Jo-Anne is a professional artist specializing in soft pastels, with a passion for teaching and sharing her craft. She currently teaches workshops to diverse groups, including individuals aged 50 and over, people living with mental health challenges, and participants with cognitive impairments. Her approach emphasizes personal expression, creativity, and well-being, fostering a welcoming environment where everyone can explore the joy of artistic creation. Although art in all its forms has always fascinated her, it was only in 2016 that she began painting with dry pastels. She applied herself to this medium following the illness of her mother, who herself was a professional pastel artist. She learned pastel with an exceptional pastel artist, Mélissa Breault in Montreal and she worked with several master pastel artists in the United States. In 2019 she became a Signatory member of the Arizona Pastel Artists Association and in 2022, a Signatory member of the Pastel Society of Eastern Canada. His works have been selected by juries several times and received prizes. She is a member of the Vermont Pastel Society and frequently exhibits in the United States as well as in Montreal. She now teaches her passion for soft pastel, regularly offering technical workshops, conferences and demonstrations.