Birch Path Studio

Jean Ann Berkenpas is a self taught artist residing in the small picturesque mountain village of Valemount BC, in the ancestral territory of the Simpcw and Lheidli T’enneh First Nations.

She grew up in a family of artists, where painting around the kitchen table with siblings was a regular source of entertainment. Her love of nature and the outdoors lead to traveling the world as a member of the Canadian National Mountain Bike Team, while also doing a science degree in Ecology and Evolution at Simon Fraser University. She later moved back home to Valemount, teaching high school for a few years, before starting a family and taking over her grandparents’ farm. She recently rediscovered art and took up painting during the long cold winters, when the farm and garden rests.

Jean Ann works in many mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, and felted sheep’s wool from the farm. She also collaborates with her husband, Mike, painting and decorating some of his handmade guitars. Her work is inspired by the stunning beauty of nature, particularly the Canadian Rockies and mountains near her home. Her paintings are vivid celebrations of beautiful mountain moments. Her work in wool and wood is more abstract and defined by the characteristics of the raw materials. Through her art, she aims to draw viewers closer to nature, and connect them with the land and web of life that we are all a part of.