Join my email list | Email Jan Smiley

Jan Bode Smiley

Jan grew up in the midwest with a Mom who bakes and knits, a Dad who loved to build things, a Grandma who sewed clothing, and another Grandma who canned anything within reach. Although none of them considered themselves artists, their aptitude for making things definitely influenced her. Jan made her first quilt block, based on a magazine photo, when she was a teenager. She began to quilt in earnest years later when pregnant with her first child. She quickly gravitated toward contemporary quilts based on traditional designs. Her work has been exhibited nationally, and she has been teaching and lecturing since the late '80s. Jan's passion for batik fabrics led her to found Batiks Etcetera, a mail order source for batik fabrics from around the world. After selling the business, she went back to her studio, where she spends as much time as possible. Currently, she is merging her textile background with her expanding interest in book arts. First carving her own stamps for use on paper and fabric, then learning about altered books, visual journals, and scrapbooks, she enjoys exploring the unlimited potential of combining her interests. Jan lives in South Carolina with her husband and two incredible teenagers.