Joanna Bornowski,
Painter

Growing up with two parents as artists and art teachers may have been the greatest life gift. Art, for me, is the most vulnerable way to self express. I have a preference for painting as I learn more about myself each time I pick up a brush. It’s fascinating to me the meditative way painting brings up layers of thought as one applies layers of paint to the canvas. My paintings generally work towards a cooperative whole where two things viewed generally separate are joined. What is it to combine two seemingly different things into one? I contemplated what it is to be masked or unmasked as I worked on my larger series. We all have qualities we choose to present the world while we hide others. It is only in our minds that some of these masks can be flaws. The impulse or desire to show the true multifaceted version of what we are can be frightening. It takes courage to be vulnerable. I believe the knowing and understanding of our fullness comes like layers of paint; discovering the next layer only when we are ready to integrate. I have come to understand that when we evade our true selves we evade the responsibility gifted to us by the inspiration from which it came. It is my desire to step into truth though my artwork and encourage the viewer to find their truth.
I create my artwork in Portland, OR.