Collection: JO PAYNE

Painting the places where music and memory meet.

Working primarily with acrylics and oil pastels, Jo builds rich layers of colour, texture, and light to create works that feel both familiar and dreamlike. Inspired by the rugged coastline of the Pacific Northwest and the countryside of her native England, her paintings invite viewers into moments of reflection, calm, and connection with the natural world.

Music also plays a significant role in Jo’s creative practice. Many of her paintings and artwork titles are inspired by songs, lyrics, and the emotional landscapes created through music. Just as a song can evoke a memory, mood, or fleeting moment in time, Jo’s paintings seek to capture those same intangible feelings through colour, movement, and light.

Rather than relying on photographs, Jo approaches painting intuitively, allowing each piece to evolve organically through the creative process. This instinctive approach gives her work a sense of rhythm and atmosphere that resonates with collectors seeking art that evokes feeling as much as place.

Her contemporary landscapes and coastal scenes are distinguished by luminous skies, shifting horizons, and nuanced colour palettes. Whether depicting a tranquil shoreline, a field of wildflowers, or an abstracted memory of a landscape, Jo’s work reflects a deep appreciation for nature’s ability to inspire wonder, stillness, and renewal.

Today, Jo Payne’s paintings can be found in private collections across Canada and internationally. Through each work, she continues to explore the relationship between landscape, memory, music, and the emotions that connect them.