In the heart of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, artist Joan White turns gnarled, knotty pieces of wood into beautiful works of art.Most of her creations are painted on hardwoods like maple, oak and cherry.
Joan White's visionary creations have inspired many to rethink how we look at nature.
As long as she can remember, Joan has felt the desire to draw the world around her, especially the animals and nature she so loves. Born with a very active imagination, Joan learned she had the ability to see images where others could not, such as in the grain patterns of wood. Merging these two talents, Joan layers transparent oil paint onto unusual wood slices creating multidimensional, life like paintings of the forest and it's creatures.
Joan Prefers burl wood, but enjoys any type of wood with character including birch, maple, cherry, black walnut, oak and ash. Depending on the size, a painting can take a week to finish or as long as several months. Choosing and preparing the wood is nearly as important as the painting. Joan's husband Ken cuts the wood, cures it for a year or more, kiln dries the wood, planes and sands every piece until each is glassy smooth. The final painting is finished with several coats of wood sealer.
After earning her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, White moved to Lakewood, Wisconsin, a small town in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. There she purchased a quaint little church that today serves as her studio and gallery.
Her highly imaginative artwork is collected worldwide and has been featured in several international publications.
