Born in New York City, Lana Jean Israel was greatly influenced by her parents, who were both artists. During her early childhood (1945-50), her father studied with Hans Hoffman in New York City and Provincetown. Lana was exposed to art through the books of Klee, Kandinsky and Mondrian. She also studied music and played the violin. A precocious child, she began drawing and painting at age three. When she was six, her parents traveled to Santa Fe with the aspiration of starting an art/spiritual school. After two years, they moved to Arizona where Lana absorbed the expansive environment of the desert. She eventually returned to New York City to reconnect with her roots.

Lana derives her inspiration through her observation of living things. Her unique interactions with time, people and nature are so deeply felt that she can later draw from these memories on both conscious and unconscious levels. When she paints, she is able to access these experiences and express them. She paints as if looking into a mirror; the painting dictates what will be next.

Her search for abstract unity is reaffirmed in that each painting is a step closer to a completely realized painting. Her curiosity and intuition prompt her to make courageous choices. "What will happen if I do this?" This adventurous attitude contributes to an aliveness and vitality that lead to new discoveries. Hence, the ability to surprise and innovate through color and composition are integral in defining Lana as a painter of modern art.

Color and form are given equivalent emphasis. Shape is color: color modulation is the result of formal superpositions; the boundaries' form are determined by the extent of a color on the picture plane. The act of painting alone defines the final appearance of the painting.

Lana is accepted among her peers and teachers as a prolific and devoted artist. She studied at the Studio School with Peter Agostini, Elaine De Kooning, George McNeil, Mercedes Matters, Esteban Bicente and Ruth Miller. She also studied at The Arts Students League with Vaclav Vylacil and Joseph Stapleton. Lana also had a close association with Rosina A. Floria, Executive Director of The Arts Students League. Lana worked for Gensler - a worldwide architecture and design firm where she had a significant role in client decisions.