What's in a name anyway?

Not THAT Jihad Jane, but the other OTHER Jihad Jane...Jihad Janie...a two time foreign war veteran who specializes in portraiture with emphasis on Afghan orphans, women's issues, women's rights. My goal is not overthrow, my goal is equal rights for women globally, taking American ideals of freedom and equality to the subjugated women of the world. 

My work can be seen at www.juanitagotts.com

Untitled, oil on canvas, 2009

My most recent of works on the Afghanistan, Middle East subjects. I liked painting the boys as a change from the girls, as they bear a completely different attitude, more bravado, and understandably so.

Najah Girl, oil on canvas, 2004

This was the only Middle East theme/subject painting I did prior to my citizen soldier duties in Kabul, Afghanistan, 2005-2006. Around the girls neck is a cord bearing the religious symbols of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, those which bear the biggest responsibilities towards ending hostilities and bringing about peace in that region.

Looking Forward, oil on canvas, 2006

The young women, girls of Afghanistan and the Middle East in general get my strongest support and empathy.  I liked this one for the range of composures, from the first girl on left demurely unconfidently peering downward and the color palette behind her is dark and gloomy, then the painting moves to middle girl, a bit more confident, head is up, skies are clearing, and finally the third girl looks the observer directly in the eye, skies have cleared, the future is bright.

Into The Storm, oil on canvas, 2006

One of my personal favorites by any artist, just happens to be me. This was one of my first post-Afghanistan works. The clouds were rendered with a specific day in mind, it was a day the sky was brown from a sand storm and we lost a chanook and all its passengers.

Untitled Work, oil on canvas, 2009

One of my most recent works on the subject of Afghanistan. Consist of seven Afghan orphans and a mountain range, near the Jalalabad Road. Painting was rendered from a photograph taken by Public Relations military unit, serving in Afghanistan the same time I did, in 2005-06.