June 2 - 28, 2026
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, June 6th, 1pm
Artist Bio:
Jolene Hassard is a visual artist who works with acrylic paint in the style of dotillism. The subject of each piece is honoured by creating an extremely intricate and detailed background from thousands of carefully placed dots. This mandala-like pattern contrasts and therefore highlights the stark silhouette of the subject itself. She also creates more traditional mandala-style acrylic paintings involving line work, always with a connection to nature, often recreated as murals.
Jolene is a Registered Veterinary Technologist and has been working in the field of veterinary medicine for over 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 spiritual rejuvenation. Coastlines, animals, oceans, forests and experiences in the natural world are common subjects of her paintings.
Jolene invites viewers to pause, reflect, and lose themselves in detail while remaining connected to the essence of the subject itself. She hopes her paintings evoke the same sense of peace and joy that she experiences while creating them.
Artist Statement:
My work honours moments, places, and animals through intricate dotillism mandala painting. Using thousands of individually placed dots, I create explosive, Mandala-inspired patterns that radiate outward from a central point, celebrating the energy and presence of each subject.
Created for the exhibition Centered, these works reflect the way life itself expands from a beginning — a single moment, breath, or connection radiating outward in ever-growing complexity. The subject is rendered in silhouette or minimal detail, allowing it to coexist with, rather than compete against, the intensity of the surrounding pattern. Through this balance of complexity and restraint, my work explores meditation, growth, and visual harmony.