cameraman. We call on him annually to shoot celebrities and comic experts at the world-famous San Diego ComicCon. He has worked with us on a wide-ranging variety of shoots for our corporate and broadcast clients. He is one of the most talented Directors of Photography we know”.
-Patty and Mark Schultz, San Diego.
“For 21 years selling Jan’s work has been a mixture of joy and sadness. Every painting by Jan Beran at the gallery has been a mystery book one reads again and again. When any of these paintings is sold, the void overwhelms me; I know I will be unable to re-read this cherished book one more time, feel its emotion and see its beauty.”
-Gallery Owner
