Jodi Chapnik is an artist and photographer who explores themes of loss, impermanence, strength, and humanity. Jodi was raised by parents that were born of the Baby Boomer decades and grandparents who grew up in the Silent Generation. Her grandparents taught her to value personal responsibility, humility, hard work, family, frugality, and consistency. In contrast, her parents were teen hippies who rebelled against authority and redefined the notion of fulfillment as freedom, happiness, inclusion, and modern liberalism. These generations shaped Jodi and her ongoing inquiry into ideas of belonging, idealism, and how to give form to that which seemed to be always changing. As a child, she experienced some shaky economic times and moved from house to house. In turn, she learned to be resourceful and independent, valuing relationships and work-life balance.

Jodi uses photography as a way to connect with her past, as well as a guide towards more connection with nature and people. Jodi’s earliest memory of photography was when she made her first photogram with leaves and flowers in a summer camp program at age 4. She was mesmerized by the chemistry and magic of the project. As a child, she gained confidence by making art for herself and as gifts for others. She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts and Art History from the University of Western Ontario. After graduating, she began teaching community children and children with learning disabilities, developmental delays, and behavioral issues. She incorporated art into the class curriculum, knowing how much it meant in her own childhood. She later graduated with a teaching degree from the Institute of Child Study at the University of Toronto. Jodi left teaching to raise her own children, but she continued making art; painting, collage, and poetry before returning to photography in 2014.

Her photography has been shown in exhibitions throughout Canada, including at the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto), Princess Margaret Home Lottery (Oakville), Spazio dell’Arte Gallery (Toronto), and featured in House and Home Magazine. Her photographs can be found in private and corporate collections across Canada and the United States. In addition to her fine art practice, she has led workshops in photography for the homeless community, is a past board member at Ve’ahavta, the co-founder of MyCity Impact, and is a philanthropist via her Art That Gives initiative. Jodi lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

Artist Statement

My first series began after my grandmother died. I processed my grief by photographing flowers in ice, frozen in time. I wanted to hold on to my grandmother’s memory. My artwork stems from personal loss – loss of relationships, love, and loved ones. The act of taking photos allows me to explore themes of impermanence, strength, and humanity.

As a young child, art was a safe way for me to express myself, be it love for a member of my family that I was concerned about, a way to fill a place of loneliness, or a way to show something of beauty. Today, photography connects me to the past and the people and events that shaped me. I question what the relationships have become after their loss, what the objects that surrounded me symbolize, and what the memories of people become in the present. Have I transferred my memories to these objects? Do the loved ones now exist in my art?

I learned early on that life is not always comfortable, that there will be loss and that loneliness is universal. I do not feel lonely when I have a camera in my hands. Photography allows me to express myself – to bring joy to others, show something of beauty, and to connect with my past.