Alicia has a background that includes broad international experience in the visual arts world. Born in Cuba, Alicia grew up and has lived much of her life in New York City. She became interested in fine art when studying Art History as an undergraduate at Rutgers University.

A few years working as an investment banker sent her back to school for her Masters in 17th Century Spanish Art at Syracuse University. Alicia then went on to fill several creative industry roles: manager of a commercial arts publication, art dealer, and commercial gallery director (Director of Arcadia Gallery of Fine Arts in New York).

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Alicia met her Australian husband in New York and the couple eventually decided to move to Australia to raise their family. After two years in Sydney the family moved to the Orana region.

 

As the former Executive Director of Orana Arts, she focused on regional arts and advocacy for artists, brokering opportunities through strategic partnerships and projects. She now continues this work through  her creative consultant business ARL - Creative Consultancy, which supports artists and communities by fostering the development of the arts in the region and growing audiences for all art forms. 

Photography has always been something I have been incredibly passionate about; it has become a lifelong journey of learning and discovery. I moved to Mudgee in 2019 with my family, where we fell in love with a slower paced lifestyle in the heart of the rural countryside.

I completed my Certificate IV in Photography in 2021, as a way to dedicate myself further to this passion. Photographers such as Olive Cotton, Lee Miller, Ansel Adams, Edward Western, Margaret Bourke White, among many others, have inspired my work over the years.

 

I am fascinated by the way light impacts how we perceive an image - something that shows in many of my projects and photographic techniques. Around 2021, I developed a love of (some might say an obsession with!) dandelions. Over the past few years, my work has evolved into something I am truly proud of in the Tiny Dancers series.

Honorary Senior Lecturer (2019- present), (Emeritus Fellow 2015-2018), Australian National University School of Art & Design.

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Janet was previously Head of Ceramics at ANU for over fifteen years (1998-2015), Head of Ceramics at her alma mater, East Sydney College of TAFE (now National Art School) 1979/80, and ran a production pottery (Brindabella Pottery) for almost twenty years in between.​ She was a Council Member, International Academy of Ceramics, (Australasian and African representative 2012-2020) and has been a member of the Academy since 2003. She is also a Professional Accredited Member of the Australian Capital Territory Craft Association, Exhibiting member of The Australian Ceramic Association, and an artist member of the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA).

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After completing a science degree at Sydney University (1969), she studied ceramics at The National Art School -then East Sydney Technical College (1970/71). She also has a postgraduate Diploma in Education and studied Italian & Fine Arts at Sydney University.

 

Janet has conducted workshops/given demonstrations in colleges and universities, crafts councils and pottery groups in all states of Australia New Zealand, mainland United States and Hawai’i, Canada, UK, China, Japan and Korea; been an invited speaker at NCECA (National Council for Education in the Ceramic Arts) conferences in Colorado, Ohio, Portland, Minneapolis and California; also delivered papers at most Australian National Ceramic Conferences; co-chaired and was program organizer at 8th National Ceramics Conference (Australian Ceramics Triennale) in 2015.