Many artists remember that one moment when they realized they had something special to offer. Janet Sherman, Loyalsock Township, was 11 or 12 when she had her “a-ha” moment, but said she always has been an artist.

The retired biology professor is the featured Bald Eagle Art League artist at the Genetti Hotel’s 4th Street Grille Gallery, 200 W. Fourth St. “Unfettered” opened April 7 and will be on display until May 2.

Sherman earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and anthropology from Queens College in 1974. She received a master’s degree in evolutionary biology from the University of Chicago in 1984, before beginning her career at the former Williamsport Area Community College, now Pennsylvania College of Technology.

“One of the reasons I chose biology rather than art in my senior year of high school was the influence of my 10th grade biology teacher and the friends I made in that class,” Sherman said. “Many of the instructors I had in college and graduate school influenced choices I made professionally.”

The relationship between her professional career and artistic life has been one of give and take.

“I’m drawn to form and pattern in organisms and in art,” Sherman said. “I had to do a lot of drawing as part of my lab work in college and learned the basic elements of illustration from my biology laboratory instructors.”

She especially remembered being graded on drawings of the slides she studied as a student in embryology. Her first “biological” job was working for the botany instructor, mounting and labeling plant specimens for the herbarium.

“He chose his assistants based on their ability to mount specimens correctly and beautifully — and write labels legibly. I saved myself a lot of money by illustrating my own thesis,” the artist said.

For two-dimensional work, Sherman said she will play with anything other than oil paint. She also enjoys getting muddy in the clay studio.

Sherman always has been drawn to impressionism and remembers a time when she was old enough to travel into Manhattan on her own, joining the Museum of Modern Art.

“I would spend hours sitting in front of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ and Monet’s ‘Water Lilies.’ There was also a piece called ‘Lumia Suite’ downstairs — today, there are screen savers that do the same thing, but in the 1960s, I thought it was magical.”

As an adolescent, Sherman thought the idea of Vincent Van Gogh signing his artwork with just his first name was “cool.” Janet, however, is a very common name and she was searching for something unique. Janne, a contraction of her first and middle name (Janet Anne) became her artistic signature and also has turned into a nickname (pronounced Jan).

Janne’s artist statement says: “Art does not have to have a purpose — it exists chiefly for its own sake. It is the artist, not art as such, that may have an aim in mind.”

Her art, she said, is “unfettered.”

“When I create, I am playing,” Sherman told the Genetti. “Texture, shape and color are most fun for me, so my art is very abstract. I like to experiment and work with anything that is easy to clean up: acrylics, water colors, pastels, alcohol inks, fabric, string, art paper and more.”

When Sherman is not traveling, gardening or involved with community or religious obligations, she spends several hours each day in her studio. She has been a member of BEAL for three years, along with the Clinton County Arts Council. Her second home is Studio 21 of Building 10 at the Pajama Factory: Janne’sheART.

For more information, visit thebaldea gleartleague.weebly.com/genetti-art-gallery.html or call 570-326-1212.