But Janus has always found tranquility through art and community, specifically through painting. Her art collective, Mosaic Society of Art, celebrates its three-year anniversary this month, and Janus is surprised that the Overland studio is still up and running after the past few years she's had.
"The fact that I made it to three years is so insane to me, just with what I've been through," Janus says. "[Mosaic] challenged me [through] so many lessons and things that I didn't even know that I would have to push and get through."
Prior to Mosaic, Janus and one of her former roommates discussed the idea of opening an art studio. With the phrase "listen to the mosaic" at her core, Janus had the opportunity to open up an art studio and, with the help of six friends, did so in under three weeks.
In September of 2022, Janus founded Mosaic Society of Art, with "Art" in "Society of Art" standing for "Artists Rising Together." Formerly known as The Mosaic, the then-private space was meant as a way for Janus to connect with friends who shared the same passions as her through a collective. But the journey wasn't a smooth one.
"Since day one, it was really hard and I've been struggling with keeping it open [ever since]," Janus reflects. "But, I always felt like I couldn't give up on it and close it because I knew that there was a bigger purpose."
Artists leaving the collective and individuals not following through with prior commitments to the studio were part of the struggles that Janus endured with Mosaic's first few months. When the studio rebranded in February 2024, Mosaic became a place for artists to unwind, create one-of-a-kind pieces and build community on a personal level.
Unfortunately, life would take a harsh turn for Janus when she lost her home, friend McMillian and all of her belongings in a July 2024 house fire near West 6th Avenue and Utica Street. As she slowly built her life back, Janus found out that she was scammed by a fake investment company that took all of her money. The studio was the only thing Janus had left, so she decided to put all her energy into it.
"Everyone who's involved now has been through a lot of hard things the last couple of years," Janus says. "It's been really cool to see everybody come together [and] utilize the space to enhance their creativity, art and friendships. We're all becoming really good friends."
Zacatecas-born artist Miguel Dominguez got his start in art while being classically trained in studios in the city of Fresnillo. Once he met graffiti artists around the city, Dominguez got the opportunity to create murals for Fresnillo and decided to go to university to study graphic design.
In 2018, he moved to Atlanta and began showcasing his work through murals outside of restaurants and art galleries before moving to Colorado a year later. With vibrant colors and intricate designs, Dominguez's work is a combination of surrealism, impressionism and psychedelic art that has expanded since his arrival to the Centennial state.
"Before moving to Colorado, I had a period where I [distanced] myself from all of my friends, and that influenced me [and my art] quite [a lot]," Dominguez says. "[The Colorado art scene] has helped me a lot."
When Dominguez saw that Mosaic was inviting the public to paint at the studio, he arrived and felt at ease with the other artists. In July 2025, Dominguez joined Mosaic and now helps the studio apply for new murals, create a portfolio for artists involved and spread the word about their mission to exhibit artists' work throughout the city and state.
Finding oneself through nature, creativity and other human begins is the core of his art, and Dominguez says art collectives like Mosaic allow anyone to be comfortable while decompressing from the world.
"[At] 18 years old, I didn't know what I was doing in this world," Dominguez says. "Thanks to the fact that I started getting involved with the art world, I found my purpose. [Mosaic] is a place where you're going to set an example of how we can coexist as human beings and create something good."
With newly released merchandise, a debut community zine at the upcoming Denver Zine Fest on Sunday, September 14, at the Denver Central Library, and an inaugural Mosaic Gallery Event taking place on Sunday, September 28, with original paintings on display, music, drinks, a raffle and opportunity to connect with the community, Janus is excited to see how the studio transforms through various projects. Weekly Wednesday Art Nights and a workshop series with Mirus Denver are current offerings the studio has for the public.
Janus says that she wants Mosaic to become involved in bigger opportunities, such as community projects across Denver. With spaces like Mosaic, Janus concludes that people can escape from reality, channel their emotions onto a canvas and create a "positive ripple" in the community that inspires people to connect with one another is important in a time like this.
"Holding on to [what makes] people's eyes open wide and reopen their mind to creativity and connection is just cool," Janus concludes. "I just want to see it continue to expand, and I want to see people open their eyes to the community and the support that's out there."
The Mosaic Anniversary Gallery Show is 2-8 p.m. on Sunday, September 28, at Mosaic Society of Art, 1960 South Bannock Street. The event is free. Follow Mosaic on Instagram @themosaic.art.
