Step inside the mind and heart of Jana Ireijo, a celebrated muralist, painter, and public artist whose large-scale works transform walls into stories of resilience, community, and identity. In this intimate and introspective interview, Jana opens up about her creative process, the emotional layers behind her murals, and how she finds purpose through art that lives beyond the gallery. From her early inspirations to the challenges of creating in public spaces, Jana shares insights on creativity, self-expression, and the courage it takes to make art that speaks to others. Whether you’re an artist, creative thinker, or simply someone seeking inspiration, this episode invites you to reflect on how art connects us all — and how every wall can become a canvas for change.

🎧 Keywords: Jana Ireijo, muralist interview, street art, public art, creativity, artist story, creative journey, introspective podcast, art and purpose, creative inspiration, mural painting, women artists, art podcast, creative mindset.

Jana Ireijo is an Hawaii born muralist whose passion as a conservation artist is born out of a love of art that started at a very young age. Jana creates vanishing murals using charcoal gathered from areas recently affected by wildfires.  This material, formed by the heat of the flames, carries the story of destruction and renewal that is intrinsic to the natural world.  She says her art is a reflection of the transience and impermanence of life and nature. Born in Honolulu in 1968, Jana has spent most of her life in transit leaving the island for California, before attending grad school in New York, then as a divorced woman to Connecticut where she raised her family, and finally returning to Hawai’i in 2023, where she has come full circle. Jana is the eldest of three children; she has a younger sister and brother. Her parents Rona August, a realtor, father James Ireijo, and step-father Joel August (both attorneys) encouraged Jana as a child to explore the arts, taking her to museums and galleries, and ensuring she always had access to arts and crafts. It was her mother that recognized a natural talent and told Jana she would become an artist. When the time came to choice her career pathway, Jana was drawn to advertising and after graduating from H. P. Baldwin High School (Maui) in 1986, she headed for the University of Hawai’i at Manoa to earn a BFA in Graphic Design in1991.  She then attended Pratt Institute, New York, where she earned an MFA Painting in 1999.  Jana took ten years off from her art to raise a family before turning her hand to public murals and developing her own style. Now back in the islands as an empty nester, Jana has immersed herself in her passion for environmental issues, such as the ocean, deep sea mining, and helping her community. She is also working on her first book for children entitled Vanishing Moon. 
 
Jana’s links:
https://janaireijo.co/
https://www.instagram.com/janaireijo
 
Some favorite female artists:
Gillian Jagger - sculptor - she was my thesis advisor at Pratt, and a huge influence in my practice. Maya Lin
Lita Albuquerque
Nina Bentley 

Host: Chris Stafford
Produced by Hollowell Studios
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