JOLENE HASSARD
Jolene Hassard 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 and detailed background with a colourful design created from thousands of dots. This Mandala-like pattern contrasts and therefore highlights the starker silhouette of the subject itself. She also creates more traditional Mandala-style pen and ink drawings which are occasionally re-created as murals.
Jolene is a Registered Veterinary Technologist and has been working in the field of veterinary medicine for 30 years – this has given her ample opportunity to witness and be inspired by the incredible bond between animals and humans. She is also an avid backpacker who seeks out the remote places of our amazing West Coast for both inspiration and rejuvenation. Coastlines, animals, oceans, forests and experiences in the natural world are common subjects of her paintings.
Jolene was born and raised in Lantzville on Vancouver Island, before moving to Kamloops, BC to attend university for Veterinary Technology. She then settled in Nanaimo and eventually moved to Nanoose Bay in 2015 with her husband and animals. They live on the north side of Nanoose (Notch) Hill and her studio is located in her home in the treetops of arbutus, Garry oaks and Douglas firs. This extremely peaceful location has proven ideal for her meditative work.
