International Women's Day: Meet the Manitoba artist behind the Her Story portrait project

In honour of International Women's Day 2023, CBC Manitoba commissioned portraits of nine prominent Manitoba women. Ahead of project launch next week, we reached out to illustrator Joanna Turner to talk about her artistic process. 

Name: Joanna Turner 
Age: 41 
Homebase: Winnipeg

How would you describe your work?

Textured, whimsical [and] colourful. Like something out of a 'good' dream.  Stylistically speaking, I love juicy lines and loads of bright colour. And [I love] texture. There's something very special about adding the sense of touch to an otherwise flat image with tactility. 

What is your favourite thing to illustrate?

I love drawing pretty much anything. If I had to pick, I [would] say people. The human form and face are incredibly captivating. And I love challenging myself to tell human stories, visually. 

Tell us about your illustrations for IWD. What was your process like for creating them? 

My approach is very much informed by my background, which is a [combination] of journalism, intercultural communications and community building. I start with lots of research into my subject, who I feel really becomes my friend after this process whether I've met them in person or not! [I research] who they are, what they do, why they do it and how; I learn more about their sense of community, culture [and] all the things that build to the soul of a person. I want that to come through as clearly as the visual likeness.

Actual art process-wise, I start with a simple pencil line drawing, shading, walk away for a bit, add a bit more detail and repeat this until I see them looking back at me. [It is] such a magical moment! Lastly, I bring the piece into a digital format, to add colour and more texture. Once the portrait is complete, I get to work on the backdrop, which is a sort of dreamy assembly of all the things I've learned about them in my research. 

You often integrate text into your pieces. Why?

For me, and for many other illustrators, hand lettering is equal parts trepidation and meditation. It is a challenge to find your style in the curves of language, but once you do, it's a very zen process. Some illustrators even practice breathing exercises while lettering to help with flow.

Where can people find more of your work?

[On] my website or on my Instagram. 

Immerse yourself in a Joanna Turner illustration!  Try the selfie filter on Instagram or Facebook.

This conversation has been edited and condensed.