“To be fully alive” is Jana Benitez’s purpose. When Jana debuted her art at the Ayala Museum in 1998 at 12 years old, she claimed the reputation of a prodigy. Graduating magna cum laude from Brown University, building a gigantic interdisciplinary art studio called Light Lab in Texas, and exhibiting in New York, Singapore, and Berlin are some of her achievements that demonstrate her sheer talent and hard work. However, developing the contemporary painterly style that is uniquely her own – even in the discipline of the abstract form – stands as testament to her artistry nearly two decades later. Her process follows no rules nor does it arise from whim; Jana has, for lack of better terms, strokes of pure genius. Her vivid colors, energetic lines, and deconstructed facial features are inspired by her various experiences, including learning martial arts in China, camping in primitive conditions in New Mexico, and communing with nature in New Zealand.