Janine L. Benoit

against perfection

In my daily work as a physician there is no room for error.  People’s lives hang in the balance and depend upon decisions that I make.  Given this daily pursuit of perfection, my art is a reaction in a different direction.  I prefer abstraction which frees my soul.  I relax when I put a brush to canvas and create images which bring me joy. Music is an avenue that I have pursued since childhood that gives me a similar sense of release. The very process of painting and performing is joyful! 

The geometric image of the circle is a universal symbol of perfection.  I use this symbol in a relatively random arrangement to react against perfectionism.   Although my process does not include exact representation of figures or landscapes, I do enjoy this subject matter and use mixed media as well as acrylic paint to portray some of these concepts. There is a certain freedom in mixed media art to use layering, texture and pattern to create a cohesive subject. 

Another feature of my work which brings my images together in this exhibition is colour.  I am a visual person and enjoy colorful abstract images that may or may not produce harmony.  I feel that there are some magical mixes such as teal blue and cadmium yellow (these themes are repeated ).    

Art brings joy to my life.  The celebration of colour and shape are the themes of this exhibition.  The dance that these elements create are similar to my experience of music. 

~Mentor: Robin Adair, CAAP Instructor

Janine L. Benoit has been pursuing the study of visual art for the past five years.  This has been mainly through classes at the Community Arts Program through the University of Saskatchewan.  While she is most interested in Abstraction and Mixed Media, she has enjoyed courses in Drawing, Watercolor and Art Theory. 

 She continued her studies at the Red Deer Polytechnical School during “Summer Series” for the past couple of years where she has worked on her skills in Glasswork and Figure Painting employing live models. 

Janine is looking forward to the continuation of her art journey wherever it may lead in the future.