Watercolor instructor Jan Heaton brings contemporary techniques and national recognition to RAC
KETTERING, Ohio – Rosewood Arts Center watercolor instructor Jan Heaton is featured in the Winter 2025 issue of What Women Create magazine, a national publication celebrating women’s artistic journeys. The eight-page spread, which hit newsstands Dec. 23, 2025, showcases Heaton’s ethereal floral abstractions and tells her story of creative reinvention—bringing national recognition to one of the newest members of Rosewood’s distinguished teaching roster.
Heaton joined Rosewood Arts Center in 2025, bringing her extensive experience from prestigious institutions including Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Aspen and the Oklahoma Arts Institute. Her work is represented by galleries in Austin, Boston, Columbus, San Antonio, San Francisco and Seattle—credentials that make her a significant addition to Kettering’s thriving arts community.
The magazine’s Winter theme, “Reinvention,” resonates with Heaton’s own journey. A third-generation artist who relocated from Austin, Texas, to Oakwood in June 2024 to be closer to family, she now paints nearly every day in her home studio, creating luminous watercolors that capture the organic movement and delicate translucency of botanical forms.
“(I’m) honored to have my artwork and story featured in the winter issue of What Women Create magazine,” Heaton said. “The stories are written in first person so the reader can envision themselves sitting at a kitchen table, inspired by the imagination and celebrating the courage and tenacity of each of these women who teach us that we too can create.”
“Jan’s art quietly creates an emotional connection, inviting us into a special feeling, place and moment,” the magazine notes. Her signature style transforms simple flowers into flowing, radiant abstractions—each brushstroke revealing both technical mastery and an intuitive response to her subject.
The What Women Create feature includes stunning photography by Oakwood photographer and educator Rhonda Brooke Dow, who captured Heaton in her studio surrounded by her signature brushes, color palettes and works in progress. The images reveal an artist fully immersed in her practice, from her collection of autumn leaves pressed in sketchbooks to the sunburst paintings that line her studio walls.
Heaton’s Workshops at Rosewood
Heaton’s “Abstract Flora Watercolor Workshop” invites students to observe flowers with fresh perspective. “Capture not only what you see using watercolor, but also your personal response,” she encourages. The intimate, one-day workshop—limited to 10 students ages 16 and up—combines demonstrations, one-on-one instruction, and group sharing to explore the nuanced medium. Heaton’s approach emphasizes both technical skill and personal artistic voice, making the workshop suitable for students with any level of watercolor experience.
While Heaton’s January workshop is currently full, her Feb. 14 session still has space available. The workshop runs from 10:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Rosewood, 2655 Olson Drive. Fees are $150 for Kettering residents and $187 for non-residents.
Learn More About Jan at:
Website: janheaton.com
Instagram: @janheatonart