Nash, Joanna

Joanna Nash with Donat.

Studio Visit: JOANNA NASH Painter

July 16th, 2004,August 1st, 2005, August 2nd, 2007 during Route des Arts & June 7th, 2008. By: Ilania Abileah

Click on images to enlarge. CLICK underlined links to navigate.

More of Joanna's work can be see on www.routedesarts.ca Web Site, and http://www.mcgill.ca/architecture/faculty/nash

Finding the Balance between Atmosphere and Structure – A visit to Joanna Nash’s Studio.

A recent visit to Joanna Nash’s studio was an exhilarating experience. In fact, I am still assimilating the impressions of her artistic process.

The studio overlooks a beautiful panoramic view of a valley amongst rolling hills revealing a magnificent sunset. Upon entering the studio, there are shelves full of framed and unframed paintings some are watercolour landscapes, as well as collages, and drawings. There is an easel and a stand with a large role of drawing paper. A small table displays art publications, including art books and catalogues written by Joanna herself. And, for the younger visitors, Joanna has albums with her own drawings of animals done during the winter.

Joanna’s new large-sized paintings, done in mixed-media on linen, examine the theme she names "Landscape Under Fire." What really transpires from the images way surpasses a mere landscape. These landscapes generate a meditative mood. They have a tactile quality, with intense, yet harmonious, contrasting and blending nuances.

In the work area itself, the walls display paper studies, painted in colours that exude warmth. This is a departure from some of her previous landscapes which were a bit more “austere”, as commented another guest who also added that Joanna “seemed to have found the balance between intensity, different moods and texture.” Joanna herself says that she does put “a little more of one and less of the other; finding the balance between atmosphere and structure.”

This series has evolved from observations and sketches done of the flames in Joanna’s fireplace. Joanna says that she starts from the real with her sketches, and takes it from there. Some of the paintings are still a “work in progress,” Joanna has not determined them complete yet.

After over 30 years of doing the “exhibit” circuit in the city, Joanna is quite content to live in the Laurentian and concentrate on her painting. In her own words “I moved from Montreal five years ago to live in Arundel, and joined the Route des Arts four years ago, mainly to meet other artists of the region. The artists and artisans of the Route are my community - they share my experiences, my solitude and my frustrations. Settled here on a hill overlooking the Rivière Rouge valley, I have found my place to reflect and create. I welcome the art-interested public to come and explore my studio, my art and my environment.”

Route de Arts takes place for nine days: July 26th to August 3rd from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. At other times, all Route des Arts artists may be contacted for an appointment. If you have not yet visited Joanna Nash in previous years, plan to do so this summer.

Visit 7 June 2008



Drawings on the wall used as the departure point for the series Landscape Under Fire paintings....the latest landscape does contain a suggestion of the nude drawing in the background.

Drawings and a work-in-progress canvas, which may serve to complete a triptych.

Two finished paintings same size.

These three paintings are all 6 x 4'



Joanna Participated in a group exhibition in St. Faustin by the group she now belongs to ,"'Les artistes de Mont Tremblant", March 2nd, 2008


Here she poses with a sculpture done by a fellow artist, which she painted on. It fit with the theme of her paintings this year.

Joanna exhibited three paintings and also contributed with painting the sculpture.

Visit 2 August 2007

Drawing on the easel

New series of painting on uneven surfaces (wood not cut exactly a square or rectangle).

Two more stong landscapes

Joanna at the end of a Route des Arts 2007....time to rest of the visits of the last Sunday.

Catalogues and artbooks containing details about Joann Nash or written by her.

Joanna with one of the collages she did from drawings and paintings she never framed before. And a new work on the easel.

Joanna Nash with visitors, August 1st, 2005.

The new collection includes oil paintings and collage studies about deer. There are also numerous landscapes, in watercolour, and exquisite live-model drawings.

Visit July 16th 2004 As you can see, I was virtually impressed. Still have to digest it all. Joanna calls herself a landscape painter. However, what really transpires from the images she composes way surpasses a mere landscape. Joanna's paintings bring about a pensive mood. The landscapes are rather meditative, they have a tactile quality, with intense, yet harmonious, contrasting and blending nuances. (Some of Joanna's watercolour landscapes are framed with glass, so the glare could not be avoided, I have included them though, merely to show the scope of her work.)	Work in progress looming from the wall. The top one is almost complete.... In progress work on paper in the studio is most interesting.	The rest of the wall is also covered with many paper studies.	An easel, work tools and paper studies on the wall. When one enters the studio, there are shelves full of framed paintings, as well as door-size stretched linen canvases, ready for the next series of paintings. The studio is a separate building, winterized, all equipped. It is bright and overlooks a charming view into a valley, with a vegetable garden, shared by deer and groundhogs.
Another collage.....Just loved it!	Head leaning on another painted study with Donut. The ramp is for live-model poses.	One of my favourites. A collage with wonderful textured layers and even a piece of plastic attached (which caused that glare in the middle).	Another collage, which I found most interesting, in particular because of the colour combination which exudes warmth and leads to pensiveness.
This one is pure Joanna. Even though she says it needs more light....This one hangs in the spacious, bright living room.	A small Autumn-like landscape in the dining room. With the view from the house, one is not surprised that Joanna is a landscaper. Another pure Joanna in the living room.	When coming up the stairs, one is welcomed by this magnificent canvas, which I had to shoot from the across in the hallway.	A close-up ...

Colours and dimensions artwork may be slightly different from the original.

This site was last updated 06/17/08