Our March logo is a colourful shot of digital dopamine

Every month, we feature a new take on the CBC Arts logo created by a Canadian artist. Check out our previous logos!

Colour can truly boost your mood, and Hanna Lee Joshi knows it. In paintings and murals — or whatever project she's tackling — Joshi doesn't shy from neon hues that pulse with vibrancy. And as she tells us over email, her big and bright colour palette reflects her own big feelings.

For this assignment, Joshi traded her usual art materials (gouache and coloured pencils) for Photoshop, and the result is a hit of digital dopamine, something we could all probably use right now. As we enter winter's final stretch and look toward spring, read about the artist and what inspired her logo design for March.

Name: Hanna Lee Joshi

Homebase: Vancouver 

Let's talk about your logo! What's the concept driving the design?

I wanted to capture a feeling of winter blues going away and spring coming through. 

Bold and colourful images of the female body have really become your signature. What was it like working on an assignment that takes a step away from that direction?

I use the figures to emote a certain feeling and thought. I still try to convey all of that with just shapes and colours. Part of my practice has always incorporated abstractions of forms to explore this. It's always a fun challenge to do it without the form. 

How did the female form become such a focus in your artwork? Who are you representing in those images?

I wanted to draw my human experience. It's a way to distil some of life into the forms I create. To an extent they are self-portraits, but I am also trying to capture the universality of the human experience. 

The logo is such a wonderful burst of colour, and an eye-popping palette is definitely another hallmark of yours. What drew you to working with bright colours?

I work very intuitively when it comes to colour choices. I find that the way I am feeling greatly influences my palette in a piece. 

What's the project you're most proud of?

I got to work on a mural with Tierney Milne and Priscilla Yu for Lululemon last year. It was a really fun collaborative project with two of my favourite artists from Vancouver. I hope I get to collaborate with more artists to make bigger and better things. I'm also proud of my personal works I made last year for some group exhibitions.  

Anything new that you can tell us about? What are you working on these days?

I am working on pieces for a group show in San Francisco and later in the year I will be having my first solo show at Thinkspace Projects in L.A.!

What's your favourite place to see art?

Booooooom, Slice of Life, Vancouver Art Gallery, Artsy, Instagram.

Who's the last artist you discovered online?

Tsherin Sherpa (@tsherinsherpa). He makes really beautiful works and I hope I can see them in person one day! 

What work of art do you wish you owned?

Any of Marigold Santos's pieces, painting or tattoo. Any works from Dominique Fung, Robin F. Williams, James Jean and Tsherin Sherpa. 

Where can we see more from you?

You can find me @hannaleejoshi on Instagram. 

This conversation has been edited and condensed.