Janet learned to paint in the West Virginia studio of her father, wildlife artist Chuck Ripper.  Frequent trips to surrounding woods with her father instilled in Janet a love of nature.  Working in gouache, an opaque watercolor, she captures birds and wildflowers in natural settings.  A recent trip to visit family in Aiken, SC inspired her to paint the Carolina wren on yellow jasmine.  Janet lives in Winfield, West Virginia with her husband and two children.