Jo-Ann West Pearce Biography Pastel Artist

Jo-Ann West Pearce Pastel Artist
Email HOME SHOWS BIOGRAPHY PAINTINGS	It is my wish that my work, in some sense, be able to convey the subtle and lively enchantments that the common objects we live with hold for us. I want the viewer to look beyond the ordinary and utilitarian to the play of color, line and shape that is constantly unfolding around us. Biography When JoAnn was eleven she was discovered by her parents drawing in her closet late one night by the light of a candle. Since then her love of art and art making hasn't diminished, although her lighting arrangements have been drastically improved. She worked for many years as a civil and mechanical draftsman and designer. From there she moved on to owning a designer gallery in Florida. Even while she balanced the demands of family, home and a career, she always knew that someday she would be able to return full time to her art. When she and her husband relocated to the Rogue Valley in 1995 she knew that time had finally arrived. JoAnn has studied art at Rogue Community College and with noted pastel artist, Roni Marsh. JoAnn's award winning work has received wide regional recognition and has been featured in several local shows. Her handling of her subject matter and materials reveals a growing mastery of her skills and a talent for conveying a sense of mood and a subjective interpretation of the visual world. Her infectious enthusiasm and love for making art drives her continuing growth and serves as an inspiration to create. As she said, "Art is now my passion and my exploration of it is the most intriguing thing I could think of doing." As she moves from candlelight to spotlight her work has the power to inspire us all. Artist statement It is my wish that my work, in some sense, be able to convey the subtle and lively enchantments that the common objects we live with hold for us. I want the viewer to look beyond the ordinary and utilitarian to the play of color, line and shape that is constantly unfolding around us. I find pastels to be a tactile, immediate and responsive medium that is conducive to expressing a full range of emotional states. It allows the artist spontaneity and movement while still being capable of delivering depth, resolution and vibrant color. The spontaneity of the pastel painting process, its unpredictability, and the directness of working almost pure pigment into the painting surfaces keeps me interested, learning and growing. I hope my love of design, the directness of my approach, and universality of my subject matter encourages the viewer to re-experience the subtle beauty that surrounds us all.
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Jo-Ann West Pearce Pastel Artist

It is my wish that my work, in some sense, be able to convey the subtle and lively enchantments that the common objects we live with hold for us. I want the viewer to look beyond the ordinary and utilitarian to the play of color, line and shape that is constantly unfolding around us.

Biography

When JoAnn was eleven she was discovered by her parents drawing in her closet late one night by the light of a candle. Since then her love of art and art making hasn't diminished, although her lighting arrangements have been drastically improved. She worked for many years as a civil and mechanical draftsman and designer. From there she moved on to owning a designer gallery in Florida. Even while she balanced the demands of family, home and a career, she always knew that someday she would be able to return full time to her art. When she and her husband relocated to the Rogue Valley in 1995 she knew that time had finally arrived.

JoAnn has studied art at Rogue Community College and with noted pastel artist, Roni Marsh. JoAnn's award winning work has received wide regional recognition and has been featured in several local shows. Her handling of her subject matter and materials reveals a growing mastery of her skills and a talent for conveying a sense of mood and a subjective interpretation of the visual world. Her infectious enthusiasm and love for making art drives her continuing growth and serves as an inspiration to create. As she said, "Art is now my passion and my exploration of it is the most intriguing thing I could think of doing." As she moves from candlelight to spotlight her work has the power to inspire us all.

Artist statement

I find pastels to be a tactile, immediate and responsive medium that is conducive to expressing a full range of emotional states. It allows the artist spontaneity and movement while still being capable of delivering depth, resolution and vibrant color. The spontaneity of the pastel painting process, its unpredictability, and the directness of working almost pure pigment into the painting surfaces keeps me interested, learning and growing.

I hope my love of design, the directness of my approach, and universality of my subject matter encourages the viewer to re-experience the subtle beauty that surrounds us all.