Vessels: an exhibition of works by Joanne Thomson
Welcome to a retrospective on the use of vessels: bottles, mason jars, and vases in Thomson’s career.
Artist Statement: Vessels are such a useful metaphor for embedding meaning beyond the literal. And they are beautiful. Sometimes the literal meaning is more than enough. Three series are featured in this exhibition. The oldest one is the Bottled Series which began as the ‘bottled women series’ and expanded to include people of all genders. It is an exploration of oppression, internalized and externally applied. These colourful, abstract works were dominant in Thomson’s creative life for over twenty years. The second series is the 300 Mason Jar Series. The majority of these paintings were created between 2014 and 2019. It is a family history comprised of 276 paintings on paper (13 of which will be in this exhibition). The jars contain artifacts that hold memories and secrets with the lids are off to let the secrets out. 300 Mason Jars: Preserving History was published by Heritage House as a full colour book in the fall of 2024. The third series of vessels are vases. These works are vacations. Simply an opportunity to spend time with the beauty that they are and that they hold. No hidden meanings. Purely contemplation of the beauty available in our world.
Website: https://www.joannethomson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannethomsonartist/
This exhibit will be available for viewing from March 5 to April 26, 2026
