I have two paintings exhibited at the Forest Centre, Marston Mortaine, Beds as part of a semi permanent exhibition with Dunstable and District Art Club. I have two paintings in Dunstable Tandoori, opposite Asda car park.
The summer and autumn of 2022 was as busy as I have ever been regarding exhibiting my work as covid restrictions and living with the virus mean we are living with the new normal, except that when we turn on the news, things feel far from normal.
The war in Ukraine, change of U.K. prime minster, the death of her Majesty the Queen, mass fleeing from Russia, turmoil on the world stock markets, and many more.
One of my corgis and the Queen paintings were displayed in my church, Christ Church Dunstable and the back of our coffee shop, The Way for the Jubilee weekend.
Back in June 2022, my Paddington: Tea for Two won the People’s choice award, adult category after I submitted my painting for a competition “Dunstable celebrates the Jubilee” which was exhibited one weekend in Dunstable Priory.
I am still thrilled that I won, as this means so much to me, that the ordinary people of Dunstable choose my painting, rather than fellow professional artists and will be the highlight of my artist year.
I have a strong relationship to Paddington as he has been an important part of my childhood…as the eldest daughter, in many ways I feel somewhat a stranger in my own family. More of that story to come….
Meadow Breeze and Calm before the storm, along with other pieces and cards have been exhibited and for sale in The Work House, not for profit gallery in Dunstable.
With fellow Herts Visual Artist Judith Fear, I took part in Dunstable Around the World, in the Priory grounds, my theme was global animals mainly in brusho.
I took part in my first solo exhibition in Mudlarks cafe, Hertford, a social enterprise for adults with learning disabilities which combines an allotment project, with tasty vegetarian and vegan food. My work was on display and for sale for the month of August 2022 which featured Cornfields and my Out of the Blue seascapes collection, which combine actual beach combing finds onto mixed media canvases. I grew up by the sea and continue to be inspired by it, in recent years this has combined visits to see family and friends in Devon, South Wales, Suffolk and Norfolk.
As part of Herts Visual Arts, I took part for the first time in the pop up art gallery in Harpenden, opposite Waitrose, where Paddington Tea for Two continued to be a big hit, along with other sales of original art, mugs, cards and postcards.
Also during Open Studios I had another seascape in Wesley’s Cafe, attached to Harpenden Methodist Church.
Two of the Out of the Blue collection pieces ‘Oh I do like to be beside the seaside’ also formed part of The MS Trust pop up art sale, Bedford and Letchworth Open, at the Broadway Gallery in October 2022.
Also in October 2022, I submitted a photograph of Paddington Bear made out of flowers, by an anonymous florist, that I spotted in Houghton Regis, war memorial opposite the Red House, the day of Her Majesty’s State Funeral. The tag on the floral tribute read “Please look after our Queen in heaven, Thank you.” As a Christian I believe God has already answered this prayer.
My photo was on display, as part of a growing exhibition of photographic memories of Dunstable from Saturday 15th October, at The Work House, Dunstable, which will be celebrating its 5 year anniversary of opening, Happy 5th Birthday Joanne, and all her team of volunteers.
I am currently having a lot of fun in my own personal art creating a personal tribute to the Queen, from my own artwork, stamps and coins in the Cubism style, exploring painting more from memory of a photo rather than frequently referring back to my own photography.
As well as experimenting with air dry clay to create a Paddington bear tucking into a marmalade sandwich and pressing beach combing and nature walk finds to create textures…to be painted in brusho and other mediums.
To find out more or to explore a commission idea, please get in touch.
Since the spring I have started hosting adult and/or children’s brusho parties or one off workshops. I am a qualified and experienced ESOL, SEN Adult, Young People and Children’s Tutor and have worked in the Education and charity sector all my career, I am DBS checked. Please check out the full details on my website www.jolocalityart.com
I can come to your venue in Herts, Beds or Bucks or have capacity for up to 6 people in my own studio space, a 3 mins walk away from Houghton Hall Park, a popular park run location.
Coming soon in 2023;
A new National Trust themed collection
My own written and illustrated children’s book called ‘Beth and Ollie go camping”
In the meantime, my work can be viewed on my website and purchased via an email or phone enquiry directly via Jo Locality Art
Living near Houghton Regis Park, close to Dunstable, using acrylics, brusho, gouache and watercolours, as well as creating mixed media pieces with driftwood, shells, dried herbs and flowers. I love using bold colours and texture inspired by the natual world around us.
I love to create bespoke one off pieces that my customers help me design to give their home, office or work place arty wow factor, that suits their charity, home or work space.
“I am not untidy, I just have half finished creative ideas, laying around everywhere!”
Many of my pieces are brought as gifts, to self or that special occasion.....birthday, Christmas, Wedding Anniversary, thank you for doing my ......
I am inspired by the sea, countryside and wildlife. I love experimenting with bold colour and textures. I love making mixed media, 3D pieces inspired by my travels and the natural world around me.
During lockdown I have been studying an online watercolour portrait course which has really helped to take this area of my work to the next level. I am currently working on producing portraits of various members of my family to replace the photographs in my stair well.
As well as building new collections of animals and sea inspired art work. I am also completed a commission for a local Indian Takeaway shop, as well as a seascape for a fundraising art auction to raise funds to supply PPE to African healthcare workers, the MS Trust Bedford and took part in the secret sale Heritage and Habitats Sept 2022.
I have exhibited with the Dunstable and District Art Club and Christ Church Dunstable Art Group in Dunstable and the surrounding area including Priory House Tea Rooms, Harper’s, Populars and Harpenden Methodist Church. In 2019 I hosted an open studio and garden fundraiser where I sold my art for Cardiomyopathy U.K. My sunflower pieces continue to raise money toward a replacement mini bus for a church, one of our Pastors went to visit in Poland, who regularly travel with aid into Ukraine and bring people who need to flee out, including a group of disabled people who ere re-homed and cared for as a group, near to this Evangelical Church.
Please get in touch if you want like to find out more about any aspect of my artwork or fundraising.