About the Artist

Hi!

You're invited to enter and enjoy an artful respite from the current chaos saturating every minute of our days. My paintings offer a safe space to respond to our experiences. They are a sanctuary if you will, a place for you to reflect, to feel, to think, to experience, to remember, to reconnect with ourselves, and to interact with nature and our everyday surroundings without the judgement, intrusion or interference of the outside world. 

You can see them here on my website https://www.joannrenner.com (with an easy signup for my private email list for first dibs on new works and exhibitions), and my IG is https://www.instagram.com/joannrennervisualartist/

I'm originally from York, PA and Seaside Heights, NJ, depending on the time of year. Growing up on the boardwalk, collecting shells, watching the constantly changing vastness of the ocean gave me a deep appreciation for nature and climate. It was there that as a child I met a pastel portraitist, Rhoda Shapiro, who gave me my first art lessons continuing into my teen years. I credit her with helping me find my love of creativity. My obsession with pastels has continued ever since.

Later specializing in oil painting and art history, I earned my BA in Studio Art/Art History at the University of Pittsburgh, PA in 1986, just when the steel mills were closing. As jobs were almost nonexistent at the time, I left Pittsburgh in 1987 to care for my mom.

The richness of ethnic diversity, the amazing resilience of the city residents, the brick 'n glam contrasts of the old and new architecture, made a lasting impression on me.  Seeing how far the city had revived itself, I convinced my family to move back in 2006. This is where I feel most at home.  I did take several years off from exhibiting for family and medical reasons which prevented me from painting regularly. Now I am committed to painting and exhibiting full-time.

My primary work is in Expressionist oil & pastel painting, occasionally experimenting with other mediums, using themes of connecting with the unseen and a shared sense of experience or place while exploring forgotten or overlooked spaces and our relationship with Nature.

I have had 4 solo exhibitions so far-1 in Pittsburgh and 3 in York, Pa, and participated in numerous juried and nonjuried group exhibitions, including recent virtual exhibitions and publications, also a published artist and writer.

In my blog and private emails, I will be talking about my inspirations and processes, new art releases with first dibs for my VIP subscribers, exhibitions and events, and anything else art related. 

Luxury sustainable wearable art is another project I have in the works. Current member of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League, Pittsburgh Society of Artists, Create! Collective, and the Women in Arts Network. 

*A limited number of commissions are open for 2027. 

Enjoy your visit!

Artist Statement

The rhythmic energy of Nature isn't obvious during our day-to-day lives. But when we quiet ourselves, slow down and appreciate the power of that magic, marvelous things can reveal themselves. My paintings search for that energy through color and brushwork, revealing the unseen so we can experience truly meaningful, even spiritual, connections within the natural world by bridging that gap between conscious and unconscious awareness of our connection with nature. This is done by working from a deep connection to the natural world-intuitively, expressively.

We only need to slow down, breathe it in, feel its energy. The Earth is calling to us "Notice me, see me, I am your home", during these times of climate change and society's challenges. The trees, the animals, the oceans, the air, speak to us though it is up to us to listen and act. Home is, after all, meant to be our refuge so it is up to us to take care of it. Appreciating our relationship with nature is imperative to ensuring our survival into the future. Our ancient ancestors understood this connection between humans and nature as profoundly magical.

By understanding our climate and its effects on people, we can uplift our communities and improve lives while being good stewards of the Earth.