I have a passion for expressing the essence and core of my subject's being. This vision of purity and simplicity was nurtured during my youth – and inspired by the experience of growing up in Asia.
My work revolves around the idea of identity – with the objective of capturing an aspect or an isolated moment of my subjects – whether the subject matter is human or plant life – with a focus on creating contemplative images. This is ever more important now as we are living during the time of a pandemic, political unrest and chaos.
I hail from Oakland, California, have a BFA in Photography from California College of Arts and Crafts and have been making photographs for more than 25 years in my Oakland studio in the Jingletown Arts District. I have shown my work domestically and internationally.
I still photograph with film.
Events, Exhibits and Press
SOLO & TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2022 K Gallery, Rhythmix Cultural Center, Alameda, CA, “Essence” Jan Watten & Kim Cheselka
2021 Gallery at the Werkshack, Oakland, CA, “Radiant Landscapes” Frances Baker & Jan Watten
2020 Gallery at the Werkshack, Oakland, CA, “Unexprected Landscapes” solo show
2014 K Gallery, Rhythmix Cultural Center, Alameda, CA, “Unexpected Landscapes” Jan Watten & Ginny Parsons
2013 Float Gallery, Oakland, CA, “Follow me, don’t chase me!”, Jan Watten & Benjamin Smith
2006 Bette Center for the Arts, Alameda, California, “Portraits”
1999 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Artist Gallery, Fort Mason, San Francisco
1997 ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, California, Guest Artist, "Transcendant Reflection"
1996 Houston Center for Photography / C. G. Jung Center, Houston, TX, "Aspects of Identity"
1994 Landes Gallery, Oakland, California, "Two Photographers: Robert Jew & Jan Watten"
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Uptown Fine Art, Oakland, CA, “Reflections” three person show
2021
K Gallery, Alameda, CA, “Mother Tree” collaboration with Emilie Watten
2020
Center For Photographic Art, Carmel, CA, "Members’ Juried Exhibition”
Somerville Toy Camera Festival, online exhibit
Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Albany, CA, “Thriving-in-Place” group show
Soho Photo Gallery, New York, ‘Krappy Kamera Show”
Arc Gallery, San Francisco, “Reflections” National Juried Exhibit
Center For Photographic Art, Carmel, CA, "8x10 Exhibit”
2019
Sparrow Gallery, Sacramento, “The Latent Image”
San Pablo Gallery, San Pablo, CA, “A Fond Farewell”
San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, “Annual Bay Area Artist's Choice Exhibit”
East Bay Photo Collective, “Members Exhibit”, Panoramic Framing Gallery, Oakland, CA
2018
Corden/Potts Gallery, San Francisco, “Tipping Point”
Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA, “Small Works”
Santa Clara University, “Silicon Valley Plastic Camera Show”
K Gallery, Alameda, CA, “Cal Vita: Nature as Sustenance” six person show
Arts Benicia Gallery, CA, “In the Fields: Botanical Lore”
Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery, Lafayette, CA, “Small Things”
East Bay Photo Collective, “Bay Area Big Shots”, Panoramic Framing Gallery, Oakland, CA
2017
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “10th Annual Plastic Camera Show”
Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery, Lafayette, CA, “Small Things”
Center For Photographic Art, Carmel, CA, "Members’ Juried Exhibition”
Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, CA, “50/50”
2016
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “9th Annual Plastic Camera Show”
Float Gallery, Oakland, ”What Stood Before, An artist's view of the Bay Area's demolished past”, 3 person show
2015
K Gallery, Rhythmix Cultural Center, Alameda, CA, “Through Her Eyes”
Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA, “Botanica: All Things Plant Life”
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “8th Annual Plastic Camera Show”
2014
Solano Art Gallery, Solano, CA, “Unruly Nature”, three person show
2013
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “6th Annual Plastic Camera Show”
2012
Gray Loft Gallery, Oakland, CA, “10 Connect : A Group Show of Ten Artists”
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “5th Annual Plastic Camera Show”
2011
Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA, “SNAP: A National Juried Photography Exhibition”
Bridgehead Studio Gallery, Alameda, CA, “Nature: Three Visions”
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “4th Annual Plastic Camera Show”
Giorgi Gallery, Berkeley, CA, “Pixels at an Exhibition”
2010
Branch Gallery, Oakland, CA, “510 Arts”
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA, “(por)trait revealed”
K Gallery, Rhythmix Cultural Center, Alameda, CA, “One Eye Open”
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “3rd Annual Plastic Camera Show”
2009
Autobody Fine Arts, Alameda, CA, “ID:entity”group show of four photographers
Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland, California, "Pro Arts Juried Annual Exhibition"
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “2nd Annual Plastic Camera Show”
2008
Hang Gallery, San Francisco, “Who's The Fairest of Them All? Women Artists Considering Social Justice in the Everyday”
Gallery 159, Vallejo, CA, “Hands”
Autobody Fine Art, Alameda, CA, “The Ship of Fools”, an exhibition of theater, magic and imagination
Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland, CA, “Jingletown Junction”
Foundry Art Center, St. Charles, Missouri, “Unrefined Light: Image-Making with Plastic Cameras”
Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA “Plastic Camera Show”
2007
Joyce Gordon Gallery, Oakland, CA, “Glimpses in Time – an Exhibition in Honor of Gordon Parks”
Oliver Art Center, California College for the Arts, Oakland, “Alumni at the Centennial”
2005
Center For Photographic Art, Carmel, California, "Center Awards Juried Exhibition”
Jack London Square Partners, Oakland, CA, “Iconic Oakland: Art in Architecture”, Invitational
Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, Washington, “Focused”
La Casa Del Libro, San Francisco, CA, “Artist Books – Libros de Artista”
Artisans Gallery, Mill Valley, CA,” 2003 National Juried Exhibition”
2001
Houston Center for Photography, Houston, Texas, "Annual Juried Membership Exhibition"
Fotografie Forum International, Frankfurt, Germany, “das Bildnis Jesu Christi in der Fotografie”
Benham Gallery, Seattle, Washington, “Deceit of the Intellect”, alternative portrait show
Oakland Museum of California, Oakland Airport, “Art Takes: Contemporary Work by CCAC Alumni”
2000
Northview Gallery, Portland, Oregon, “Encounters”, three person show
Harry Ransom Center, Leeds Gallery, Austin, Texas, recent acquisitions
Photo Metro Magazine, San Francisco, California, “17th Annual Photo Contest”
1999
Houston Center for Photography, Houston, Texas, “1999 Juried Members Exhibition”
Northwest Center for Photography, Seattle, Washington, “A Vision Honored”
1998
ProArts Gallery, Oakland, California, "New Visions Introductions 98"
California College of Arts and Crafts, San Francisco, California, "Founders Day Exhibition"
NIKA Gallery, Berlin, Germany, "Six Kunst Women"
1997
Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, California, "Statewide Photography Exhibition"
1996
Center For Photographic Art, Carmel, California, "Sixth Annual Awards Exhibition"
Houston Center for Photography, Houston, Texas, "Annual Juried Membership Exhibition"
FotoFest, Houston, Texas, "SF 9", Street Art Projection
1995
Nucleo dos Amigos da Fotografia, Sao Paulo, Brazil, "North American Contemporary Photographers"
Southeast Museum of Photography, Daytona Beach, FL, "Reverberations" (traveling show)
1994
Center For Photographic Art, Carmel, CA, "Focus '94 International Juried Exhibition"
SF Camerawork, San Francisco, CA, "20th Anniversary Members' Exhibition"
Society of Contemporary Photo, Kansas City, Missouri, "Current Works '94"
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA, "69th Annual Crocker-Kingsley Exhibition"
1993
Center For Photographic Art, Carmel, California, "1993 Juried Exhibition"
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California, "68th Annual Crocker-Kingsley Exhibition"
Photo Metro Gallery, San Francisco, "Extended Views: Contemporary Panoramic Photography"
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA, "68th Annual Crocker-Kingsley Exhibition"
1992
Lubbock Fine Arts Center, Lubbock, Texas, "Illuminance '92"
Synopsys Corporation, Mountain View, California, "Self-Portraits", Invitational
EDUCATION
California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA, BFA with Distinction - Photography
Artists' Gallery, California College of Arts and Crafts, Certificate in Gallery Management
SCHOLARSHIPS
Full Merit Scholarship in Photography, California College of Arts and Crafts
AWARDS
Jurors Choice Award, SF Women’s Artist Gallery, Ray Beldner 2019
International iPhone Photography Awards, honorable mention, 2012
Jurors Choice Award, “SNAP, National Juried Photo Show”, Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts
Honorable Mention, “Photo Metro 17th Annual Photo Contest”, 1999
Honorable Mention, “Northwest Center for Photography”, 1999
Jurors Choice Award, Jean Caslin, Lubbock, Texas, "Illuminance '95"
REVIEWS
96 Hours, SF Chronicle, April 1, 2010, page F6, Rayko Plastic Camera Show
The Wall Street Journal, Taylor Holliday, April 9, 1996, page A16
Photo Metro, Darwin Marabell, March 1996, page 16
Chicago Reader, Fred Camper, June 23, 1995, pages 28 & 29
Photo Metro, Joan Murray, March 1995, pages 26 & 27
ArtWeek, "The Guide", Kristin Muller, November, 1994, page nine
ArtWeek, Mark van Proyen, February 25, 1989, page five
PUBLICATIONS
Artists of the Bay Area, summer 2021, published by Jen Tough Gallery
Wild Lands, summer 2021, published by Jen Tough Gallery
Diablo Arts Magazine, January-March 2012 issue, front cover and pages 26 - 27
Play! A Collection of Sixty-three Toy Camera Photographs Made by 36 Photographers, 2011
Black & White Magazine profile, December 2010 issue, pages 76 to 81
Alameda Magazine, October 2008, inside back cover
Smithsonian Institute Exhibit Catalog, Game Face, What Does a Woman Athlete Look Like?, page 1, 2001
Photo Metro Magazine, March 2000 issue
EastBay Express, March 6, 1997, page 36
FotoFest Exhibition Catalog, 1996, page 120
Nucleo dos Amigos da Fotografia, Sao Paulo, Brazil, International Photo Meeting Catalog
Photo Metro Magazine, November 1995 issue
Lubbock Fine Arts Center, Exhibition Catalog, Lubbock, Texas, "Illuminance '95"
Southeast Museum of Photography, Exhibition Catalog, "Reverberations"
Book of Days, 1993 Engagement Calendar, Dorsoduro Press, Austin, Texas, week of May 17- 23
COLLECTIONS
Port of Oakland, Jack London Square Partners, Oakland, California
Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, Photography and Film Collections, U. of Texas at Austin
Museum of Fine Art, Houston, Texas
Southeast Museum of Photography, Daytona Beach, Florida
di Rosa Foundation, Napa, California
ART AFFILIATIONS
Gray Loft Gallery, Oakland, CA, Founder, 2012 to present
Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA, Board Member, 2023 to present
East Bay Photo Collective, Advisory Committee Member
Oakland Art Murmur, Arts Venue Committee Member