About Kimmel

Author and artist, Janine Layton Kimmel, is the mother of two sons and resides in Locust, New Jersey.  She is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Science in human development.  In 1997 she received a master’s degree in transpersonal studies from The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, California.  

Her thesis, a book entitled Pale Blue Connection, is based upon her original concept of “Initiation Art”.  She has studied with cross-cultural anthropologist Angeles Arrien Ph.D., Sausalito, CA. and Patrick O’Neill of Extraordinary Conversations, Toronto, Canada since 1991.  

Workshops

She travels frequently giving diverse workshops for children emphasizing the connection between nature and creativity, inspiring imaginations

She has also worked with students to improve interracial and intercultural understanding through the ‘Project Writing Link,’ a federally funded grant program.

Artistic Accomplishments

Kimmel’s art has been described as having a visionary quality suggesting an altered magical reality where lush blossoming vines, vibrant colorful forests, and luminous animals and birds will “invite” you into their world.

1993 – Kimmel began the first of six sculptures that connect change and experience with the creative process, deepening self-awareness.

1998 – Kimmel began painting a series of vibrantly colorful doorways that would later inspire her illustrated children’s book, The Magic Gown.

2000 – The first “Magic Gown Project” art installation took place when Kimmel donated four giclee prints to the Center in Asbury Park, New Jersey, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. The installation brought a sense of magic and wonder to the Center igniting her pursuit to fund the “Magic Gown Project” and donate prints of the original ten doorway paintings to other children’s hospitals, treatment centers and public spaces. Installations have been donated to The Anna House, a non-profit day care center at Belmont Park, Elmont, New York. The most recent installation is at the Stony Brook University Medical Center, Pediatrics, in Stony Brook, New York (2009).

2000 – Kimmel’s art was exhibited in the two-man show “Pieces of a Dream” at the Oakland Street Gallery in Red Bank, New Jersey. A second show was held at the same gallery in 2000 for their “2nd Annual Retrospective.”

2003 – Kimmel presented “A Summer Exhibit,” a collection of over 55 paintings, illustrations and sculptures at her studio in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, marking the first “Magic Gown Collection” presentation.

Gallery shows: Beauregard Fine Art (2008), Rumson New Jersey and Vickers Gallery, St. James New York. From August 2009- January 2010 her ‘Magic Gown’ collection and more (24 paintings) was showcased at Raymond James & Assoc. of Red Bank, New Jersey as “Art In the Workplace.”

International inspiration: Kimmel’s work has been shown internationally, by invitation from Daniele D’Ambrosi (2009 and 2010) in ‘Incontro con l’Art’, Cantagallo, Tuscany, Italy. 

Literary Accomplishments

2009 – Kimmel’s book, The Magic Gown, won six awards including Book of the Year for ages 8-12, Creative Child Magazine.

2011 – A children’s short story book in Italian, L’IrresistibileRichiamo Dell’ Acciuga, by David Ceccarelli and J.L. Kimmel, was released and received an Honorable Mention award “Prato Un Tessuto Di Culture Ed. 2011.”

2011 – A grant from the Angeles Arrien Foundation for Cross-Cultural Research and Education was awarded to send each child at The Thai Freedom House in Chiang Mai, Thailand a copy of “The Magic Gown’” and her original Magic Doorway Booklet. The Thai Freedom House is a community language and arts learning center for refugees from Burma and Indigenous Peoples. The donation was in honor of Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi for her courage, elegance and unyielding determination to stand by her principles of human dignity.

 

2012 – Kimmel’s next young adult fiction co-created with Italian artist and author David Ceccarelli, The Yawning Rabbit River Chronicile, was released. It has been awarded a VOYA Perfect Ten Title 2012 and a Nautilus Silver Award for YA Fiction. 

Kimmel has a private transpersonal and wellness counseling therapy practice in Red Bank, NJ. She is available for appointments in office or over the phone, contact her.

Individual or small group art classes available for all ages Learn More.