In a world where technology can create almost anything, artist Janis H. Sanders reminds us of the beauty and importance of what is real. His poem begins with the simple pleasures of a book—the weight of it in our hands, the sound of turning pages, even the familiar scent of paper. From there, his thoughts wander toward something larger: the irreplaceable value of human creativity.

For Janis, a painting is more than an image. It holds the experiences, emotions, memories, and intentions of the person who created it. Technology may imitate the appearance of art, but the human connection is something altogether different.

That philosophy comes to life in his paintings Cliffs, Fish Shack Roses, and Rolling Surf. Each captures a coastal landscape through Janis's unmistakable perspective. His expressive brushstrokes, unexpected colors, and dramatic expanses of sky invite us to see familiar places differently. These are not simply reproductions of a landscape, but interpretations shaped by the artist's own eye, hand, and experience.

Perhaps that is what Janis is asking us to remember: to slow down, look a little longer, and appreciate the humanity behind the things we love.

As he so simply puts it, "The real remains real."

Janis H. Sanders

The Real Remains Real

Janis H. Sanders

Books.

Paper and pages and print.
Glossy, reflecting, reflected covers.
Touchable. Tangible. Weight.
Linen bound.
The sound of rustling, turning pages,
inviting the next turn,
a journey, a trip, an adventure.

Compact and immense.
Limitless.

Imagination that roams, that asks.
Coated paper, art paper, images,
and unmistakable paper perfume
entices and leads.

This book states it is.
It is important.
Mr. Descartes, time has stood still.
Venerable. Venerated.
Here. Here to stay
until the ends of clocks.

The slow second ticks.
Hours.

Cars now fly.
The dog, because it can.
Any stooge can software any world.

The real remains real.
The filter has warped.

And looking up at the wall,
the painting—
created by human hand
and heart and soul and being,
and life history.
Robot not.

It reflects, conveys
soul and intent,
joy and love and life,
the humanity of the maker
and The Maker.

It remains.

To take in that fragrance.
To imbue.
To relish.

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All of Sanders' Work