The arches in the Colosseum Suite are coming to life
On your next visit to the spa we invite you take a moment to witness the work of our internationally acclaimed artist, Janice Sylvia Brock.
Janice is renowned for vibrant paintings full of movement; she captures life’s sensuality and humour with confident brush strokes and a courageous use of colour. Janice is charged with creating her vision of Nirvana Spa in four arches. Over the last two months, beautiful figures have emerged in the first two arches. Members have said that watching Janice work is mesmerising and brings a sense of calm and joy.
We caught up with Janice to discover the inspiration behind these stunning figures.
“I love painting the female form, full of passion and beauty. I wanted these paintings to reflect the life enriching experiences at Nirvana Spa.
As a child I would pass the hours in hospital exploring the myths of the Gods and Goddesses and I was swept away by the legends and the romance. The goddesses chosen for the arches in the Colosseum Suite represent the bounty of the four seasons.
In the first arch, the goddess of flowers and springtime, blesses the land and makes it come alive; she has a serene look and a calm angelic face but all around her magic is taking place.
I have just been working on the Goddess Summer, I am delighted with the movement in this painting; as she breathes, a cascade of flora fall gently to the ground and her flowing skirt gently highlights her feminine curves. The water of life, synonymous with Nirvana Spa, ripples at her feet. She is full of energy and beauty.
It is thrilling to see my paintings evolve and the deities come alive.”
Since her adolescence, Janice has suffered with severe rheumatoid arthritis. Unfortunately her disabilities amplify the challenges presented by the scale of this project so we were keen to know how she was managing.
“My art gives me a quality of life beyond all my suffering. I have never said no to anything and over the years have worked on numerous challenging projects.
I longed for the chance to work on a large piece. When I saw the wall I was so excited. The team here have facilitated this project for me, I even have my own lift! My colleague Russ is responsible for all the logistics and does an amazing job of ensuring I have everything I need to hand.
My disease is progressive and I now have to hold the brush with two hands but I won’t be defeated and I am resolved to embrace every opportunity.”
Janice’s enthusiasm is inspiring, she keenly explained to us that she is also really enjoying the social nature of the work “Painting can be isolating, I love the interaction with your customers and I will really miss it!
