Jo-Anne Westerby | Featured Artist

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Jo-Anne Westerby, “ach With Its Own Story,” no date

acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inches (courtesy of the Gallery)

Jo-Anne Westerby was born in Ottawa, raised in Victoria, schooled in Montreal, careered in Ontario and now calls Nanaimo her home. She is an abstract artist working with acrylic paints and mediums and studied Studio Art at Concordia University. She is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and the international Abstract’d Art Collective.

Ever since I was little, I’ve been most comfortable outside. I’m most myself in the Pacific Northwest forests, by any ocean, river, lake or pond, and especially in my garden. I love the immensity and the minutiae of the mossy rainforest floor, of the ripples and reflections in water, and of the colours and patterns of flowers and foliage. I relish the solace, mindfulness, calm, rest and peace these places give me. I’m outside every day, gently looking, listening, and absorbing. By opening my senses and lingering in nature I bridge the gap between nature and myself and find my ‘small self’ over and over again. This state of soft fascination nurtures my art practice.   – Jo-Anne Westerby