Featured Artist - Joanna Jensen

The Stringer Gallery’s Feature Artist for the months of December and January is Joanna Jensen. Joanna's artist statement follows.

We moved from Blue Mountains to sea in May 2017 and were so happy to find the open arms of the Stringer Gallery here in Nambucca Valley. I have become Expressionist in genrè after having my sight depreciate significantly over these past 8 years.

Born in East Brunswick, Victoria and having my first experience camping in an oxygen tent, I had no knowledge that my eyesight had been impacted, nor did my parents until the age of five.  Bottle bottomed glasses came next.  Prescription contact lenses were implanted when cataracts were removed, and vastly improved sight was wonderful until macular degeneration and glaucoma ensued.

For 2 years I was with Portrait Artists Australia and was fortunate to have been accepted 3 times for the Portia Geach Award held in the Irwin Gallery, Observatory Hill, Sydney, and an almost life sized portrait of John Godschall Johnson, violin maker extraordinaire was sent to Washington DC with the inaugural Australian Portrait exhibition in Australia House.

I have taught Art to HSC Level in Mountain schools for 15 years, and held the first Solo exhibition ever in beautiful Historic Braemar Gallery in Springwood. I even had local Blueys Jazz band play on the verandah. The  Opening talk was given by Dr. Ellice Swinbourne who surprisingly turned out to be my Mum's friend.

For as long as I can recall into early childhood years, and that's a long long time, creating Art has been intrinsic to my life on this amazing planet Earth. Now well into my second childhood, I continue my practise because I must and I trust. Essentially 'Art is, above all, an adventure of the mind.', and I truly believe the best course of action is to 'Do what makes your heart sing'.

 

Featured Artist

 


The Stringer Gallery is located in the Nambucca Community and Arts Centre, Ridge Street Nambucca Heads. Hours are Mon to Fri 10:00 to 3:00 and Sat 9:30 to 12:00 noon.

 

 

We trust you will be delighted when you visit our Gallery.