I love that serendipitous experience of discovering an artist’s work that makes me stop and take another look. Joanne Chase’s Twitter background did just that … it made me stop, look, and discover. Joanne has a romantic soul that transcends into her artwork, photography and poetry. She is an artist on the rise, and it is my pleasure to introduce you to Joanne Chase.
Dee Marie: Joanne, as an accomplished artist and photographer, which is your first love: photography or art?
Joanne Chase: Well, thank you for the compliment, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’m accomplished. It’s more of a hobby.
Dee Marie: You are being far too modest, both your artwork and photography far exceed that of a hobbyist. So, which came first, art or photography?
Joanne Chase: I did start drawing and painting many years ago. With the advent of digital photography, I started enjoying the camera about five years ago.
Dee Marie: Over the years, what has been your favorite artistic media?
Joanne Chase: I enjoy a pencil case full of drawing materials (pencils, conté, charcoal) most of all, but I also enjoy working with watercolors and oils, too.
“The Dance” ~ “Foetus” © Joanne Chase
Dee Marie: Are you strictly a traditional artist, or have you dabbled in computer generated art?
Joanne Chase: No, I work on the computer enough for work. No computer generated art for me!
Dee Marie: How about photography? Have you ever used a program like Adobe Photoshop to enhance your photos?
Joanne Chase: I do use Adobe Photoshop to crop and adjust the colors in photos, but that’s it.
“Waterfall” ~ “The Rose” © Joanne Chase
Dee Marie: Have you had formal art training, or does your creative talent come naturally?
Joanne Chase: I’ve been taking art courses off and on for years, but no, no formal training.
Dee Marie: All artists have an artistic muse. I see a touch of Pablo Picasso within your portraits. Which artists (past or present) do you feel have been the most influential to your artwork?
Joanne Chase: I love the Impressionists most of all. The Group of Seven (famous Canadian artists) are also inspiring.
“Claude 2” ~ “Joelle” © Joanne Chase
Dee Marie: Outside of the world of art and artists, where do you draw your artistic inspiration?
Joanne Chase: I have done exercises drawing/painting while listening to music, but mostly drawing from nature (landscapes, and live models) is my favorite.
Dee Marie: Besides creating striking works of art, you also write beautiful poetry. Have you considered publishing your poetry, or perhaps writing a novel?
Joanne Chase: No, again, for me it’s just for fun. It’s a relaxation and if it becomes a chore, I probably couldn’t do it.
"L.A. from the Getty" © Joanne Chase
Dee Marie: I know that you are also an avid reader and book reviewer. What is the best novel you have ever read?
Joanne Chase: Easy … The Lord of the Rings. I think it’s a masterpiece. I’ve probably read that story 20 times.
Dee Marie: Wow, that is quite an accomplishment. Right now, what book is currently sitting on your bedside table?
Joanne Chase: [laughter] Right now, I’m reading Claude Bouchard’s The Consultant. I wanted to give his series another read, as it’s been over a year now since I read his books.
Dee Marie: On that subject [more laughter] … how did you and your husband, the award-winning crime fiction novelist (and infamous King of Twitter), Claude Bouchard, meet?
Joanne Chase: We met 6½ years ago on a dating website. We chatted for months before finally meeting; and it didn’t take very long to figure out we should get together on a permanent basis.
Novels by Joanne’s husband, Claude Bouchard
Dee Marie: With over 123,000 followers, I know that Twitter is an important part of Claude’s persona. How did you get involved with Twitter, and how has Tweeting helped in the promotion and recognition of your artwork?
Joanne Chase: I got involved on Twitter because Claude was really getting interested in it, and I wanted to see why. Later, I decided to get my own website going and get my hobbies on the web.
Dee Marie: When you are not creating art, writing (or Tweeting), what do you do for fun?
Joanne Chase: I like to play guitar (badly), I enjoy gardening (very much), cooking, spending time with family, and my cats.
Dee Marie: What part of Canada do you currently call home, and have you always lived in Canada?
Joanne Chase: I’ve been in Montreal since 1979, so that’s home. I was born on the East Coast of Canada, but spent my childhood in a small town just east of Toronto. So yes, I’ve always lived in Canada.
Dee Marie: Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview. Oh, and one last question … would you be so kind as to pass along any parting words of wisdom to encourage budding artists and/or photographers?
Joanne Chase: You have to have discipline and keep at it. Art is not an objective field. Some people love, others hate the very same thing. Be true to yourself, and learn from your mistakes. And enjoy yourself!
Dee Marie: I invite you to visit the following sites:
All supporting images are copyrighted by Joanne Chase, and used with her permission.
Supporting images cannot be copied or printed without permission from Joanne Chase.
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Guest Columnist Dee Marie Introduces you to Artists-on-the-Rise. Dee-Marie, is the author of Sons of Avalon: Merlin's Prophecy www.sonsofavalon.com She invites you to follow her on Twitter |
