Joan Turecki, Artist

Old Growth - New Life, Terrace Art Gallery Opening - September 2025

OLD GROWTH-NEW LIFE

Old growth and new life springing from the decay in our Northwestern temperate rainforest has been the inspiration for much of my painting over the past 15 years. The transitory light and shadows found in these layered worlds under the canopy draws my attention. I am particularly interested in the transformational moments as light makes visible the details of life in the underworld; the vital force, the relationships and interdependency of natural life. These concepts are rich in metaphors about living: shedding light on how all living things need to coexist. Several themes have emerged over the years exploring Old Growth-New Life. These themes include - light and shadows helping us to see, transformational moments of change, interdependency, and the continuity of life.

“Northwest landscapes are imbued with a strong physical presence that envelops a person. I have been interested in painting landscapes that evoke this strong presence; creating a sensory memory of being there.”

Joan Turecki was born in 1951 in Vancouver, BC.

She studied at Vancouver School of Art (Emily Carr School of Art and Design) from 1971-1974 and received a Master’s of Human Development with an Art Education Specialization from Pacific Oaks College, Los Angeles USA in 1997.

Joan’s paintings and prints have been influenced by the 30 years she has lived in Northwest, BC.

“Rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, and islands on the west coast have always inspired my artwork. The powerful, ever-changing landscape in the Northwest continues to draw me outdoors to paint. I recognize my personal curiosity in exploring change. Every seasonal change in the landscape offers me opportunity to see my world in new ways, to feel awe and wonder and to further deepen my love for this region. When I am painting on the land or water I am interested in the moment of change - the changing light, movement, sound or smell. My challenge is to try to capture this moment in paint.”

Joan Turecki - Artist Statement

"The powerful, ever-changing landscape in the Northwest draws me outdoors to paint. I have a curiosity about the forces of change in the natural world. Every season in the landscape offers me opportunity to view my world in new ways; to feel awe and wonder and to further deepen my love for this region. When painting I am interested in capturing the transformational moment of change, especially the changing light and shadows. These daily moments remind me of the continuity of time. The familiar repetition of seasonal change helps me to notice detail and helps me to make sense of relationships and their interdependence in the natural world.
I have tried to paint the subtle beauty found in the Northwest and tried to capture something of the invisible, ever changing forces of life found in these natural worlds. My additional challenge is to paint daily moments of change that invites the viewer into these elusive experiences.”

Joan Turecki has taught art classes to adults and children from mid-1970’s to 2015. Her art education and daily art practice has influenced her professional college teaching and personal daily life. Over the years, Joan has worked collaboratively on a wide variety of community arts projects - adult-child arts explorations, a children’s art show, puppet shows, local poetry-art books, and arts-based professional development workshops.

Solo art shows:
May 1997: ‘Edges Between ’ Pasadena,California.
November 2018: ‘Shadows and Light ’ Terrace Art Gallery

Published Paintings in Poetry Books:
‘Shadows and Light ’ : poems of emergence by Writers North of 54, 2018
‘Hidden Waters: A Love Letter to Water in the Temperate Rainforest ’ , by Norma Kerby, 2024

Terrace Art Gallery Opening - November 2018

	Shadows & Light Art Show November 2018 “The generosity found in shadows and the temporal quality of light compels me to explore moments of change as they occur in Northwest BC landscapes. The appearance of a bear from the shadows, islands shifting in the fog or mountains rising in the morning mist evoke a deeper meaning, nudging my brush to paint.” The inspiration for my show emerged from a yearlong collaboration with a remarkable poetry group called ‘Writers North of 54 ’ who invited me to explore with them, ideas connected to shadow and light. It was a provocative adventure that stirred new connections, touched a deeper awareness of light and shadow and motivated me to linger in the unknown to paint a glimpse of something I didn’t see.