IN THE ARTIST'S WORDS
I live for the days where I get into the zone and my paintings seem to magically paint themselves. On those days I paint intuitively, often grabbing the pallet knife to create a variety of marks on the canvas. If only it happened every day, but I have learned to be patient and put a brush to the canvas no matter what my mood is.
I got a very late start in my art endeavors, favoring dance in my youth. Although I often carried a pen and paper, my art gift was never noticed until around age 40. It was a long wait after that to be able to paint full time but so worth it. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in my 50s was life changing. Before treatment, my life was very erratic, frequently changing jobs, housing and friends.
My mental illness affects my art in so many ways. One of the positives is the ability to hyper focus and see details and color shifts that others may not see. I also have the ability to mix things up such as changing subjects, styles and mediums. When I finish a successful painting, there is just no greater feeling. When I am overwhelmed by life events I find that painting calms my soul.
On the negative side, I am my own worst critic. I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to art and often make adjustments weeks and months later. I am driven to paint and grow as an artist and I need to be careful to try to keep a balanced life. In order to do this I keep my life as simple and uncomplicated as possible, being mindful to stay out of isolation.
All in all, I am grateful for my art gift which gives me a reason to get up and get going. I’m thrilled that I will never master it all and that I learn a little something from every painting. I do not believe that there will ever be a time in my life where I am not thinking of that next painting.
ABOUT JOANNE
Raised in New England, Joanne has always appreciated nature. She specializes in landscape painting. Many of her works are from her travels in and around Oregon where she is currently proud to call home. She places emphasis on composition and often uses her own photos as references. She also enjoys painting En Plein Air in good weather.
Joanne has always appreciated the arts in many forms including dance, photography and design. It wasn't until her children were grown that she picked up a paintbrush and fell in love with the fine arts. She started with watercolor and finally switched to oil painting in 2012 after retiring and moving to Oregon.
Joanne is constantly challenging herself to improve by taking workshops from well-known artists, gaining ideas and techniques that shape her own individual style. Her artistry is not limited to landscapes as she often enjoys painting still lifes, animals and urban scenes. Framing is of utmost importance to her in matching frame to a painting or vice versa. She is so grateful to finally be able to devote full time to her artistic endeavors.
I live for the days where I get into the zone and my paintings seem to magically paint themselves. On those days I paint intuitively, often grabbing the pallet knife to create a variety of marks on the canvas. If only it happened every day, but I have learned to be patient and put a brush to the canvas no matter what my mood is.
I got a very late start in my art endeavors, favoring dance in my youth. Although I often carried a pen and paper, my art gift was never noticed until around age 40. It was a long wait after that to be able to paint full time but so worth it. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in my 50s was life changing. Before treatment, my life was very erratic, frequently changing jobs, housing and friends.
My mental illness affects my art in so many ways. One of the positives is the ability to hyper focus and see details and color shifts that others may not see. I also have the ability to mix things up such as changing subjects, styles and mediums. When I finish a successful painting, there is just no greater feeling. When I am overwhelmed by life events I find that painting calms my soul.
On the negative side, I am my own worst critic. I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to art and often make adjustments weeks and months later. I am driven to paint and grow as an artist and I need to be careful to try to keep a balanced life. In order to do this I keep my life as simple and uncomplicated as possible, being mindful to stay out of isolation.
All in all, I am grateful for my art gift which gives me a reason to get up and get going. I’m thrilled that I will never master it all and that I learn a little something from every painting. I do not believe that there will ever be a time in my life where I am not thinking of that next painting.
ABOUT JOANNE
Raised in New England, Joanne has always appreciated nature. She specializes in landscape painting. Many of her works are from her travels in and around Oregon where she is currently proud to call home. She places emphasis on composition and often uses her own photos as references. She also enjoys painting En Plein Air in good weather.
Joanne has always appreciated the arts in many forms including dance, photography and design. It wasn't until her children were grown that she picked up a paintbrush and fell in love with the fine arts. She started with watercolor and finally switched to oil painting in 2012 after retiring and moving to Oregon.
Joanne is constantly challenging herself to improve by taking workshops from well-known artists, gaining ideas and techniques that shape her own individual style. Her artistry is not limited to landscapes as she often enjoys painting still lifes, animals and urban scenes. Framing is of utmost importance to her in matching frame to a painting or vice versa. She is so grateful to finally be able to devote full time to her artistic endeavors.