Jana Travis was born in Louisiana and has lived in various parts of the South. The majority of her life has been spent in Memphis, Tennessee where she met her husband and together they raised two girls. She began painting professionally in her twenties and has had several exhibitions in the United States and abroad. As a result, her art can now be found in private and corporate collections throughout the world.

Over the years, Travis has discovered her art evolving in conjunction with her own life. The fact that she is true to this transformation of style allows her to produce art that is original and uniquely her own. Despite her Southern roots, Travis claims her art to be mostly influenced by the three years of her life she lived with her family in Guadalajara, Mexico. While extensively traveling the country, Travis noticed the culture and colors of Mexico naturally beginning to seep into her artwork. In 1996, she was chosen to exhibit at the Mexican-American Cultural Institute, where she was recognized for her culturally inspired work on a Latin news network.

Upon returning to the United States, Travis received a Masters of Fine Arts in painting from the University of Memphis and began teaching shortly thereafter as an adjunct professor for several years. Today, Travis is an Assistant Professor of Art at Christian Brothers University, where she is currently in the process of restructuring the art program to offer students a broader range of artistic study.