Joanne Feely DeGraaf holds an Honours Bachelor of Fine Art from York University and Bachelor of Education, Honours Specialist in Visual Arts from the University of Toronto. She currently teaches visual art to high school students and continues to explore media, ideas and context in her own artistic practice. While her choices of media are versatile, she predominantly works in two dimensional acrylic paint and mixed media and enjoys beautifying public spaces with her artwork. If the concept or function of the artwork needs to be communicated in three dimensions, however, it is not unusual for her artwork to take on a more three dimensional form. This versatility allows her to choose the best tools and media to match the function and concept of the art she creates.
Her efforts have been recognized by various institutions. This is reflected in awards she has received such as First Place, Beauty of Bees Art Exhibit, Mississauga Arts Council, (2022), the Peel District School Board’s Award of Excellence (2014) and Distinction (2012, 2016, 2019). Her artwork has been exhibited by various galleries and cultural institutions including the Mississauga Living Arts Centre, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Etobicoke Civic Centre and the Art Gallery of Ontario.