Her charming illustrations have come to life within the Janes Doodles brand, as stickers and greeting cards for various occasions, with phenomenal short but effective text pieces, most often ingenious wordplay that shows that Jane not only has a precise hand, but also a sharp and ingenious mind.
The cat Mia is based on her daughter, who, she says, would sell her for a cat.
Looking at the illustrations, we noticed a certain amount of dry humor, especially in the personified animals that are inspired by real characters from her life. Take a peek with us into Jane's world of gentle, humorous illustrations with character.
She didn't know there were badgers in Croatia until she saw one in her own vineyard.
Jane is an artist whose drawings don't shout – they whisper: in every line, color, and stroke lies a memory, a meditation, a reflection. We had the privilege of collaborating with this exceptional illustrator who grew up in Canada, but has found her home and inspiration in Croatia for over thirty years.
Childhood memories: On camping trips, she would get up early to go fishing with her dad and sometimes they would have the privilege of seeing a moose.
Jane has been creating since her earliest days. Coloring books were her beginning, and coloring was her first love: in fact, she much preferred it to drawing. She started drawing so that she had something to do - to color. She inherited her love of animals from her parents, with whom she went camping every summer - and these are some of her favorite childhood memories. Today, she has dozens of characters and illustrations behind her that, although gentle, leave a strong impression. She draws from feeling, captures emotion, observes the world around her with unusual attention. Each of her illustrations carries a character - often inspired by real people from her life, including those closest to her. Seamus the sheep, for example, is based on her wife: quiet and loyal.
He lives next to the forest so he often sees foxes, but most of the other animals he draws are memories of his childhood in Canada: bears, moose and raccoons.
She uses both classical and digital tools throughout her creations. A drawing always starts as an idea on paper, then transitions into digital form on an iPad. She tries out colors until she feels they "set." That's how the animal illustrations for our spring boxes came about: Jane was given a few short instructions according to which she beautifully transformed our vision into reality.
A cheerful group from our stickers.
In addition to illustration, Jane also cultivates other forms of creation. Crocheting is not a hobby for her, but therapy – a quiet space where pain, loss and hope are translated into rows and patterns. She learned to crochet from her grandmother, and rediscovered this skill after losing both her father and grandmother in just one day. Crocheting has helped her through many sleepless nights and since then, her story speaks through every loop.
Extra reveal for Kragrlica: Jane paints lucky stones and leaves them for finders during a walk in the woods.
Her lifestyle is permeated with calm, rituals of silence and love for detail. Music plays softly in the background and a simple breakfast turns into a small ritual. Although she dresses simply – a T-shirt, jeans, the obligatory hoop earrings – she seeks authenticity in everything. She says she would rather be barefoot in the field than in a dress and high heels in the city.
A greeting card inspired by her youngest son Jakov, who taught himself to play the guitar.
Jane is a deep believer in conscious consumption and minimal environmental impact. She recycles, thinks before every purchase, supports small brands with great values. And that's what brought us together - a shared view of the world, of creation that doesn't exhaust, but inspires.
Croatia is a home for Jane, but also a challenge. She has lived here for over thirty years, and as she says, she still can't grasp all the nuances. When asked what the biggest downsides of living in Croatia are, she says that the graffiti, swearing, and smoking culture annoy her the most. But at the same time, she sees beauty, potential, and warmth here that have made her art even richer.
Marko the Bear is based on her eldest son, who is studying at the Croatian Studies Department.
Finally, we asked Jane what her favorite collaboration has been so far. She highlighted illustrating a children's book – a private project full of love. But we would say that our boxes, now enriched with her drawings, have also gained an authentic story thanks to Jane. In a world where packaging is in some way a "necessary evil", we decided to give ours an additional purpose, in addition to the basic one of product protection: we use it as a means of conveying a message and a space to support creatives. Jane's adorable animals also have an additional purpose with which we managed to surprise the author herself: the illustrations we use on the packaging in April and May signify our support for abandoned muzzles. We will donate part of the proceeds from this period to animal shelters and thus close this chapter not only with an inspiring story but also with a gesture towards the animals that depend on the help of all of us.
Along with greeting cards, Jane's love is also charming stickers: a play on literal and figurative meanings.
In a world of fast messages and even faster images, Jane reminds us of what remains: attention, silence, depth. We are happy that her tenderness has left its mark on our brand.