As a child I grew up with reading difficulties so I read Charles Schultz's Peanuts books over and over and drew Snoopy repeatedly. Snoopy, swans and horses. At age twelve, I was given an oil painting kit a friend of my mom's had abandoned. This was the genisis of my love of painting.

I spent the decade of the 80's at an art school called Brucheon. The school was formed by Jan Valentine Saether during his ten years in Los Angeles, before returning to Norway.

I began teaching the old master techniques in my studio after he left. Teaching has taught me to look at painting from many views, many eyes, many styles. I think as a direct result, I paint in the many styles that I do.

I was asked to do an entire show of mandalas for the Agape Church in the 90's. It contained every form of mandala imaginable. I have never had a show before or since that was of one form of painting.

I paint figurative realism, abstract, glazed ala prima, imaginary landscapes, still lives, anything and everything I feel like painting. Never sticking to only one style. Not yet anyway. Maybe never.

I am currently teaching in my studio by the South East edge of the Burnside bridge, and at Multnomah arts.


www.paintwithjoanne.com