Jean Pederson is a distinguished Canadian painter. Based in Calgary, she's taught at Red Deer College and shown her work here too, but has travelled internationally to paint and promote art. Her works are in collections in Canada, the United States and Europe.
"I've been very fortunate so far," says Pederson, a former high school teacher who now makes a living as a full-time artist. "It was a difficult decision to leave teaching but I think I made the right choice. I try to paint people because they are interesting to me, it makes for a better portrait. And that should apply to all kinds of painting, be it landscapes or still life. Hopefully the authenticity will shine through. As a society we should really learn to celebrate the arts and what we see in life. Art, nature, life, language, beauty; it's all connected and we need to celebrate it more."
She's been painting for more than 20 years and says she was always the kid in school asked to do the cover on school booklets or anything else involving art. Her work is on display in the Royal Collection in London, England, among many other places. This year she one of two Canadian artists invited to participate in the China International Invitational Water Media Exhibition at the Jiangsu Water Color Institute. She has exhibited in New York, San Francisco, Stockholm, Mexico and all across Canada. She's received many national and international awards and honours for her art and her mentoring efforts to promote art education.
"It goes beyond art. It's all about creativity, which is certainly a huge part of art, but it should be part of everyone's life. Studies show that creativity uses both sides of the brain and we just think better as creative people."
Pederson, who has taught many art workshops and seminars at RDC, says, "Teaching there is just such a wonderful experience. It is unique because no place else puts so many different artists and talents together at one time and place. You get to see ceramics, glassblowing, and such a variety of creative disciplines all at once and the interaction of the artists is invigorating for the students – and the artists. It's a very special, marvelous time, it really is."
The Red Deer Museum will host a Pederson art show called Farm Fragments in September. It's an eclectic work, including paintings, mixed media and collage (including old documents like receipts, even fragments of buildings from the family farmstead).
She says, "These fragments represent all that is left from 100 years of farming in my family, but it's a subject everyone can relate to; a visual commentary on what's happening to the family farm because of the finances of farming."
Pederson will be at Chapters on May 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. autographing copies of her book Expressive Portraits. Also available is a booklet titled Artists Pocket Guide to Better Painting that she describes as a help yourself way to self-critique your work.
