Joyce Furness Exhibition

Artist STATEMENT

With acknowledgement and respect to the Tla’amin Nation

Ever since I was a child I have drawn, coloured, pencil crayoned and painted through life. One of my proudest moments as a rather shy teenager was when I won an honourable mention at a juried show competing against mature adults.

After graduating from the Ontario College of Art in the 1960s. I took another direction in life but drawing and painting were still a big part of it. In that era the Group of Seven were a big influence on young artists. When I was 8 years old I met A.Y. Jackson at a family friend’s cottage on an island in Georgian Bay. I happened to be drawing at the time and had no idea who this kindly gentleman was who was commenting on my picture. In retrospect, I treasure that moment. My other favourites were Casson and Lawren Harris for their wonderful design sense and Tom Thompson and Emily Carr for their passionate rendering of the landscape. Cezanne for his layers of application, Sorolla for his brilliant use of white space and of course Georgia O’Keefe. There are so many others and although appreciating and being inspired by more contemporary artists, these are the ones who hold the most affection in my heart.

Moving to Powell River in 2006 and being retired, I was able to immerse myself in painting. Along the way I’ve shared a couple of studios and show at Artique, Paperworks, and the Tug-Guhm Gallery and participate in the Studio Tour in August, now showing my work at the Cranberry Senior’s Centre with seven other artists. Most of my work is of local scenes but I do take the occasional foray into fantasy and experimentation in both watercolour and acrylic. Long may I be inspired by the brush, some colour and a canvas or sheet of paper.