Joann Rea paints the nuances of nature and the environment.  Her paintings have an incandescence and reality-based starkness that allow them to blend with traditional or contemporary styles. Rea lived in the Washington, DC area and a substantial body of her artwork reflects the natural beauty of the landscapes and gardens in the mid-Atlantic region. Throughout her career, she also has created stunning portraits of subjects ranging from children to Eastern European peasants. Since moving to the Chicago area in 2009, her work has featured a variety of contemporary themes and abstract ideas exhibited in paintings of skies and desolate desert landscapes.