Featured Artist Jodie Blaney

Stylized, whimsical landscapes by artist Jodie Blaney delight the senses with lush forms and energized line. Visit her website to enjoy more of her engaging art.

 

 

I have always had a childlike curiosity about the forest. My earliest memories are exploring Canada’s lush west coast rainforests and being mesmerized by the shapes, colours and sounds. This was nature’s playground beckoning me to explore and dream.

 

 

For a few years, we lived in a house near the mountains surrounded by majestic evergreens that cast dramatic shadows and light into our yard. There was a forest trail I loved to wander along where my senses were overwhelmed by the textures, patterns and sounds of that magical place.

 

 

Today, this sense of childhood playfulness and wonder has found its way into my whimsical and stylized paintings. A sense of joyfulness and optimism emerges from each vibrant landscape.

 

 

Stylistically, my work strikes a balance between abstraction, expressionism and realism. While my subjects on canvas are inspired by real places I’ve visited, my paintings reveal real and imagined elements of the landscape.

 

 

Unexpected colours and forms intrigue and delight. I freely exaggerate my lines and compositions to create energy and movement. My subjects are often captured close up to create a sense of intimacy. I invite viewers to step inside the painting and pause for a while—to engage in a sense of wonder.

 

 

In the studio, memory and imagination are my most important tools. Rather than relying on photographs to inspire new work, my compositions and choice of subject emerge from a place within where memories and emotions are intertwined.

 

 

Reflecting on my own travels within Canada, the patterns and flow of the landscape begin to take shape. Using my artists’ tools, the question becomes “How can I capture this life force of nature on canvas?”

 

 

Every new work begins with a pencil or ink drawing in my sketchbook. While my lines are flowing and organic, my compositions are tightly controlled and balanced.

 

 

Drawing is a meditative process of shape-making and “assembling” the parts of the composition to create harmony. This process is quite different that traditional drawing where subjects are closely observed and rendered realistically. For me, drawing is much like working on a puzzle with individual shapes joining to create a cohesive whole. This puzzle-like effect reveals itself in my paintings where discrete forms interconnect on the canvas.

 

 

Key artistic influences include Canadian artists Lawren Harris, Emily Carr and A.Y. Jackson. I’m also drawn to the artistic movements of the early 20th century, particularly Cubism with its emphasis on geometric shape-making, multiple perspectives and collage.

 

Artist Jodie Blaney invites you to follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

Want to stay current on cutting edge business articles from Artsy Shark, plus artist features, and an invitation to the next Call for Artists? Subscribe to our twice-monthly Updates, and get a free e-book on Where to Sell Art Online right now!