Jan Fontecchio

Jan Fontecchio was raised on a ranch in the western desert, growing up on horseback. She spent her childhood riding in the wilds of the washes and hills, where her interest in wildlife and western life began. As she’s naturally an artist, these are the scenes that inspired her first ... moreJan Fontecchio was raised on a ranch in the western desert, growing up on horseback. She spent her childhood riding in the wilds of the washes and hills, where her interest in wildlife and western life began. As she’s naturally an artist, these are the scenes that inspired her first drawings...and her first sculpture; a rearing horse made entirely of baling wire. "Baling wire was always in plentiful supply" she says.

“I’ve done art since my first memory,” Fontecchio says. “My parents say I drew a three-dimensional wedge of cheese when I was three. I don’t remember that, but my book covers at school were covered in sketches. A pencil was always in my hand, and if the teacher didn’t grab my tests quickly enough, there might be a little animal drawn in the corner of the paper.”

When Fontecchio was ten, a family friend, an artist for Disney, drew a horse portrait in charcoal for her. “I think it took him two minutes or something. That little demo solidified my desire to be an artist. It changed my life.”

While earning her degree in Fine Art, Fontecchio worked at California wild animal and big cat rescues, including the Wildlife Way Station, a non-profit sanctuary that has housed, cared for, and rehabilitated more than 77,000 wild animals purchased as pets or performers and eventually surrendered by the owners.; and the Shambala Preserve, which provides sanctuary to big cat in similar situations.

Later, Fontecchio cared for and trained dolphins; fulfilling a personal dream. Every new experience added to Fontecchio’s captivation with animals: their form, their behaviors, their grace and beauty. She's provided graphic illustrations for NASA and Air Force projects and publications, illustrated some books, and created a stamped leather book cover used in the opening scene of a Hollywood movie. “I wish I could remember the name of the movie, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a blockbuster or anything!” she laughs.

Her studio space today is her sanctuary, filled with her collection of skulls, furs, Indian artifacts, cactus skeletons, a vintage can of her dad’s favorite beer, and the skin from the rattlesnake that Fontecchio shot in the barn when she was 15: it was coiled, so there are three bullet holes in that particular skin.

Jan participates in Western Art Week in Great Falls, MO, the biggest art show of western and wildlife art in the U.S., revolving around The Russell Art Auction. Her art resides in the homes of collectors throughout the nation — including the CEOs of Exxon and Drexel, as well as collector's homes from England to South America to Australia, with buyers from the latter especially drawn to her horse paintings. One of her paintings was juried into the prestigious London Wildlife Artist of the Year Exhibition.

When not traveling to art events, Fontecchio resides in Idaho with her husband and posts to her blog, www.ISpyAnimals.com, where she illustrates and teaches young children about the amazing animals in our world.

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