Fallbrook Art Center

About Janice Griffiths

How can you paint the portrait of a woman’s life in a few brief words on a wall? The answer is, you can’t. You can only dab a few brush strokes here and there, and hope to do some justice to the amazing person who inspired it.

With that in mind... Janice Griffiths was a lively, vivacious woman with a probing intelligence, a deep love of family and community, and an abiding appreciation for art. She died in 2005 of cancer after defying the odds by surviving twice as long as the doctors expected. In October of 2006 this gallery was named in loving memory of her. With her petite frame, pretty pixie face, flash of red hair, and bubbly laugh, Janice could light up any room she entered. Janice's zest for life was infectious and made people just want to be around her.

Janice loved art. No, Janice was passionate about art! On practically every wall and surface of the Fallbrook home she shared with her husband were paintings and sculptures from their world travels, especially Africa. Janice had a soul connection to Africa. Whether it was the labyrinthine waters of the Okavango Delta of Botswana, the desolate dunes of Namibia, the unspoiled Elephant Coast of South Africa or the wide-open plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania, Africa called to her and she answered that call time and again.

Art figured in all aspects of her life. Art books were scattered throughout her home. When her children were young, she would open up an art book and ask them to describe what they saw, training them to observe, to appreciate, and to savor. It's no surprise that her children, in turn, became art lovers, filling their own homes with art they collected, as well as the many pieces from around the world Janice had given them as gifts throughout the years.

In the end, nothing was more important to Janice than family. She was the best of mothers - the kind that was warm and gentle and yet knew how to provide both structure and guidance. She inspired her children to achieve while always making them feel appreciated and celebrated for who they were. Janice had a sharp and supple mind and encouraged the development of reasoning skills in her children. At the dinner table, she would lead discussions in politics, religion, and ethics, challenging them to think for themselves. She passed on to them, as well, her love of literature and culture, taking them often to libraries, museums, and plays.

Janice also had a deep commitment to her community. Giving back to the world was part of her credo.   She gave both time and support to the San Diego Zoological Society, Quail Botanical Gardens, Scripps Green Hospital and her church. A Proclamation issued by the County designated February 18, 2006 as "Janice Griffiths Day" in recognition of outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to area residents.

Janice Griffiths embraced heart, mind and spirit. And she did so with passion and an indomitable life force. Please enjoy your time in this gallery, named after a remarkable woman who led a remarkable life. She is loved and missed by all who knew her.