Born in Zearing, Iowa and now residing near Floyd with her husband, Bruce, Janiece Bergland began her teaching career in Tripoli, Iowa. Following that she continued as a choral director in Charles City. An experienced stage designer, private voice teacher and choir director, painter, and a signature member of the Iowa Watercolor Society. Bergland has painted backdrops for Luther College’s Juletide Festival, Christmas at Wartburg and Morningside College’s Christmas Festival. She served as president of the Iowa Choral Directors Association and in 2000 received their McCowan award for outstanding achievement in Choral Music. Bergland has always found drawing and painting habitual. Though a music major in college, following graduation and a few years of teaching, she and her family traveled several times to New England where Janiece took workshops in watercolor with artists whose work she admired. Working almost exclusively in watercolor, Bergland finds the spontaniety and energy in that medium suit her well. Large murals and stage sets require similar techniques, but on a much greater scale. The medium is also water-based. Though she rarely exhibits at art fairs other than Charles City’s, of their ART-A- FESTS since 1972 when it began, she has missed only one and has twice received the “Best In Show” award. Her work hangs in numerous locations around Iowa and surrounding states. |