Janet Manalese is a multidisciplinary visual artist and educator based in Oakville, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Illustration from Sheridan College and a foundation year in Fine Art Fundamentals. With over a decade of experience teaching drawing, painting, mixed media, and portfolio development, she brings a warm, inviting presence to every classroom.

Janet’s artwork is known for its vibrant colour palettes, surreal compositions, and symbolic, nature-inspired imagery. Her pieces blend the organic with the mystical, often exploring themes of healing, renewal, and inner transformation. Art has long been a therapeutic process for her—a way of alchemizing grief and navigating life’s more challenging seasons.

Her creative approach is shaped by both formal training and a rich background in the holistic healing arts. Studies in yoga, meditation, energy medicine, and spiritual philosophy inform her leadership and the intentional way she guides students—encouraging positivity, self-awareness, and self-trust throughout the process. At the heart of her teaching is the belief that creativity is a pathway to confidence, resilience, and emotional well-being.

She has helped teens gain admission to competitive art programs, guided adults in rekindling their creative spark, and nurtured children discovering the joy of self-expression—experiences she considers among her greatest honours.

Janet’s work has been featured in galleries, community events, murals, and publications. She also runs a thriving Etsy shop offering colourful giclée prints, tapestries, journals, and art products cherished by customers worldwide. She has taught at multiple private art schools, where she was affectionately known as “Miss Janet.” Her classrooms are supportive, uplifting spaces where students learn technique, expand imagination, and develop their unique artistic voice.

She is delighted to bring this passion and experience to Art One Academy Oakville.