​Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you have had a good rest and a great launch into the New Year!  I am busy getting ready for my solo show at the Gage Gallery in February (1-18, with opening Thursday Feb 2 from 5-8 pm). I have quite a few more paintings I want to complete before the show goes up.  Wish me abundant energy and less pain in my wrist!  It is much better when I don’t do anything, unfortunately, that isn’t possible most of the time.  I did take three days off with a friend at a resort and found that was wonderful therapy, no work, no cooking, no laundry, no, well only a little shopping! And lots of walking on the beach and reading by the fire! I am seeing the sleet falling outside now, so am glad to be home.

WHAT’S UP
 
January 14th, Saanich Seedy Saturday 10 – 2 is a fundraiser for my favourite local organic farmers at Haliburton Farms. It will be at the Gardens at HCP, 505 Quayle Road- seeds, plants, vendors and Guest speaker at 11 and 1!  I’ll be there with my food related art! ($5.00 admission includes access to the gardens which are beautiful year round.) 

THRIVE: a future where everything belongs
February 1 – 18, 2017.
(at the Gage Gallery 2031 Oak Bay Avenue).
Well, I am almost ready.  Should have two new mason jar posters for you. One on wildflowers and one on forest related items. The mason jar series has swerved toward environmental preservation from food security and family history with a recognition that it is all part of the bigger picture.  I hoped to have two new large canvases for sale at the show, but one sold (and will be on loan for the show) and there are a number of smaller new works for the show as well as some beautiful large ones that are still looking for a home, though they do seem to like it in mine.  Please come to the opening, and or the Special events. I’ll be at the gallery every Saturday from 11 -2 as well.

February 2- Thursday 5-8 pm Opening celebration and artist talk
February 12- Sunday- 1-4 pm Make Art with your Sweetheart- free and easy!
February 13- Monday- 1-4 pm “Shore do Love You!” Family Day event with Habitat Aquisition Trust (by donation).
 
REGISTER NOW FOR WINTER CLASSES:
I’ll be offering two sets of studio classes starting in January. NOW is the time to reserve your spot by sending me a cheque for your registration amount (or e-transfer).
 
January 10 - March 28 on Tuesdays 1-4 space for 2 new beginners.
January 11 - March 29 on Wednesdays 9:30- 12:30 FULL
The sessions are 12 weeks long and cost $300.00 for 36 hours of instruction. Tea and cookies included!

UVIC Beginners watercolour weekend Workshop: January 27, 28. And 29.
The new registration information is at https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/arts/courses/watercolour-for-beginners-workshop
 
NEW at Cordova Bay 55 + are a couple of Saturday Watercolour workshops. 
January 21st- washes, washes, washes, all kinds of washes and
March 11th – Textures and more textures.
Both 10 – 4pm and $45.00.  You must be a member of CB55+ to attend. Suitable for painters of all levels. Call to register 250-658-5558 or visit http://cordovabay55plus.org 

Juan de Fuca 55 + NEW will also be offering a couple of Saturday experiments in watercolour workshops. Right now there is room for the March 4th session $50.00, 10 – 4 pm.  If you are interested let me know and I’ll forward your name along to the registrar.
 
As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. joannedthomson@shaw.ca

Joanne 
 

Joanne Thomson's October 2016 Newsletter

Hello Everyone, sorry for the lateness of this newsletter. I have a good excuse. I fell while doing English Country Dancing and broke my left wrist.  Just now able to type with both hands for short periods (Yeah!) and getting my energy back (double Yeah!). I won’t be in the Sidney Fine Arts show this year because I was in hospital when I was supposed to be delivering my works for adjudication, (that said I may not have been in even with that).  So those works are available… Thank you to all my studio students for agreeing to changed timelines and helping out with tea making, tearing tape, getting water, window opening etc. And for those of you in community thank you for agreeing to change dates.  Right now I feel confident that 3 more weeks of recovery will make it possible to do the fall workshops, though I’ll likely need help carrying stuff for a while after that, and will remember to schedule coffee and lunch breaks because I’ll need them too. 

WHAT’S UP

NEW WORKS WITH LINES: September 27- October 15 at the Gage Gallery, 2031 Oak Bay Avenue.  This is a shared exhibition in the small gallery with Kirsten Brand and Gillian Redwood. These are work I have done over the summer- quite minimal, black lines on white canvas. (and I’ll be picking up copies of my new wildflower colouring book on the 7th and taking them to the Gallery on the 8th. I’ll be there from 11 – 2 on Saturday if you want to come by and say hello!).  Three of our newer members are having a show in the large gallery, Liz Well, Janis Blyth and Jill Fitz Hirschbold and it is quite spectacular.
 
Group show at the Gage Gallery November 29 – January 7, 2017. The gallery will feature all of the collective members and the collaboration gallery will have a small works section. I’ll be showing some of the mason jar paintings.
 
November 26 and 27th from 10 – 4 the 43rd Annual Christmas in the Manger.  I’ll be at site 69 in the RCMP Barn.  I haven’t done a craft fair for years, I’ll have all my art cards and new small works, my new wild flower colouring book and hope to have the mason jar puzzle too!
 
THRIVE: My next solo show at the Gage Gallery will be February 1 – 18, 2017. The show will feature new inner forest works of watercolour on canvas and new mason jar images on paper featuring wild and domestic foods and flowers. For Valentines I’ll offer a ‘Make Art with your Sweetheart’ free session like the popular one I offered a couple of years ago at Francis King Park on Sunday February 12th from 1-4pm.  (think profiles, shadows, wild critters and pencil crayons).
 
FALL CLASSES:
Studio classes are now FULL.
 
CANCELLED: Tuesdays 12:30 to 4:00 pm from October 4 – November 22–THIS SESSION WILL NOT HAPPEN.  I broke my left wrist on Sept 10 and so couldn’t teach my weekend at UVic, so the numbers (and frankly my energy), just don’t support it. Sorry to disappoint those of you who expressed interest. If you are still interested, let me now and I’ll put you on a list for future classes.
 
At Cordova Bay 55+ There will be three sessions this fall. The last Monday of the month 1:30 – 4- open first to members of the CB55+ art club.
 
UVIC and RRU Classes: Please register for these with the links below.  I cannot register you for these workshops.
At UVic I am offering two weekend sessions this year. The September one has been moved to the end of October.
September 23–25 the weekend Watercolour for Beginners at UVic NOTE: THIS CLASS HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 28, 29 AND 30 and there is one spot open.

November 4–6 Watercolour Painting with Purpose at UVic- this is an excellent class to come to if you need more motivation and reason to paint and want to feel passionate about what you are creating. You must have some knowledge of watercolour painting to attend this workshop though, basics will not be taught. There is still room in this course.
https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/arts/courses/watercolour-painting-with-purpose
 
Art as Spiritual Practice at Royal Roads University –we have a lovely location near the lagoon for this course! Note: This is not art as religion, it is art as connection to others and to nature. I bring resources, and we look at a few videos, talk, play, draw and paint. October 21–23 weekend. There is still room in this course. Here is the link to register: https://secure.royalroads.ca/cscourses/art-as-spiritual-practice
 
I am starting a list for Tuesday afternoon classes in my studio for January.  Let me know if this is of interest to you and I’ll add your name.
 
As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. joannedthomson@shaw.ca

Joanne 
 
 

The growing season is starting out dry and hot here. The garden is mostly in and i am starting to think about recycling my bath water to water my plants. I guess the fires in Northern BC and Alberta have many of us spooked. I have made a donation to the Alberta Red Cross and hope to make more. I plan to donate at least 10% of all sales in May, June and July to the Red Cross.  I'd also like to find a way to get art supplies to those who have lost all their supplies. If you know of people from the wild fire area and want to help with something like this, let me know. 
The murals are up at Centennial Square parkade and look even better than I remember (I can say that because they are a group project and were wrapped up and stored almost as soon as they were finished). The photo above was taken at the blessing.  Beth Threlfall, me, Jennifer Johnson, Jody DeShutter and Mayor Lisa Helps. 
 
Travelling Mason Jar Series!
The Mason Jar series is continuing I finished #165 last week, apple blossoms. I just couldn’t resist them.  And they are going to go travelling this summer. To Greenwood in May, to Terrace in July and to the Saanich Fall Fair over the Labour Day weekend.  The Terrace show will be about 100 paintings and the others will be a selection of paintings.  I continue to be pleased at the reception and connection the paintings inspire. NOTE: you can now find art cards from the series at the AGGV gift shop, Gage Gallery, South Shore Gallery and soon at a new store in Parksville ‘Alcove Home Grown Living’.
 
EXHIBITIONS:
Island Illustrators Society present: Illustrating Emily Carr is on now at Emily Carr House in the sitting room. A lovely selection of images inspired by and emulating Carr.
At Carr House, 207 Government Street 
PREVIEW/RECEPTION  2 to 4 p.m. Sunday May 1st (entrance fee waived)
SHOW HOURS 11 to 4 p.m., May 3rd to 14th. (Closed Sundays and Mondays) entrance fee applies.
 
Gage Gallery Back Room show with Natalie Shumka and Margo Cooper: June 14 – July 2. 
 
Terrace Art Gallery: 100 Mason Jars, July 8 – 30, Tuesday to Saturdays.  Opening event on July 8th.
 
Classes are over now until September with the exception of workshops in Terrace on July 6th and 7th from 12:30 – 3:30 ($35.00 each) Easy experiments in watercolour for beginners and explorers. They will be held in the Terrace Art Gallery. 
 
I’ll be sending out dates for Fall classes in July or August. Yes, if you have told me that you want to continue you will get priority over new students.  New students, priority goes from date of payment received for the spots that are free. Email me if you want to be on a list for the Wednesday weekly classes.  12 weeks $300.00.
 
Summer stuff: I am planning to participate in the Canada Day Gorge on Art celebrations, if they will have me and have applied for the Moss Street Paint In too.  I’ll let you know in the June email if those events have confirmed my participation or not!
 
As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. joannedthomson@shaw.ca

Joanne Thomson's April 2016 Newsletter
 
Gardening season has started, the illustration of the Nurses Guide to Palliative Care is in full swing, and thank goodness, the days are getting longer so I can fit more in! They do say ‘Be careful what you ask for’ and I have been asking for abundance so I won’t complain about being busy. 
 
Travelling Mason Jar Series!
The Mason Jar series is continuing I finished #160 last week, horsetails.  Not food or flower, but eminently interesting and ancient. And they are going to go travelling this summer. To Greenwood in May, to Terrace in July and to the Saanich Fall Fair over the Labour Day weekend.  The Terrace show will be about 100 paintings and the others will be a selection of paintings.  I continue to be pleased at the reception and connection the paintings inspire. NOTE: you can now find art cards from the series at the AGGV gift shop, Gage Gallery and South Shore Gallery.
 
Murals at Centennial Square Parkade.
The murals will be installed and blessed in a celebration on April 12thbetween 1 and 3 pm.  You are welcome to come and participate in the celebration and walk the stairwell anytime after that to have a close look at the panels. The Mayor and members of the council will be there, as well as most of the artists. Seems a long time since we did the paintings so I am looking forward to seeing them installed.
 
The Women Without Borders exhibition at the Gage Gallery was very successful.  Dan Kahan from ShawTV’s go! Hosted his international Women’s Day show from the Gage and here are the clips. I’m  in the first clip,dressed as ‘my fair lady’, the other clips feature: Bonnie Coulter, Angela Menzies, Muriel Sibley and Sharon Grove.  Thanks to ShawTV!
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEaSi838Dp4
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBm1SuVmEZA
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RqjXhldOI4
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx4FS5sBzRY
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbrW3hSO8nc
 
 
ALL THINGS WILD WITH HABITAT ACQUISITION TRUST April 16th from 10 – 3 pm.
At the Matson Lands Conservation Covenant accessible off the Songees Walkway.  Here is a link for more information.  I’ll be there 1-3 pm giving a demonstration/ participation lesson about drawing wild flowers and plants.  
http://hat.bc.ca/component/jevents/icalrepeat.detail/2016/04/16/41/-/matson-spring-fling?Itemid=1
 
EXHIBITION:
Island Illustrators Society present: Illustrating Emily Carr
At Carr House, 207 Government Street 
PREVIEW/RECEPTION  2 to 4 p.m. Sunday May 1st (entrance fee waived)
SHOW HOURS 11 to 4 p.m., May 3rd to 14th. (Closed Sundays and Mondays) entrance fee applies.
This will be a wonderful selection of tributes to Emily Carr with one painting each in a wide variety of illustration styles.
 
One Day Workshops: at my studio
 
10:30 am to 4:30 pm (bring a bag lunch and coffee if you need it) tea and cookies provided. Individual workshops : $60.00 each.  All 4 workshops $220.00  I need 4 students in each class to make them happen, 6 maximum.
 
Wednesday April 6- Wild Flowers- drawing outdoors and painting in studio- FULL
 
Wednesday April 13- The Inner Forest- sketching outdoors and painting in studio
 
Saturday May 7 - Taking it Outside- sketching with brush and pencil in the forest and on the shore- (Mobility notice: we won’t have to go far, but we will be doing some walking on groomed trails in the forest and on sand at the shore).
 
I’ll be sending out dates for Autumn classes in July. Yes, if you have told me that you want to continue you will get priority over new students.  New students, priority goes from date of payment received for the spots that are free. Email me if you want to be on a list for the Wednesday weekly classes.  12 weeks $300.00.
 
Summer stuff: I am planning to participate in the Canada Day Gorge on Art celebrations, if they will have me and have applied for the Moss Street Paint In too.  I’ll let you know in the June email if those events have confirmed my participation or not!
 
As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. joannedthomson@shaw.ca
 
 

​Joanne Thomson's March 2016 Newsletter
 
Spring has sprung and it is wonderful to be out in the woods again.  I have seen red flowering current and the indian plum is almost over in some areas. The mosses are singing their green songs and the pacific wrens are competing. Last spring when I was AIR at Francis King the naturalists told me that the pacific wrens (winter wrens) pack in the most song per ounce of any bird and I believe it. I love to hear them trilling.
 
I messed up on the link for the 360 photograph of the Mason Jar exhibition so here it is again. You can use arrow keys to walk around it. http://www.victoria360.ca/300MasonJars/ created by Doug Butler.
 
OPENING ON TUESDAY
 
March 1 – 19, Women without Borders at the Gage Gallery 2031 Oak Bay Avenue.
A Group Exhibition to Celebrate Women and International Women’s Day.  Seven artists have come together to create an exhibition that is humorous, poignant, evocative and celebratory.  People were coming in off the street to see it while we were setting up. It is a celebration and we want everyone to join us in celebrating diversity and courage, ancestry and a bright future. There is something here for everyone. You will laugh, reminisce, celebrate and feel part of the celebration.  Join us in a celebration of Women. 
Angela Menzies (acrylic on canvas) painting of the female nude,  Suzanne Jensen (acrylic on canvas) drawing and paintings of women at work, Bonnie Coulter (acrylic on canvas) paintings of home and family, mary e coakley (photography) photographs of International Women, Joanne Thomson (watercolour) tributes to women artists and grandmothers, Sharon Bussard Grove (clay) sculptural commentary on how women see themselves and how they are seen and Muriel Sibley (clay) altered vessels celebrating dance, welcome and a female crocodile with pink shoes and a purse! 
JOIN US THIS Friday March 4, 7-9 pm.
AND Tuesday March 8 from 7- 9 on International Women’s Day: for a dress up party. We invite you to come as a woman who has been influential in your life. Have some fun with it.  Yes, men, you can dress up too!
May 1-14, I have a work in an exhibition with the Island Illustrators at Emily Carr House. The show focuses on the legacy of Emily Carr’s paintings, how they continue to inspire.  More information closer to the time. 
 
NEW: One Day Workshops: at my studio
 
10:30 am to 4:30 pm (bring a bag lunch and coffee if you need it) tea and cookies provided. Individual workshops : $60.00 each.  All 4 workshops $220.00  I need 4 students in each class to make them happen, 6 maximum.
 
Tuesday March 15- Painting Glass- an in studio class, strategies for creating the illusion of transparency. 
 
Wednesday April 6- Wild Flowers- drawing outdoors and painting in studio.
 
Wednesday April 13- The Inner Forest- sketching outdoors and painting in studio
 
Saturday May 7 - Taking it Outside- sketching with brush and pencil in the forest and on the shore- (Mobility notice: we won’t have to go far, but we will be doing some walking on groomed trails in the forest and on sand at the shore).
 
 
NOTE: all the regular weekly classes are full- if you want to know early about upcoming classes signing up for the newsletter is the best way. You can do that from my website on the contact page.
 
As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. joannedthomson@shaw.ca
 
 

​January has flown by.  Now for the rest of the winter (loosely used as it was 10 C yesterday and I didn’t even need gloves!). All my classes are full so I have added some one day classes that are a bit different, painting glass, wild flowers, inner forest and a day outside doing plein aire painting sketches. You can register for one or all of them. The day of the week changes so please note that.
 
The 300 Mason Jars: An Installation, was an overwhelming success. If you missed it, here is a wonderful 360 Photograph created by Doug Butler http://www.victoria360.ca/300MasonJars/
You can use arrow keys to walk around it. Thank you again for all your support and encouragement. The exhibition touched so many people in so many positive ways. This spring I am going to allow myself the luxury of painting Vancouver Island wildflowers in mason jars and I am beginning to make plans to have a travelling exhibition. If you think you would like it to travel to your community, let me know and we can talk about how to make that happen. It works well as a pop-up show and could be inconjunction with a related event, food security, conservation, preservation etc. I could come with the exhibition and give a workshop or two, or not, depending on what is wanted.
 
I have a couple of exhibitions coming up soon. 
The Gage Gallery February 9- 27 in the smaller gallery with two other artists.  I’ll have some mason jars in the mix and a forest one that I am working on now.
 
March 1 – 19, Women without Borders is a group exhibition that I am participating in, also at the Gage Gallery 2031 Oak Bay Avenue. 7 women with very diverse representations of what it is to be female.  Opening event Friday March 4, 7-9 pm.
AND there is a special event that promises to be fun. Tuesday March 8 from 7- 9 on International Women’s Day we are inviting you to come as your favourite woman- or a woman who has been influential in your life.  (I am going to go as Barbie. How she has influenced me is quite profound though not always positive!) Let’s have some fun with it.  Men you can dress up too!
 
May 1-14, I’ll be showing in a group show at Emily Carr house with the Island Illustrator’s Society in an exhibition that focuses on the legacy of Emily Carr’s painting.  More information closer to the time. 
 
COMING SOON: WINTER CLASSES:
Studio classes are full now.
January 13 – March 30, 2016 (12 sessions)
Mornings  9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Afternoons 2 pm – 5 pm 
(includes tea and cookies) $300.00
 
UVic Continuing Education: Full too…
Watercolour: A weekend workshop for beginners January 29, 30 and 31. https://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/Course/Watercolour-for-Beginners/ASVA019/
 
Classes at CB55+ are continuing and are full.

​Joanne Thomson's January 2016 Newsletter
 
Happy New Year to all of you!  Seems a long time since the year started.  I have been very busy with the 300 Mason Jar installation.  Response has been overwhelmingly positive and the stories warm my heart!  Posters have been selling well and art cards.  I re-ordered some today, so if you missed out on the blackberries, they should be there by the weekend!
 
The New Years Eve reception was great fun, my daughter Elizabeth, and my good friend Nora helped out with refreshments and sales.  I was really glad I offered the 5-9 time, because most people came early and were gone to parties and meals by 8 o’clock! 
 
If you haven’t seen the December FOCUS article here is the link. http://focusonline.ca and click on the PDF, pages 24 – 27. I think Aaren Madden did a wonderful job with the write-up handling the subject of the show with sensitivity and respect.
 
And I’ll be at the Gallery every Saturday during the show, some other days as well.
This project is near and dear to me and many of you have asked if you can participate by bringing a jar of your own canning. The answer is yes.  If you want to bring it and not pick it up, I hope you will accept an art card in exchange. Otherwise you are welcome to bring it and pick it up at the end of the show. I have a linen cloth on the window ledge and labels for them in a mason jar.

Efren did up a lovely little video of the show:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVqKSL0txH4&feature=youtu.be
 
January 9, 2016 is the free artmaking “Take the Lid Off” your creativity event.  I invite you to join me and some other Gage artists to start to fulfill those New Years resolutions about ‘making more art’. All materials supplied. 2-5 pm at the Gage Gallery, 2031 Oak Bay Avenue.  NOTE: this isn’t a workshop, more of a drop in invitation to make some art with dry media and scissors and inventive juxtapositions. I’ll be talking about art making and we will have fun.
 
OF INTEREST: The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria will be having and exhibition of watercolours beginning at the end of January and running until May 23, 2016.  It looks wonderful and is quite rare to have such a focused exhibition.  http://aggv.ca/exhibitions/water-pigment-paper
 
And I stumbled across this a great video illustrating watercolour painting, the medium, the versatility and the unique properties.  Worth the 10 minutes and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSiUYOGgloU&feature=youtu.be
 
IT IS TIME TO REGISTER FOR STUDIO CLASSES 2016:  The Wednesday morning class is full and the Wednesday afternoon class is teetering on the edge- not enough registrants to make it happen yet… AND I have decided to offer some Saturday workshops- details below.
 
COMING SOON: WINTER CLASSES: There will be a few spaces open in January.
Wednesday Studio Groups will continue. (Note: if you miss classes you can make them up in other classes I offer in this session, this location and others).
January 13 – March 30, 2016 (12 sessions)
Mornings  9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Afternoons 2 pm – 5 pm  (if you want to join please let me know asap or the class will be cancelled.)
(includes tea and cookies) $300.00
 
UVic Continuing Education:
Watercolour: A weekend workshop for beginners January 29, 30 and 31. https://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/Course/Watercolour-for-Beginners/ASVA019/
 
Classes at CB55+ are continuing and are full.
 
NEW: ART ON SATURDAY
10:30 am to 4:30 pm (bring a bag lunch and coffee if you need it) tea and cookies provided. Individual workshops :$60.00 each.  All 4 workshops $220.00
February 6, 2016-  Drawing for Painters: time to look, see and capture the essentials on paper so your brush can finish the work later, contour drawing, sketching, layout lines, techniques.
March 5, 2016- Watercolour basics revisited. Monochromatic painting, layering, glazing, washes, drybrush etc.  A full day of play. *NOTE- for absolute beginners you’ll need to come on the Friday evening 7-9pm (additional fee of $25.00) to set up your palette and become familiar with the paper and brushes.
April 2, 2016- Colour for watercolour painters- wheels, overlays, shifting colour, tints and opacity- lots of things to explore and play with.
May 7, 2016- Taking it Outside- sketching with brush and pencil in the forest and on the shore- all weathers- we will decide on the exact locations once the weather is determined, but my plan is Francis King Park or Goldstream and then Whitties Lagoon or Esquimalt Lagoon. (Mobility notice: we won’t have to go far, but we will be doing some walking on groomed trails in the forest and on sand at the shore).
 
 
As always email me if you want more information about any of the above. joannedthomson@shaw.ca