21 Facts About Janice Biala

Janice Biala was a Polish-born American artist whose work, spanning seven decades, is well regarded both in France and the United States.

Janice Biala immigrated to New York in 1913, arriving with her mother, Esther, and brother, Yakov.

Janice Biala's father, Hyman Tworkovsky, was a tailor who had emigrated to New York earlier.

Janice Biala's parents changed their surname to Bernstein because a relative whom they listed as sponsor on their immigration documents bore that name.

From Dickinson, Janice Biala learned to focus on the essential elements of a subject, to see these elements as abstract forms on the two-dimensional plane of the canvas, and to select the color values that would become the key to the finished work.

Janice Biala adopted the new name on advice from her friend and fellow Provincetown painter, William Zorach, in order to avoid confusion with her brother Jack.

Janice Biala made portraits of Ford and contributed artwork to his books.

In 1931 Janice Biala's work appeared in New York at Macy Galleries.

In 1935 Janice Biala was given her first solo exhibition when "Paintings of Provence by Janice Biala" appeared at the Georgette Passedoit Gallery, New York, from April 25 to May 9.

In January 1937 Janice Biala had exhibited paintings and drawings at the Georgette Passedoit Gallery in New York.

Ford died at Deauville, France, in 1939 and Janice Biala became his literary executrix.

In successive years between 1941 and 1945, Janice Biala was given solo exhibitions at the Bignou Gallery in New York and by that time there could be little doubt that she had succeeded in establishing herself as a professional artist.

Janice Biala remained close to her brother Jack and, in consequence, became one of the few female artists associated with the New York School.

Janice Biala was the son of Benjamin Tworkovsky and his wife Celia.

Janice Biala emigrated to New York some years before his wife and younger children and he worked in a tailor shop in New York's Lower East Side.

Janice Biala did not explain why his brother's surname was Bernstein.

Janice Biala did not use the names Mrs Janice Gatch or Mrs Lee Gatch, and was infrequently called by either name.

Until the 1940s Janice Biala did not enjoy a steady income from any source.

Janice Biala worked odd jobs in the 1920s and her life with Ford Madox Ford was hand-to-mouth.

The Chronology section of the Janice Biala website gives a full chronology of events in Janice Biala's life.

Janice Biala furnished cover art and illustrations for some of Ford's books and, in the 1950s she wrote children's books.