January van Gemert was born in Gemert, the third of twelve children. His father was Marinus van Gemert (1894–1978), an ex-sergeant and worker in the textile industry. His mother, Dora Gruijters (1894–1982), originated from a gardening family.
Three years later he enrolled in the management program of the Catholic ers Union in Helmond, where he graduated in 1940.
At the age of 13, January becomes involved in an accident, and he was missing a legal That same year he fled the Arbeidseinsatz and found refuge in the home of the Dutch painter and ceramic artist Willi Martinali in Deurne. During the war he received drawing lessons from the portraitist Jacques Stroucken.
After the war he returned to Gemert and had various jobs, including as a house servant, textile worker, clerk and assistant cooks.
He also receives assignments together with Willi Martinali to teach courses "Free Expression" to schools and community centers. In 1952 he builds his own studio with assistance of the mayor of Gemert De Bekker.
In 1954 he completed his training at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where he was educated by January Gregoor and Jacques van Rijn. In 1956 together with January Kuhr, Jean Nies and Piet van Hemme he founded the arts center "De Vrije Expressieven," which however would be short-lived.
In 1959 he was appointed lecturer at the Secondary Technical School in Eindhoven, and shortly after he joined the Social Academy Eindhoven, where he would teach until 1975.
He became a member of the General Catholic Artists Association and the Eindhoven club Cultural Contact, which was under the leadership of January Henselmans Louis Friday and French Babylon.
