Joan Burkhard, Artist

Artist’s Statement, Joan Burkhard

Paintings from Life and Beyond…

As a child I spent time in my father’s darkroom. The process was fascinating. It began with a blank sheet and slowly images appeared. It seemed magical. I’m sure the experience was fundamental to my love of canvas and a brush. It all begins with a blank surface and slowly….images appear.

Throughout the course of my life, beautiful physical surroundings have influenced my ability to feel grounded in my work. I am fortunate to live in the Berkshire Hills where the seasons provide continual visual delight. Over a 50-year career in human services, I have assisted people with disabilities to develop their creative talents through music, the visual arts, dance or poetry and writing. These women, with developmental disabilities, make their home in the former estate of artist Frederic Crowninshield, a contemporary of Tiffany. Crowninshield’s stained glass windows grace many locations including Boston churches and buildings on the Harvard campus. It was my pleasure and responsibility to oversee this community of women and the upkeep of a magnificent property in Stockbridge, MA. The combination of this devotion and the need to create led me to the study of painting.

While I believe you need a lifetime to become truly proficient, painting is a passion I embrace with time and energy. I paint what I love – and as someone who cares deeply for people, I am often drawn to the human form to attempt to capture a moment in time. My work has been shown at libraries, community centers, competitive art shows and at local galleries. Thanks, Dad, for planting the seed.

I hope you will find pleasure in viewing my work.