Jo-Anne Gazo-McKim
Kingston, ON - Canada
Jo-Anne Gazo-McKim - Fine Artist
Member Since: 11/06/2010
About Me
I am a visual artist who enjoys exploring vibrant colour, textures, contrast and light in a variety of media.
As a child, I got very excited when I received a large, brand new box of crayons for Christmas. I would take each crayon and see how the colour looked on a piece of paper. I loved doodling, drawing flowers, clowns and other designs from my imagination.
I incorporated this graphic style into my teaching as an elementary school teacher.
When I retired, I started taking courses in drawing and painting: first watercolour and then acrylics. Nature is my favourite theme. I am drawn to the works of Monet and Renoir. I try to interpret and understand the beauty that I see around me through my art.
Although frustrating at times, I enjoy solving problems in painting. I constantly question during the painting process if something is working or not. If it is not working, I wonder how can I change it. I get a lot of satisfaction when everything in my painting seems to come together.
Recently, I have been learning how to create art digitally. The one thing I really appreciate about it is that I can experiment with ideas using layers without committing myself to it until the end. I can come back at a later date and change something in my composition without having to start all over again. I tend to go back and forth between my digital and my hands on approach to creating.
I belong to a group called Brushworks that exhibits their art in the community. I volunteer at the Kingston School of Art, where I also take a monthly 'Everyone Needs A Challenge' course. This workshop gives artists the opportunity to participate in critiquing their own work and the work of their fellow artists.
Art has now become part of my daily life. I hope to continue to create for many years to come.
