Janie Porter lives in Diamond Harbour, Banks Peninsula/Horomaka. She has lived almost her entire life near the sea and has loved and observed birds since she was a child, and as such, often includes bird life in her paintings.

Her formal artistic training took place in England, New Zealand and at the University of Fine Arts in Hanoi, Vietnam.

She is known for her work in portraiture, landscape and birds. While working in various mediums, usually with a palette knife, she is constantly experimenting with transparency and form.