I grew up in New Brunswick and now live in Halifax with my family. I’m a mom to the most wonderful little 7 year old girl (if you follow me on Instagram, I’m sure you’ve seen her), and during the day I work full-time in marketing. For the past little while, painting has become a meaningful creative outlet in my life.
I started painting shortly after losing my sister, Vanessa. Creating art gave me a quiet space to slow down, process my emotions, and find moments of calm when everything felt overwhelming. Mostly, I just had to do something.
Hachey Studio is deeply personal to me. The name reflects the shared family name that connects this work to Vanessa, whose strength and spirit continues to inspire everything I create.
A portion of every piece sold also supports the work of the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, helping fund research and support for families affected by brain tumours.
If one of my pieces speaks to you, I hope it brings a little bit of the calm and reflection that inspired it into your own space.
Hi, I’m Janie.
Vanessa passed away October 30, 2025 after battling a very rare and aggressive brain tumour for only 4 months - when she was 34 years old.
Before all of that, she was just my sister. Not a diagnosis, not a timeline. Just her. We grew up together. We shared a childhood, a family, memories that only make sense to the two of us. She knew the old versions of me - the ones no one else remembers anymore. Losing her didn’t just hurt because she was gone. It hurt because part of my own history disappeared with her.
Believe it or not, Vanessa was always the artist in the family, taking art classes in high school while I studied sciences. She went to school for photography, while I went for psychology, then later marketing.
I discovered my love for art later in life. And I like to think that Vanessa is there guiding my paintbrush when i’m painting.
