Restoring Eden by Jana Branca

When New Plymouth artist Jana Branca paints, she captures more than a likeness. Her portraits, layered with emotion and meaning, illuminate the human condition — our brokenness, resilience, and capacity for renewal.

Her latest exhibition, Restoring Eden, offers a moving meditation on beauty, humanity, and the possibility of renewal — a reminder that even in a fractured world, harmony can be found again.

Originally from South Africa, Jana trained in Fine Art at the University of Pretoria and relocated to New Zealand in 2016. Her works are instantly recognisable for their balance of technical precision and expressive freedom.  “I’m drawn to the tension of creating an impression of someone while celebrating the materials themselves,” she says. “By revealing the brush, the paint, and even an unfinished canvas, I hope to create an honesty and sense of authenticity.”

Jana’s distinctive voice in contemporary portraiture has earned her recognition at major national awards, including the Adam Portraiture Awards and the Tasman National Art Awards, where she has twice won the People’s Choice and, in 2022, the Supreme Award.

“Her exploration of the human spirit connects with people in a rare and powerful way. Restoring Eden has been almost a year in the making — and it’s extraordinary.” (Richard Browes, Art by the River)

Artist Statement: Jana Branca

In the Genesis account of creation, the world is created as a place of intrinsic goodness, where humanity exists in seamless harmony with nature and its maker. This unity, marked by intimacy, mutual care, and flourishing, fractures through human choice, estranging us from each other, the earth, and our created purpose.

Restoring Eden explores the promise of renewal, where redemptive grace reaches into brokenness to mend what was lost. In this body of work, my figurative paintings are set against golden hues and painterly floral motifs, evoking Eden’s luminous beauty. Two worlds interact: the tangible human figures and the vibrant, almost ethereal florals, suggesting a dialogue between brokenness and restoration. Each work meditates on healing, reconciliation, and hope, reflecting a divine call to reclaim what was good. I invite viewers to explore their own longing for harmony; a world where human, natural, and divine relationships are whole. Restoring Eden offers a space to contemplate a hope of beauty, love, and restoration.