Art provides the perfect outlet when life feels overwhelming, says Joanne Kells Chalmers—better known in the art world as Kells. An award-winning Greater Napanee artist, Kells finds that painting offers her a bolder voice, a way to share what’s on her mind with honesty and vibrancy.
Kells garnered attention at this year’s Expressions: Legacy exhibit, held at the John M. Parrott Gallery at the Belleville Public Library with her painting “Beauty and Beast”, which was given the People’s Choice Award.
Her latest exhibition this fall at the QAC Cultural Hub and Gallery, Flowers and Femininity, explores the intersection of nature’s beauty and women’s inner strength. Through bold brushstrokes and radiant colour, Kells celebrates resilience, vulnerability, and the many layers of femininity. Each piece channels both personal reflection and universal themes, inviting viewers to connect deeply with the work.
“The harmony between subject and technique, celebrating the timeless connection between flowers and the moments we choose to honour with them. Through layers of colour, form, and energy, the show offers a fresh perspective on how flowers embody memory, celebration, and meaning.
The exhibition brings together both current and earlier works, tracing the evolution of her style and how these threads weave into one cohesive artistic voice.”
Outside of her studio, Kells draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the Bay of Quinte. That daily connection with people and place enriches her art, grounding her practice in empathy and lived experience.
Flowers and Femininity shines as a celebration of both artistry and identity.
