Vernissage – Josée Bourassa

When you think of watercolours, you probably imagine pretty pastels. But Josée Bourassa, whose solo exhibition Un monde de couleurs opens at the Arbor Gallery on May 4th, uses watercolours to create pieces that reflect a moody combination of light and dark.

“I am fascinated by the transparency, the opacity and the way watercolours capture the light, shadows and reflections,” Bourassa says. “I lean towards realism and enjoy a variety of subjects: portrait, landscape and still life.”

Bourassa was born in Buckingham (Gatineau) but has lived in the Ottawa suburb of Orleans for many years. When she retired from project management with the Federal Government she was looking at outlets for her creative expression.

“After trying several painting media, I chose watercolours and have pursued this path with courses, mentorship, self-learning and lots of practice,” she notes. “I can now paint more on a regular basis and develop my art by discovering and applying new techniques.” She has participated in several group shows and has had two solo exhibitions in the Ottawa area.

The vernissage for the exhibition takes place on Saturday May 6th, from 1 to 3pm. The show runs until May 28th.

Arbor Gallery – Galerie Arbor is located at 36 Home Avenue, in the heart of Vankleek Hill. The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 4pm. More information about programming and events is available on Arbor Gallery’s Facebook page, website or Twitter, by subscribing to the gallery’s newsletter at www.arborgallery.org or by email at [email protected].