an artful life

I have been an artist my whole life.  It is what i do, it is who i am.  I have taught art to elementary and high school students, camp kids and adults.  I have created art for companies and manufacturers that have generated millions of dollars in retail sales.  It's not as easy as it looks, but it is what i do.  I am truly blessed that God gave me this gift of talent to share.

  Yesterday, i was having a conversation with my husband Tom, and my brother, Michael.  

Michael said, "No one loves their job, it's work!  Name one person you know who LOVES their job!".  

To that, my husband replied, "Joanne does!".  

I got goosebumps!  I DO love my job.   

When i first started licensing my artwork, i painted all my illustrations by hand with gouache and watercolors.  I would occasionally us watercolor pencils to accent the paintings.  That's all!  I had no photoshop, or computer.  Just crisp white paper and a palette of color.  My supplies took up no space at all!  

Now years later, i have accumulated so many more art supplies, enough to have filled up my daughter's old bedroom, coverting it into my full blown in home art studio!  I am able to go in there at all hours and explore with the piles of stuff that i love.

 The simple stash of watercolor paints and brushes has turned into "mixed media madness"! 


Pretty shelves, a full closet and little drawers house my journals, stamps, inks, reinkers, gel meduims, mists, acrylic paints and inks, pens, micron and pitt pens and gel and glaze pens and more pens, papers, ephemera, punches, die cuts, texture plates, modpodge, crayons,art books, markers, pencils and more!!! (breathe here)  And then there are my Copics.  Copics, Copics and more Copics!!!!!  Oh how i love my art stuff.  It gives me the opportunity to create every day, something new, exploring and experimenting. ***Note to self, i'll post a picture of my studio when i clean it up (do you ever think you'll see, it??)***


I consider myself an illustrator, but my current focus is stretching and experimenting with mixed media, using many products to enrich my creative process, while creating a pleasing work of art.  That's the fun part of my "job"!  Exploring with ink, paper, cardboard, paint, glitter, mists, pens, inks, stamps and modpodge.  It's a far cry from just paint, paper and a brush!

Inks, stamps, paper, pens, rub ons and mists….

 Acrylic ink, watercolor, white paint pen...

 …and stardust glitter pens!!!!!!!!  I have fallen back in love with blingy gel pens by Sakura.

…watercolor, inks, black and white pens….

 Yes Michael, i DO love my job.  And i am truly grateful that i am able to employ myself as an artist.