About

Jo is the first UK colour changing resin artist. She has been selling professionally since 2016, has had many commissions and has already gained interest from galleries. She was born in Plymouth and still lives in the beautiful south coast of Devon. A contemporary self-taught artist who is heavily influenced by her rural upbringing, she explores themes around nature. Her passion for understanding the human mind led her to study Psychology at Cardiff University and she went on to work with vulnerable people for over 15 years. She attributes focussing on the needs and feelings of others as inspiration for much of her work. Jo has trained in stained glass and jewellery making and uses some of the techniques she learnt to create her paintings.

Jo and her husband built their home 3 years ago. After having their second child, she is now able to work from home in her studio enabling her to spend more time with her children and reconnect with her lifelong love of painting.

Jo loves experimenting and is excited to see how her style will develop. Her aim is to make you smile and take you to a happy place. She loves the use of colour and how it can influence how you feel. Colour is nature’s signalling system and she is fascinated how it can affect behaviour.

Technique

To create her beautiful paintings she uses acrylics, mixed media and resin. There are many different processes she uses to create a painting and a lot of her work is done outside. She uses a mixture of tools to create layers including brushes, pallet knives, toothbrushes, sponges, straws, sand paper, a blow torch and her hands! She adds crystals, metal leaf, fine glitter, iridescent powder and fibre in the resin to add depth and interesting aspects.

Jo has recently started using semi-precious and precious stones in some of her work as she is interested in the healing properties of crystals and is also experimenting with pressed flowers. She uses a multi layered approach, drawing the viewer into the depth and having the desire to touch the painting. Each piece is original and unique and is finished with a final coat of high gloss resin giving a glass effect.

Artist statement

Welcome to my world of colour. I am inspired by nature and anything that shimmers. Flowers are my main subjects & I am never fully satisfied a painting is finished, until it has had its final embellishments.

I grew up very close to the sea and used this as my escape from reality. I still love watching the sun shimmer on the sea and looking onto the horizon, wondering what is out there. As a child I remember visiting my Granny`s house & she had the most beautiful garden near Dartmoor which had a river running through it. We would visit her most Sundays, so I just soaked up all the natural beauty surrounding me. Flowers are one of the most beautiful things nature has to offer and they make me happy.

I have been painting since I was old enough to hold a paintbrush and it is still a great love of my life. I am fascinated how nature is changed by the weather and I try to capture this through my paintings. As the light changes through the day, I notice new things in the paintings I’ve created.

I find painting very therapeutic and follow my heart with every painting I make. I have so many ideas in my head, any chance I have, I paint. The Resin somehow brings a calmness and tranquillity my paintings, I view it as slow running water. As much as I loves colour and glitter, the resin balances it out.

‘I always want to help people feel good about themselves, we are surrounded by illness and chaos in our lives and sometimes just stopping and breathing in natures beauty can change how we are feeling’

‘With all the stress we are under these days I like to create paintings that brings a smile to your face, imagine a place where you can relax and forget reality for a while.’
For the last year I have been experimenting with colour change products and have produced beautiful pieces. I am fascinated how the atmosphere can change and how it can affect feelings. I have always been excited by the idea of an evolving painting so this has given me the opportunity to develop this concept. As the painting warms up, the colour gradually changes to another or changes to a spectrum of colours. I endeavour to bring a little bit of nature into your home.

‘The endless colours surrounding us and the natural changing elements evoke emotion which I try to convey through my paintings.’

My aim is to make you smile and take you to a happy place. I love the use of colour and how it can influence how you feel. Colour is nature’s signalling system and I am fascinated how it can affect our behaviour.

I find painting very therapeutic and follow my heart with every painting I do. I have so many ideas in my head, any chance I have, I paint.

I have taught myself to use resin and it has added a whole new layer of depth. The Resin somehow brings a calmness and tranquillity to my paintings. As much as I love colour and glitter, the resin balances it out. I also find using Resin very therapeutic & I view it as moving water which is very peaceful.

Jo’s work is currently being sold in:

• ArtFrame Solution and Kaya Gallery, 53 Southside St, The Barbican Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2LB.
• The Alverton Gallery 5 Alverton Street Penzance TR18 2QW.

I also have a solo exhibition “Endless Colours” at the Artizan Gallery, 7 Lucius Street, Torquay, Devon TQ2 5UW between May 1st until 27th May. This exhibition includes my colour changing range.

Jo is exhibiting in L’artishe Gallery, 71 High Street, Swanage, BH19 2LY in June 2017.