About

Johanne Brouillette is a Canadian abstract painter who has been living and working out of her studio located just North of Montréal for over 25 years.

The artist studied and painted figurative landscapes in oil for 20 years but chose to never exhibit or sell her artwork. Feeling bored and considering giving up her painting altogether, she finally decided to attend an abstract workshop in 2016 and immediately found her new passion. She has since taken numerous workshops, specialized courses and residencies and continues to perfect her art to this day. Inspired by Québec Automatistes painters such as Riopelle, Borduas and Ferron, she has found freedom of expression in abstraction pursued through automatism: an instinctive, unpremeditated form of creating art, and has created a fresh language all her own.

Johanne Brouillette is a jury elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists, and the Federation of Canadian Artists.

Her abstract paintings have been included in over 70 regional, national and international juried exhibits and have been awarded several prizes. In 2019, her art appeared in the Art Edit section of House & Garden Magazine in the United Kingdom and was featured in Issue 15 of Spotlight Contemporary Art Magazine, in France. Selected by Folio Annual as one of the best emerging abstract artists of 2019 and 2020, Her artworks appeared in their inaugural book in the Spring of 2020 and will be published again in 2021. In July 2020, the Society of Canadian Artists awarded her the prestigious Antoinette Stevens Medal “Best in Show”.

Her work is represented in galleries and both private and corporate collections worldwide.

Artist Statement

Having chosen to renounce from figurative painting a few years ago, I paint medium and large format abstracts in an expressionist and gestural style. The palette I use is varied and can be either muted and monochromatic or vibrant with hits of color. I always include areas of black for its confrontational as well as paradoxical effect that is both grounding and indicative of endless depth.

My search for balance is fundamental in my work. The challenge for me is to reconcile my natural tendency towards perfectionism with my strong desire for freedom and disorder. Evidence of this can be seen in both my process and finished product. Although the initial foundation is applied rather spontaneously with limited censorship, the subsequent layers show a strong influence of my conscious mind. During this process, various marks, shapes and colors are added, manipulated and partially veiled in order to build a complex yet intuitive painting. Upon first glance, the end result often appears chaotic and almost random. As such, my work mirrors my internal struggle to find balance between the opposing aspects of my personality. My works incorporate both intense raw emotion and quiet tranquility and are a reflection of my recent experiences at any given time. My purpose is to give voice to what is felt but unseen.

Exhibitions

Invitational Exhibitions

2022 – Contemporary Abstraction, Moberg Gallery, Iowa
2022 – Square Foot Show, Paula White-Diamond Gallery, Waterloo
2022 – Big Ideas Show Spring and Fall, Paula White-Diamond Gallery, Waterloo
2021 – Summer Group Show, Moberg Gallery, Iowa
2021 – Summer Invitational Group Show, Red Sheep Gallery, New York
2021 – Spring Invitational Group Show, Red Sheep Gallery, New York
2021 – Contemporary Women Paint: Abstract Expressions, Moberg Gallery, Iowa
2021 – Diverse Voices, Artists of the Artist’s Voice, Salt Lake City, Utah
2020 – Group Christmas Show, Moberg Gallery, Iowa
2019 – Kicking Abstract and Taking Names, Moberg Gallery, Iowa

Solo Exhibitions

2018 – Abstract Expressionism, Cailuan Art Gallery, Cornwall, Ontario
2018 – Notre point de vue n’est qu’une réalité, Piedmont, Québec
2017 – Regarde-moi, je suis là, St-Faustin Culture, Québec
2017 – Langage abstrait, St-Hippolyte Library, Québec

Jury Selected Exhibitions

2022 – August Abstract Show, Julia Veenstra, Hamilton, Ontario
2021 – Abstract2, Square Foot Online Exhibition, Julia Veenstra, Hamilton, Ontario
2021 – Mascouche Arts Festival, Online Edition, Québec
2021 – Best Largescale Artwork, Gallea, Montreal, Quebec;
2021 – Curators’ Selection Gallea, Montreal, Quebec;
2021 – Montreal Artists, Gallea, Montreal, Quebec;
2021 – Mardi Gras, Gallea, Montreal, Quebec;
2020 – Square Foot Online Exhibition, Julia Veenstra, Hamilton, Ontario
2020 – Federation of Canadian Artists, Limitless Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2020 – Society of Canadian Artists Annual Elected Members Exhibition
2020 – 4^th Annual Group Summer Show, Blue Crow Art Gallery, Toronto
2020 – Federation of Canadian Artists, Social Distancing Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2020 – Society of Canadian Artists, Annual International Juried Exhibition
2019 – Square Foot and Big Ideas Exhibition, Paula White Diamond Art Gallery, Waterloo, Ontario
2019 – 51st Juried Exhibition, Society of Canadian Artists, Viva Vida Art Gallery, Pointe-Claire, Québec
2019 – Vancouver Salon, Elected Members of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Canadian Federation Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
2019 – Small Works Exhibition, Elected Members of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Canadian Federation Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
2019, 2018 – Mascouche Arts Festival, Québec
2018 – 33e Visual Arts Exhibition, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines
2019, 2018, 2017 – Expo-auction FASS art Saint-Sauveur, Galerie Rod
2018, 2017 – Expo-Concert in Mirabel
2017 – Acquisition of permanent works for the city of Blainville, Blainville Art Gallery
2017 – Rendez-vous Art-thé, Salle polyvalente de la gare de Piedmont

Group Exhibitions

2022 – Fall Exhibition St-Sauv-Art;
2018, 2019 – Annual Exhibit and Art Contest, ALPAP;
2017, 2018 – Annual Juried Exhibition, St-Faustin Culture Centre;
2017, 2018 – Accessible Art, St-Faustin Culture Centre;
2016 – 2019 – Annual Art Exhibit, Blainville-art, Blainville Art Gallery;
2016 – Exposition Un monde de couleurs, at the gallery l’Artiste in Montréal;
2016 – 5 couleurs, gare de Piedmont; and
2016 – Envolées artistiques de la Galerie ARTrium, Mirabel.

Awards

2020 – Best in Show, Antoinette Stevens Award, Society of Canadian Artists, Elected Members Annual Exhibition;
2020, 2021 – Best Emerging Abstract and Contemporary Artist of the Year, Folio Annual;
2020 – Honorable Mention, Artist of the Year, Circle Foundation For the Arts, 2019;
2019 – Best Global Quality Abstract Art, Césure International Competition;
2018 – The Gold brush at the Annual Exhibition in Mirabel;
2017 – 3rd place at the Annual Exhibition at the St-Faustin Culture Centre;
2016 – 2nd place at the Annual Exhibition of Blainville-Art.

Memberships and Affiliations

Federation of Canadian Artists, Active member (FCA)
Society of Canadian Artists. Elected member (SCA)
Blainville-Art, Professional Category (BVA)
Saint-Sauveur Artist Association (Saint-Sauv’Art)

Publications

June 2021 – Folio Annual, 2nd Edition, Best Emerging Abstract Artist of the Year;
February 2021, Visionary Project, The February Artist Selection: 3 Artists We Love, New York, NY
May 2020 – Folio Annual, Inaugural Edition, Best Emerging Abstract Artist of the Year;
April 2020 – Featured Artist Johanne Brouillette, Bold and Striking Abstract Art, Artsy Shark;
October 2019, Citiview Des Moines News, Female Artists Dominate the Galleries
June 2019, House & Garden (UK), Art Edit
July 2019, Circle Arts Foundation for the Arts, Vol. 15, Spotlight Magazine, France,
2019 – Artsy Shark, Summer Showcase Artist Feature, August;
2019 – Magazine Bonjour, Remax Laurentides
May 2017 – Journal Le Sentier, Brouillette en expo solo: Je suis là- Regarde-moi, St-Hippolyte

Corporate and Private Collections

Worldwide.