Joanne Coughlin is a Calabogie based contemporary and abstract artist who has been creating art for over forty years. She grew up in Quebec City where she began painting landscapes in oil. After completing a degree in Commerce from the University of New Brunswick, she moved to Ottawa and started a career and family. She continued to create art in many forms. She owned and operated a home-based business called JC Designs which focused on creating hand painted clothing sold at local art fairs. She also co-owned a women’s tennis apparel business called Racquet Rags in the early 1990’s. After a thirty-one-year career in Government and the Aviation Industry, she retired in 2008 and moved to a lake outside of Ottawa with her husband and renewed her love of art. She has been painting full time ever since. Her artist statement is simple. She loves to create, she loves colour and she loves the beauty of nature. Her art is intuitive and implies movement and although abstract in style at least one of natures four elements usually comes through in her work. She loves mixing bright colours with muted colours and her art often combines a cool and warm palette. Her art brightens up a neutrally decorated space and is often referred to as happy! Joanne is a member of the West Carleton Art Society and is represented by, Savvy Art market- Oakville, Ontario Carleton Place Gallery, Carleton Place Ontario and The Art House Café, Ottawa Ontario She has participated in numerous solo and group shows and most recently at the Sweetly Affordable art show at Wesley Clover Park in Ottawa.