Joanne Shellan, Blonde on Blonde, 2022, Oil on Panel, 30 x 24 x 1 in

Joanne Shellan is a painter whose practice is driven by a deep, absorbing commitment to the medium. She describes the physical act of painting-thick paint applied in deliberate gestural strokes-as something that "makes my heart sing." Everyday moments of light and shadow, such as light breaking into a coffee shop or shadows moving across a city street, serve as constant sources of inspiration. Her work seeks to pause fleeting scenes, holding them within the four edges of a canvas through strong compositional structure.

As an extrovert and colorist, Shellan invites viewers into her paintings through saturated, expressive color that often exceeds what is seen in reality. Her representational work is infused with energy and an impressionistic sensibility. Rooted in an ethic of hard work and optimism passed down from her immigrant family, she embraces a positive outlook in both life and art.

Although she felt a lifelong connection to creativity, she began formal painting at forty, after discovering watercolor while her second child was in preschool. She later moved into oils and acrylics, finding her artistic home in painting. Her work has received numerous awards and has been exhibited in solo and group shows in venues including the Governor's Mansion in Olympia, the Museum of History and Industry, Evergreen Hospital, and the Strom Jewish Community Center, and is represented by fine art galleries.