1975 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Four Year Certificate: Painting
1975 Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, University of the Arts, Joint Program with Pennsylvania Academy
1985 Granted Master of Education Degree, Temple University

2000 Synapse, 17 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia January (Group-Show)
1999 "Nudes and Erotica", November, Fetishes, 700 South 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA (Solo-Show)
1999 Haverford School Exhibit (Juried) October (Group-Show)
1999 Tzigane Invitational Exhibit, Resurgam Gallery, Federal Hill, Baltimore, October (Group-Show)
1999 Still Life Exhibit, Baltimore Couty College, October (Group-Show)
1999 Juried Fellowship Exhibit, Historic Yellow Sprints, September (Group-Show)
1999 Fellowship Exhibit, Plastic Club, Camac Street, Philadelphia, PA July (Group-Show)
1998 Cheltham Art Center, Elkins Park, Philadelphia, November (Group-Show) and various other dates
1998 CCC Gallery, 3rd Street above Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, August (Solo- and Group-Show) and various other dates
1998 Aslan Gallery, Armat and Germantown Avenues, Philadelphia, PA (Solo-Show)
1978 - 1991 Ebullience Gallery, 125 South Street, Philadelphia, PA (Solo-Show) and various other dates
1977 - 1984 Baltic Gallery, Main Street, New Hope, PA (Group-Show)

2000 Philly Art World's Artist of the Month, February
1999 City Paper Art critic's Choice, November 6
1994 Hannah Price Award
1988 Elizabeth Simon Purchase Prize
1977 Chapel of Four Chaplains Legion of Honor

Mountainesque Gallery, Canmore, AB, Canada
Tzigaine Fine Arts, Havre de Grace, Maryland
Jennifer von Muehlen, 807 Maryland Avenue, Philadelphia
1999 - 2000 Synapses Gallery, 17 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102

There are the graphic arts that sometimes verge on fine art, and fine art that, as if perhaps the artist tries too hard, verges on a streamlined sort of graphic. Then it becomes simple competition.

Somewhere in between is almost a rare piece of art that, in the first beat of the heart upon its sight, captures you deeper and more profoundly, and like good truly fine art will do, touches a place so pure and real you swear your soul has been lit.

Some artists do this more randomly than not. It's like a shooting match, or just like goin' fishin'. I know this because this is pretty much how I "create," in words or in design or in, really, most all that I do. I sling that little hook out there a billion times in hopes of even just one big lunker's bite. I work a lot and throw back a lot more, so it seems, to make what looks or reads right to, well, just simply "feel" right.

But for some artists it seems whatever the sort of canvas they touch do so almost consistently and with apparent ease. They'll touch a piano key for the first time, pick up a brush, write a poem, or cut into a piece of wood and suddenly in the air a sonnet materializes and within the moment a rhythm is born and thrives and lives on.

Their canvas, somehow, in some mysterious way we've yet to understand, records their endeavor and attaches us the viewer to the artist and suddenly--in that heart beat--we are companions and share in the naked moment, refreshed for being real.

"Making art is part of how I define myself. It's just a part of me. I revel in my creativity and am thrilled to be able to do it. It's fun. It's real."

Jaynee A. Levy-Polis, The Philadelphia Artist, and her art hooked me quick. I knew right away, no matter any preconceived notions of "beautiful" or "graceful" or, yes, even "seductive" oughta be, that what counts most is how in the first instant I am moved insideor not.

I was greatly moved.

Jaynee A. Levy-Polis is fifty-one years old and has a son and a daughter. I'm not sure she's gained Grandmother status yet. Viewing her art, I'm not sure she'll ever gain "grandmother" status, no matter how many kids her kid's kid's kids even might have.


Her vitality appears ceaseless. My favorite is "Naked and Bored." Not only the title and not only the expression bounds out past its boundaries, and my own, in its innocence is its power, and in its power is where we've felt a similar naked withdrawal.

"I think I've always been fascinated by sex. I think there is a part of me that wants to present older, average people like myself as sexual, even kinky. It's funny, human, sweet, and wonderful."

"There's so much feeling around sexual themes. Every picture has fifty stories, and I'm happy if people say good things about those paintings because the beauty of the lines, colors, and textures, and the ideas and stories behind the pictures are all a part of me."

Just viewing her art already I felt akin to her; reading her words went deeper to that place where artists and artists' minds glean reference points from one another, where "Eurekas!" scream of validation ( Oh God, seems at times we are split apart, us artists, as if we are the family who never were able to connect...) and in the discovery of another who feels and lives as like, we are inspired on. We are different, assuredly, but we are real.

It brings us back to ourselves. It strengthens us. It says within our playful enterprise there's an important calling, and within our calling we must play. Simple or complex, intuitive or strong, Jaynee A. Levy-Polis emulates for me the piece of me I work--way too hard!--to reach.

"I draw or paint whatever comes out. I don't plan my subject except rarely. I just take whatever I see is happening on the page or canvas and make it into whatever I think it is. It's an intuitive process, and lots of times I'm surprised at what's brewing inside my head."

"I love oils the way some people love pizza. The smell of turpentine makes me feel alive. I also use various water colors, ink, all kinds of crayons including oil pastels and pastels and every kind of crayon Crayola makes. I like drawings a lot because I can work on them anywhere. I carry them with me."

If you're random like me or not; if you're consistent no matter your output, it is in the knowing--the intuition--we identify with true art that upholds our individuality, and in that is our support of one another.

Competition is for football teams; graphic design for seduction; art is for seeing. Go see Jaynee A. Levy-Polis and experience joyful life, again.
Text by Jeff Alexander, Libido Art (www.libidoart.com), October 1999

jayne47@erols.com