My name is Žanet Godnič Bakoš. I was born in 1983. I grew up in Kanjiža, a little town at the banks of the Tisa river.
Already as a child I liked drawing, and my love for animals, the Tisa river and nature was even back then very obvious. After I had finished grammar school in Senta, I chose to continue my studies in a field which was so different from me. In 2010 I graduated from the University of Economics in Subotica. Having graduated, I joined a family business, which was running a dyehouse in my hometown.
Some time later, I moved to Subotica, got married and in a relatively short time got three sons. As a full-time mom, I gradually started moving away from the bustling world and getting back to the rhythm of nature, the place where I originated from as a newborn. As time was passing I felt a growing desire for creation. As if some invisible force was directing me towards the way I had to take.
I started sewing. I was making angel figures which helped me find my own self. I fell in love with calligraphy, and then, watercolour entered my life.
I began painting in 2021, and even my first brushstrokes evoked incredible emotions within me. I’ve been developing myself in a self-taught manner. I started with painting birds, then moved on to landscapes, flowers, buildings, and now figurative art as well.
I often paint imaginary landscapes, and sometimes it feels as if I'm not the one creating the image—some other force guides my hand.
I initially experimented with watercolor, then shifted to charcoal, and later to acrylic painting.
My works are mainly semi-abstract, and even with acrylics, I often use wet techniques. I love letting the paint flow, whether it's watercolor or acrylic—it gives me a sense of freedom. A unique bond forms between the paint and me, like a mutually agreed collaboration, where both sides retain their freedom.
Books, poems, literature, or any captivating detail that evokes emotions in me inspire my work. There’s always a feeling associated with each piece—whether it’s a landscape or a figurative representation. I often spice up my creations with a few lines of haiku, which usually come to me after completing the artwork.
A particularly special moment was when a composer wrote a piano piece inspired by one of my landscapes. This was a positive affirmation that I am on the right path. The stars, my angels, led me here, and when I paint, I soar with them across realms.
In 2024, I connected with and became an active member of the STREAMLET Art Society. Together, we organized an art camp at our Gaia's Garden ranch in Palić in August 2024, and we plan to continue this annually.
I used to think that everything was black and white, like the printed letters in economics textbooks. I once believed that I had sealed my fate with a diploma I earned without true passion. But in the end, the opposite proved true. Painting, creating, and the freedom of a creative life became my refuge—this refuge ultimately became my world.
And finally, a little haiku from me:
With a pigmented stain
I’ve forged a sacred alliance—
my safe haven.
Awards:
2023 - Bronze Award , Camelback Gallery - International Art Gallery - "Shades of Blue" 2023 International Juried Visual Arts Competition
https://www.camelbackgallery.com/shadesofblue2023exhibition
2023 - Bronze Award , Camelback Gallery - International Art Gallery - "Amazing Animals" 2023 International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition
https://www.camelbackgallery.com/amazinganimals2023exhibition
2023 - Bronze Award , Camelback Gallery - International Art Gallery - " Flower Power" 2023 International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition
https://www.camelbackgallery.com/flowerpower23exhibition
Exhibitions :
2023 - Shades of Blue 2023 International Juried Art Exhibition (Group), Camelback Gallery, Online
https://www.camelbackgallery.com/shadesofblue2023exhibition
2023- Amazing Animals 2023 International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition (Group), Camelback Gallery, Online
https://www.camelbackgallery.com/amazinganimals2023exhibition
2023 - Flower Power 2023 International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition (Group), Camelback Gallery, Online
https://www.camelbackgallery.com/flowerpower23exhibition
October–November 2023 – Solo exhibition in Szeged at the Délvidék Ház
"A Tiny Piece of the Soul"
May 2024 – Solo exhibition in Kanjiža at the József Attila Library
February 2025 – Group exhibition with the STREAMLET Art Association in Subotica at the the Hardwired Cultural Association
Stretched on a 3,5 cm deep gallery wrap canvas; it doesn’t require a frame, but of course, it can be framed if desired.