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Joan Burdett Ness 

Growing up in New England not far from the sea and living for a decade in the nurturing Green Mountains of Vermont fostered in Joan an enduring love for the spirit and wisdom of the land. Her unique landscapes, seascapes and botanical paintings inspire a renewed appreciation for the world around us. At the heart of Joan’s work is an empathy and deep respect for the simple beauty of the earth and nature. 

Over the last 30 years Joan has enjoyed a broad spectrum of professional collaborations and endeavours from bird illustrations to stained glass. She received her undergraduate and graduate education at Skidmore College, Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Art and Architecture. She has collaborated on projects with many environmental organizations and museums including UNICEF, the National Wildlife Federation, World Wildlife Fund Canada, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Association, The Ontario Herbalist Association, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Fine Arts Museum of Boston, The McMichael Collection and others. Joan is currently a self-employed artist working from Natural Light Studio in Toronto. 

Joan’s interest in botanical art blossomed out of her interest in plants as physical and spiritual healers on our troubled planet. She hopes to capture the essence and structural identity of the plants she paints. For many years she has produced posters, botanical cards, and a photographic archive for the Ontario Herbalists Association and the Canadian Journal of Herbalism.

Artist's Statement

“We can learn so much from the plants. They give freely of their grace, beauty, discipline, simplicity, structure, diversity ... and endless other virtues. For me it is comforting and hopeful to learn from them and truly an honour to be able to paint them.” 

www.joanburdettness.com 

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