Galerie d'Avignon
On an August evening when I visited Jan in her country studio, her peony paintings made me catch my breath because of the intensity of the energy and light I saw in them. Immediately I thought of Vermeer, the way he used light and shadow. Then I remembered the first time I had seen Jan’s work in 1998, encaustic paintings of vessels, round generous pots glowing with light on the inside, and some with light spilling from them. Light is the continuum her work, regardless of the image.
These paintings of the peony form – rooted in both her grandmother`s and her mother’s gardens, and now in her own garden – allows the artist to explore the mysteries and the meaning of light and darkness. None of this would be possible without her skill in handling paint, and her understanding that to paint light, one must paint the dark. Darkness shows us the meaning of light. The light and the dark together represent the realities in all of life, but the spirited energy in her work makes me feel the joy in the light.
Jane Lind, Author of Joyce Wieland Artist on Fire
Janice Mason Steeves
Née / Born: Regina, Saskatchewan
Éducation / Education
1997 Ontario College of Art and Design-Honours-Drawing and Painting
1984-1993 Studied drawing and painting with various instructors
1969 M.A., Clinical Psychology, University of Manitoba
1967 B.A., University of Manitoba, major in Psychology
Selected exhibitions / Expositions choisies
solo & group / individuelles & collectives
2002 Galerie D'Avignon, Montreal, QC
"Peony"-Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
2001 "The Journey Home"-Trias Gallery, Toronto, ON
2000 "Into Body"-Frederick Horsman Varley Gallery of Markham, ON
"OSA 2000:Representation(s)"-Lt. Governor's Suites, Queen's Park, ON
"Flora 2000: The Millennium in Japan"-Awaji Island, Japan
"Red Passages"-Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
1999 "In the First Person: Five Women from the Prairies"- Art Gallery of Mississauga, ON
"The Great Round"-Burlington Art Centre, Burlington, ON
"Spirit, Mind, Body"-John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, ON
1998 "A Space for Light"-Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, ON
"Memories and Dreams"-Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
1997 "Art and Healing"-Artwest Gallery, Jackson, Wyoming
1994 Ontario Society of Artists, First Canadian Place,Toronto,ON
1993 Society of Canadian Artists, Aird Gallery, Toronto, ON
1992 Perry Gallery, Burlington Art Centre, Burlington, ON
"Iceworks"-The Gallery at Inniskillin Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
1988 Oakville/Negawaya Art Exchange, Oakville, ON and Japan
Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, Toronto, ON
Peony Series: 39 - oil / encaustic on panel - 48x48’’
Postes occupés / Positions
2000-03 President-Ontario Society of Artists
Chair of province-wide "WATER" exhibition committee
1998-00 Vice-President/Exhibition Chair-OSA
1994-96 Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour Executive
1990 Exhibition Chair-Burlington Fine Arts Assn.
1989 Publicity Chair-Burlington Fine Arts Assn.
Bibliographie / Articles, Publicaitons
1999 "Plugged In"-Mississauga Cable TV interview
"The Wild Women of the West"-Mississauga News
"A Sense of Place"-The Canadian Forum
"Two Artists, Two Minds, One Vision"-The Hamilton Spectator
1998 "Historic Vessels"-The Oakville Beaver
"A Space for Light"-Fusion Magazine
Hamilton Cable 14 TV re Carnegie Gallery
1997 TV 23 Interview-Burlington Art Centre
1993 "Portfolio"-The Oakville Beaver
1992 CIUT Radio Interview
"Baffin Island Majesty on Display"-Burlington Spectator
Cover Story-Niagara Falls Review
"Refreshing Art Exhibition at Inniskillin"-The Niagara Guardian
Selected Collections Choisies
National Bank Financial / Kilmer Van Nostrand Inc.
First Gulf / The Residences of the Artisan, Toronto
The Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour Diploma Collection
Bishop Strachan School / Halton Children's Aid Society
Trafalgar Capital Management