Canadian artist Jeanne d’Arc Gaudet was born and raised in the small farming community of St. Denis, Saskatchewan. She has lived in each of Canada’s western provinces and now calls Vancouver Island home.
Over the years, she experimented and developed her own style; Jeanne d’Arc has worked with acrylics, watercolours and other media. Her preference is oil. She explains; “Oil has a smooth flowing ability. I enjoy the pure pigmentation, which allows my paintings to come alive with truer colours, hues and depth. I often get asked how I get the softness reflected within my paintings. For me it is applying your brushstrokes as if you were applying a butterfly kiss; gently, barely touching.”
Jeanne d’Arc’s paintings have received awards and hang in various private collections in Canada, US and Europe.
Biography
Jeanne d’Arc was born and raised as one of 15 children. Her family lived in a small French community in Saskatchewan and she learned at an early age to be independent and challenge herself. After raising four children with her husband Emile, Jeanne d’Arc had more time to explore her interest in art.
She dabbled in ceramics: porcelain and molding florals using ceramic clay. Wanting to further her knowledge and always enjoying the work of the Old Masters, Jeanne d’Arc then focused on drawing and acrylic paintings. And, after trying folk art and watercolors, she switched to oils, falling in love with the flow of oil and the diversity of values it offered with its vibrant
pigmentation.
Like many artists, the initial paintings hang in family and friends’ homes. As Jeanne d’Arc’s skills intensified, she participated in many art shows and activities in Saskatchewan, Alberta and the United States, earning recognition and awards. Her paintings now hang on many customers’ walls in Canada, United States and Europe.
In 2021 Jeanne d’Arc and Emile relocated to Nanaimo, however she delayed becoming established in the local Vancouver Island art community because Emile became ill. Now as a widow, Jeanne d’Arc has returned to her love of art, including joining the Nanaimo Federation of Canadian Artists.
She often gets asked what her favorite subjects are; her response is always “anything that makes me happy”. She wants to have her art bring the same kind of happiness to the viewers and people that purchase her art.
When Jeanne d’Arc isn’t in her studio, visiting art galleries or participating in art shows, she can be found on a dance floor enjoying dance classes and workshops, or in her kitchen baking bread and other well-loved family favorites.
Artists Statement
Going back many years I was drawn to the art created by the Old Masters. Their art would bring me such joy with the vibrancy of colour and storytelling.
I longed to be able to re-create on canvas what they saw as I was captivated by curiosity and the need to know how such a process came about.
Reading many art books and researching artists led me to pursue this further. And, when I attended a weeklong workshop with William Whitaker in Salt Lake City, I knew I had to become an artist. I was in a peaceful trance where nothing else around me mattered; I felt alive, and it made me want to dance with joy.
When one views my art, my hope is that it brings them joy and tranquility. It is easy to overlook life’s beauty because of one’s busy schedules. I like to take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.
