Joanne Thomson, Artist
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Some from the Mason Jar series to go to the buses. 

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​August 4, 2020 I have selected images from my Mason Jar series for this new work. Once a year there has been a huge celebration of agriculture, home crafts and food of all types on the Saanich Peninsula. Residents from all over the Island participate. In 2020 for the first time in over 200 years the fair has been cancelled. My Mason Jar series is about preserving and releasing the past. When I began the series I was trying to understand my pioneering ancestors and much of their lives were about growing and preserving food for long winters.  In this work I have selected a few images from the series related to the Saanich Fall Fair and have added some words to lead the viewer through them. 

June 28, 2019 Mason Jar series is finished! 

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Mason Jars 299 - 300 with tools of the trade. This is the last one in the series of 300 mason jars ( 276 paintings in total!)
What a rich and varied journey it has been. This last one shows the tools I used to create the images on paper for the series. It does not show all the inner work that was required and all the rich interactions the series continues to bring me. The show will go on with about 20 paintings being featured in the Wood and Water exhibition October 22 - November 10 at Cedarhill Arts Centre and an exhibition booked for a more substantial showing in the Old School House Gallery in Qualicum Beach in February 2020. 
Here are a few of the woodworking related image for the October exhibition. 
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Mason Jar 289 - 290 with hammer and ruler, 14" X 11" 2019
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Mason Jar 275 with recorder and whistle, 14" X 11" 2019
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Mason Jar 248 with level and measuring tape, 14 " X 11" 2019
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Mason Jars 266 - 267 with Victoria Hack and Key Saws SOLD so won't be in the show, but I wanted to show you!
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Mason Jar 268 with Hand drill 14 X 11" 2019
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Mason Jar 252 with Maple blossoms. 14 X 11" 2019,
 July 2018 The Mason Jar series is now in Kerrobert Saskatchewan with the two most recent paintings. My Mother passed away in February and these too are about her. She always had a prayer plant on her coffee table  (246) and I learned to cook using these spoons (245), 
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March 1, 2018, there have been fewer Mason jar paintings this past year. Very few I realize looking at the last entry on this page. I am now up to 243. The series travels to Saskatchewan and Port Alberni this year, so I expect to be doing more new paintings in this calendar year than in the last. Here are a few new ones. These are all 11 X 14"

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Mason Jar 225 -226 with daffodils and winter squash
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Mason Jar 227- 228 with Tulips and Indian Plum
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Mason Jar 239- 240 with Currants SOLD
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Mason Jar 230 with wild bleeding heart
PictureMason Jar 229 with Daisy Chain Daisies. 7 X 11" watercolour on paper
April 2017 and the series continues.  I just finished #229, with Daisy Chain Daisies, yesterday.  I see that I had forgotten to post the new posters, so they are below too.  
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POSTERS: The posters were very popular during the exhibition and there are some available for purchase still.  Prices are for pick-up orders, delivery or postage will be added to orders that require shipping or delivery.  They roll up nicely so it shouldn't be too much for postage. 
Video of the 300 Mason Jar Installation and a short artist talk filmed by Efren of Exhibit-V.  Here is a link! 
December 13, 2015, Only two weeks until the opening of the 300 Mason Jars Installation at the Gage Gallery.  Here are small previews of the posters that will be available during the show. 
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My Imagined Life - Poster 11 X 22" poster paper $20.00 each
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#136 Mason Jar with Kale (this jar is a very old one that belonged to my grandmother. SOLD
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An Imagined Life Poster 11 X 22" poster paper $20.00 each
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#134 Mason Jar with sage in perfect seal jar that was my Grandmothers. SOLD
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Memories Worth Preserving Poster 11" X 22" poster paper $20.00 each
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#121 Mason jar with red gloves
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An Imagined Winter Poster 11" X 22" poster paper $20.00 each
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#109 Mason Jar with planer- this is the one i was painting at the Moss Street paint in. Not my grandfather's planer, but similar vintage.
October 6, 2015.  I had no idea it was so long since I updated this page!  I have been working on this series all summer, painting and canning and collecting mason jars.  I will be featuring the paintings and the canning in my solo show in December and January at the Gage Gallery and I am very excited.  It will be an installation of about 140 paintings, 160 jars full of fruits, salsa, jams and jellies, additional jars full of dried herbs and fruits and a wonderful assortment of artifacts that I have collected will be placed in jars too.  I will have extras that you can bring something to put in and some friends have been asking if they can bring a beautiful jar of canned something to add to the installation.  I say Yes and will figure it all out at the time.  The show goes up December 29th and I'll host and opening on New Years Eve at the Gage Gallery. I'll post a few new images above.  My Mother gifted me with some jars that belonged to her mother (my Grandmother) and they are featured in # 134 and 136 above. 

Oh and I didn't get the grant that I applied for.  Just not in the cards, or in the jars.  
December 11, 2014.  I am now over 100 mason jars in the series.  I applied for a BCArts Council Grant for funding to dedicate time to the series and the more difficult works.  Below are three of the larger mason jar, about 11 X 14" that I have had scanned. (the smaller ones I can do myself). I have been slower in creating works for this series this Autumn with my full teaching schedule.  However, the lists are continuing and the musings and I have been applying for exhibitions.  So I guess work has been continuing, just not as visible as when I am painting...  
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48 Mason Jar with Zebra Toy 11 X 14"
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95 Mason Jar with Blackberry fruit SOLD
Picture#59 Mason Jar with two bits
Above is a mason jar painted on July 10, 2014 when I was visiting with Freda Ericson in Rock Creek.  I had been to the old Kerr Creek Ranch, now called Bauer Creek Ranch and had a tour with Fred Marshall all around the property.  He loaned me a 'bit' to use in a painting, when I got to Freda's I realized that it didn't fit inside, even in the largest of the bottles, so she went outside to get me a smaller bit from her fence, but it didn't fit either.  I arrived at this solution 'two bits'.  So this is my 'two bits worth about bits'.  

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56 Mason Jar with Drill Handle. 11 X 14"
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#41 Mason Jar with Chives SOLD
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#7 Mason Jar with Dried Rose
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71 Mason Jar with Dandelion Greens 11 X 14"
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#51 Mason Jar with Indian Paintbrush SOLD
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#86 Mason Jar with Bartlett Pears
Picture#40 Mason Jar with Strawberry plant SOLD
July 3, 2014 
This is a new and developing series for me.  I am just starting to call it the Mason Jar Series.  It started out as the 'transforming pain project' inspired by Richard Rohr's quote, "the pain which is not transformed is re-transmitted" this is my attempt to work through generations of family secrets and release them and the pain they carry, to make room for more joy!  More information on the series and the ideas behind it are available to sponsors.  And of course when I finally exhibit them.  For now though they will be kept close as I watch where it is all leading.  Joanne

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  • Home
  • ART CARDS and POSTERS
  • GALLERIES
    • Landscape paintings- small
    • Large paintings
    • Mason Jar Series
    • Illustration work
    • Bottled series
  • MASON JARS
  • Blogs
    • Newsletters and other stuff
    • Spiritually Speaking articles
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  • Contact