Hello, welcome to my artweeks 2021 profile with landscapes and seascapes to distract from all that is going on in the world right now. I think right now, more than ever, it is important to share creativity with everyone and show them what is possible and to encourage others to pick up a creative outlet as. I am a huge advocate of all things art therapy or I should say creative therapy. We live in a busy world and the events that began in 2020 in the UK and around the world just showed how important self care is. The self care that many ignore is the need for their own time, to process their days, relax and enjoy while taking their mind away from the normal daily stresses. My artwork is my creative outlet and I hope you enjoy my pieces on show this year and it helps you escape even if for a moment by looking at some of my pieces.
Jo began painting as part of art therapy in rehab following a series of CVST’s (a very rare form of strokes), to help regain some use of her affected arm. She blogs her art along with her recovery very honestly under Stroke of a Brush and sells her artwork to help raise awareness and the funds made are donated directly CHANCES which Jo set up. CHANCES has an online support group set up by Jo purely for younger and working age survivors and, Jo supports survivors and their families in other ways, including packs for survivors to try therapies like art and craft therapy and more that not only have a physical benefit but great benefits from a wellbeing perspective. Jo has now been painting since September 2017, is self-taught and began exhibiting her work in 2019 as part of Bicester Artweeks. Jo now has establishments in Oxfordshire who request to display her work to help raise awareness and fundraise for CHANCES. Jo won Banbury Artist of the Year 2020, in the amateur catagory with her painting called Smile (of St Michaels Mount).
Jo paints mainly in acrylics but also watercolours and oils and produces seascapes, landscapes, skies, pet portraits and abstract works. Jo selects her colour pallets depending on her mood and paints how she feels and memories come back from before her strokes and she paints from the pictures in her head. It is very rare Jo paints from a photo and rathe just images in her head. Jo undertakes commissions regularly and the majority of her work is available in greetings cards and art prints.
or via the contact form on www.strokeofabrush.co.uk