The Arts & Culture Council for the Gallery at the L.E. Shore Library is honored to present an exhibition celebrating the work of the late artist, Joan Folinsbee Timmins.
The exhibition will explore works from a multi-decade career: abstract and realistic, large scale and small; landscapes, portraits, still-life, abstracts and figure drawings in many mediums - watercolour, acrylics, oils, pastels, pen and ink. This is a peek into Joan’s life as an artist. It's a journey in time, place and creative growth; the roller coaster ride of a unique individual.
Exhibit Schedule
Opens: July 4, 2026
Reception: July 4, 2026 | 2-4pm
Closes: August 26, 2026 | 2pm
About the Artist
Joan was born in Toronto in 1926, developing a passion and talent for art at an early age. After graduating from high school, she attended the Ontario College of Art and later moved to New York to work as a fashion illustrator.
Life led her back to Canada, where she settled in Thornhill, Ontario to raise five children. Despite a busy family life, Joan always kept a hand in her painting through art classes and exhibiting locally.
Once her children were grown up, Joan was able to revisit her artistic dreams. Leaving her traditional training behind, she explored abstraction at the Fine Art Studio Program at York University and was significantly influenced by the American Abstract Expressionists. She described it as one of the most stimulating experiences of her life.
Joan earned her degree in Fine Arts from York but found herself transitioning away from abstracts. She was interested in creating large representational paintings, finding inspiration where she lived in a beautiful pocket of urban wilderness near Thornhill. She gained notice as a professional artist with successful shows at the Nancy Poole Gallery in Yorkville throughout the early eighties. She earned her living that way, complemented by popular art classes she held in her Thornhill studio.
In the mid-nineties, Joan left the rural beauty of Thornhill settling into downtown Toronto life. There she continued painting and exploring the application of ideas such as the inner life of a crystal, musical structure and electro-magnetic energy.
Joan moved to Thornbury in the early 2000’s and quickly connected with the local art community. She was a member of The Gallery at L.E. Shore’s Arts Committee for many years and held numerous exhibitions.
Joan was a member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, taught art at Collingwood Collegiate Institute, won awards for her work and exhibited throughout Canada. Many private collections across Canada can claim her art. Her talent and body of work are extensive, encompassing a wide range of mediums, styles, and sizes.
Joan passed away in 2024 at the age of 98. August 25, 2026 would have been her 100th birthday. This July - August exhibit is a fitting celebration of her birth. It’s also a fitting tribute to an artist who spent almost every waking moment thinking about, and creating beautiful, inspiring art that we can all enjoy.
