Janet Matthews lives and works in suburban Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. A former high school art teacher, Matthews rediscovered photography, when she was assigned to teach Photo 1 classes as part of her course load.

Matthews has received bachelor degrees in Studio Art, with a focus on drawing & painting, and in Art Education from the University of Maryland.

She has integrated her background in drawing and painting with photographic methods by using extensive post-darkroom manipulation of her images. Hand applied emulsions and use of mixed media allow her to incorporate the element of gesture, and make evident the hand of the artist. She is interested in combining traditional and digital processes, and often uses inkjet negatives for contact printing.