Jan Porterfield grew up in Wichita, Kansas, and lived for many years in England and Wales. She moved to Alaska in 1988, where she taught early childhood education at the University of Alaska, Anchorage and later directed a parent co-op preschool.

Jan stopped working in 2001 after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She used her time between treatments to develop her artistic skills. Jan became a popular local artist with several solo shows and paintings accepted into jurored watercolor exhibits.

Jan focused mostly on flowers, and particularly liked exploring the different shapes behind the flowers and the leaves. She used lots of deep, vibrant colors instead of the more traditional watercolor shades. Jan also had a more whimsical side, expressed by paintings like the Giraffe painting and her Circus Chicken series. I hope to add more of those to this site in the future.

Jan died in 2007, but her artwork continues to brighten lives throughout the country. As her husband, I am pleased to be donating all of this store's income to a donor advised fund with the Alaska Community Foundation, www.alaskacf.org. This fund supports cancer patients, hospice, early childhood education, and other causes that were important to Jan. Both before and after her cancer diagnosis, Jan focused on the many positive things in her life -- friends, family, working with young children -- and wanted this charitible fund to bring a little of that happiness into the lives of others. With small grants directed towards individuals in need, I hope that is what I will be able to do.