JEANNE BESSETTE
GALLERY
I received my first art kit when I was four years old. I remember pretending I was a famous artist while hanging my creations all over the house. I studied studio painting in college and wanted to pursue my passion. However, the idea of painting for a living was somewhat discouraged, and I began to believe these externally implanted doubts from well-meaning people in my life.
I went to photography school as a compromise and became a photographer. That seemed more acceptable to everyone including me for a while. As it turned out, that decision morphed into a very profitable career for over a decade. I won many awards and served clients throughout the United States. Although my photography career was very rewarding, there was always a small fire inside that was not being fed. So after thirteen years, I retired my camera for profit and picked up a paint brush, this time for real. It felt like home.
Feeling too old for college life, I sought out master teachers who excelled in their field to relearn the tools of my true passion. Soon, I was accepted into numerous juried exhibitions and offered solo shows. My experience as a photographer offers me the skills I need to see light and composition and I enjoy a powerful palette filled with layers and lots of color. I am enjoying continued success and acceptance by a new clientele as well as the fine art community. I continue to study with some of the best artists in the world as I feel we can never stop growing. It is a journey that will last a lifetime. I am the luckiest person in the world to be able to paint every day. Don't let anyone steal your dream.
My paintings reside in numerous private collections in the United States and Canada including television personality Michelle Phillips, nationally known comedian Tim Wilkins, and Author Karen Ely to name a few.
I never start a painting without having an intention in mind or a message to communicate, even if it's just a word that motivates me to move the brush and push color around. Although admittedly, I need little reason to do either, painting helps me find peace with myself and the world I live in. It answers a lot of questions and brings up new ones. It often feels like a therapy session and at the end of a day in the studio I sometimes feel like I've gotten something off my chest. So when you see my work you will learn something about me.
Painting for me is not an occupation, it’s a preoccupation. I self-medicate with paint.
