J & L Steel Mill Pittsburgh with the Hot Metal Bridge late 1970s-80s Painting

Joann Renner is a formally trained fine artist and content writer who has overcome trauma and medical issues by “grabbing the bull by the horns”, refusing to give up on herself and her passions. She seeks to inspire others to go fearlessly forward regardless of their circumstances, to break the stigma of mental illness through exhibiting her paintings so people are encouraged to thrive on their own unique paths, and to bring awareness to climate change issues. Her primary work is in Expressionist/Surrealist painting, using themes of looking for the unseen, a sense of experience, while exploring forgotten or overlooked subjects. Joann is deeply passionate about helping others manage their day-to-day mental health issues, and about exploring spirituality, climate change, and community legacy/historical preservation with her art exhibitions, public speaking engagements, content creation, and educational workshops. During the late 1960s-70s she grew up in York, PA and Seaside Heights, NJ alternately. She earned her BA Studio Art/Fine Art at the University of Pittsburgh, PA in 1986. She has had 4 solo exhibitions, and participated in numerous juried and nonjuried group exhibitions, including virtual exhibitions. Current member of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League and the Art Queens Society. Most recently, Joann is a featured artist in the inaugural publication of The Art Queens Quarterly Vol. 1 (AQ1), a hardbound collectors book highlighting the work of several members of the Art Queens Society, curated by Ekaterina Popova and published by Create! magazine. The book can be purchased at https://www.artqueens.co/aq-quarterly. The pastel painting, "Salmon Run", was featured in "Nocturnal Canvas 2" (Aug. 2023), a collaborative concert of art and music presented by world-renowned composer and pianist Margin Alexander, where original music was composed specifically for each artwork. Her pastel "Fancy Tulips" has been selected and featured on the cover of a collaborative 2023 calendar/planner project by a group of 80+ women artists. The acrylic abstract painting "Renewal" was selected as one of the designs for an inspirational affirmation card deck collaboration by a group of women artists. In April 2023, she was an exhibitor with over 100 artists in "Make A Marc", an exhibition focused on bringing awareness to the wrongful detention by Russia of Pittsburgh teacher, Marc Fogel.