Jo is a self-taught fine artist and illustrator.
Her fine art focuses on colourful land and seascapes, as well abstract painting, in oils, acrylics and sometimes mixed media.
Jo is one of the illustrators for Country Child Magazine producing illustrations either in water-colour and ink, digital art or a combination of the two. These illustrations accompany their features, editorial and stories.
She is also a part-time tutor at one of Birmingham’s biggest FE college’s, teaching exploring art and life skills to adults and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities.
She has sold many paintings and exhibited in The Stroke Associations National Life After Stroke Centre and at the Midlands Art centre known as the MAC.
From the artist:
My true passion as an artist and painter arrived when I was recovering from 2 major strokes and open-heart surgery at the age of 26. I started painting again as part of my rehabilitation in 2013 and have not stopped since.
I started painting small wildlife and landscapes paintings from photos and magazine pictures, using acrylics on paper or canvas board. It brought me great relaxation and peace during a very challenging and frustrating time.
Nature, land and seascapes are themes that have continued to influence my artwork ever since. It gives me great pleasure to explore and demonstrate the complete diversity and beauty that nature offers. To examine the extreme variations of colour that can be found in different seasons, scenery and changeable weather. The good old British obsession with the weather has definitely impacted my love for painting the sky in its multitude of colours and moods it reflects.
My health also continues to influence my artwork, reflected in what I choose to paint, the colour choices I make, the movement and mood within the piece. It effects which style I paint in, whether I can manage working on a large or detailed piece or whether I am trying to improve my health that day by getting lost in my painting.
Painting is my sanctuary, my place to let off steam, express difficulty, find strength and peace during both the good and challenging times. I know I will continue to keep painting until the day I am physically unable to make marks with a paint brush.
Many times I have tried to take myself down one artistic path, to focus solely of becoming a landscape or abstract painter, an illustrator or teacher. But in my 40th year I recognise that this is like trying to force a round peg into a square hole. I am all of these elements and they all have a positive influence on each other. So instead of trying to choose one, I am embracing my true nature as an artist.
