Jolene is a visual artist who works with paintbrushes and acrylic paint in the style of dotillism. The subject of each piece is honoured – a moment, a place, an animal – by creating an extremely intricate detailed background from thousands of dots which contrasts and therefore highlights the stark silhouette of the subject itself.
She is also a Registered Veterinary Technologist and has been working in the field for over 25 years – this has given her ample opportunity to witness and be inspired by the incredible bond between animals and humans. She also is an avid backpacker who seeks out the remote places of our amazing West Coast for both inspiration and spiritual rejuvenation.
She started dotillism with Mandala stones and gradually started to experiment on canvas. As time goes on, the dots become tinier and tinier and the backgrounds more intricate. She was initially compelled to feature animals and was inspired to incorporate coast lines and ocean scenes after a backpacking trip to Nootka Island. This has unleashed an endless stream of inspiration for her painting. The fine and detailed work is very meditative; it requires breath control and a very steady hand and takes her to a space where she is very present and focused on the scene, allowing her to let go of everything else on her mind.
