Bau-Xi Gallery is pleased to present There is No Dimmer, a new series of paintings by Janna Watson. A frenzy of colour blooms upon a gradated panel of washed, pastel paint. Intercepted by illustrative lines floating confidently above the energy bursting off the panel surface, the conflict between excitement and restraint is emblematic of the latest body of work by Janna Watson. There is no dimmer sees a new vibrancy injected into her mixed media on panel paintings. Greater attention is given to mark making as the artist reflects upon the unique forms, shapes and texture she has developed with her brushwork and illustration over the past several years.

“Each of these paintings is a whole life mysteriously enclosed. All of the struggles, the feelings, the thoughts, doubts, enthusiasms and inspirations are encapsulated and captured onto the surface of the painting. Each line and gesture I create is the actual experience with its own innate history. It is not illustrating something – it is the sensation of its own realization. Tapping into my nervous system I am harnessing an alert state of tension letting it come through (at times) in abrupt bursts of colour. Registering this insistent throb in whiplash lines contrasted in soft blends of colour and analytical construction of curiously organized piles of line.”

Janna Watson is a shining example of a young emerging artist making a significant mark on the Canadian art scene. Watson has become well-known for her compelling abstract compositions, which use colour, line, and energetic brushstrokes to evoke emotion in the viewer. The work possesses an elegant and powerful energy, created with a carefully balanced pairing of loose painting and gestural mark-making.

Her work can be found in several significant collections including the TD Bank Financial Group, CIBC, and the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Most recently, she was selected to create a magnificent 11 x 31 foot painting for the feature space in AURA, North America’s largest condominium building with a strong focus on building a meaningful Canadian art collection. The Toronto-based artist has exhibited across Canada and internationally.