Janet Shier

Find me on Instagram @reindeerphile

About Me

I am a multi-passionate person, who loves to create. In the past, I did a lot of theater, photography, made books, and wrote music for plays I directed. Now that I’m retired from teaching, I paint, make books with hand-painted and hand-stitched covers, and I eco-dye textiles. The seasons where I live (Ann Arbor, Michigan) determine the type of creating I am doing. In summer and fall, I eco-dye and throw paint. In winter, I paint in smaller format, and I make handmade painted books. I do slow-stitching throughout the year. I try to walk in nature every single day (It is a passion and an addiction.). Walking and making art give me perspective on everything I do, and both provide me with opportunities to reflect. When I walk, I gather leaves I will use that day for eco-dyeing textiles. This keeps me connected to nature and it reminds me of my childhood, when I loved playing in the leaves.

At the University of Michigan Residential College, where I taught for 40 years (until 2020), faculty are encouraged to grow. In addition to teaching and heading the Intensive German Program at UM, I taught contemporary German theater and directed over 50 multi-media plays. For 20 years, I led annual study tours to Germany where my students made and saw art and theater. Since retiring from the university, I have made art full time. The practice of innovating on stage, starting with nothing, and ending up with something, prepared me for work creating abstract art and eco-dyeing.
Currently, I do not sell my paintings, but if you follow my "shop” and get on my mailing list, I will keep you updated about sales of my eco-dyed garments, hand-made books, and cards featuring my photography and art. In the warmer seasons, I will offer visual journaling workshops for up to 6 participants. Thank you visiting my site!