Joanne's Story...

Like many women, life changed radically when I started my family. Juggling childcare, boredom, and the desire to contribute financially resulted in my hobby morphing into a small business. I ran a children’s art school from my home studio for twenty years.

Quiet activities like drawing and reading are wonderful for children with health issues. I learnt to draw from books and attended workshops offered by Art Societies around the country. Now, with the internet, tuition in any specialty you choose is only a click away. Exposure to many artists, styles and media mean I easily transition from watercolour to acrylic and more recently, digital art.

My books were a natural progression. Discovering that New Zealand Sea Lions had been put on the endangered list led to a Southern Tale. I used to trip over these animals while manning a weather station in the subantarctic. After retiring my children’s art classes I produced Just Imagine, so that some of my knowledge is accessible to children, parents, and teachers.

Fostering imagination leads to creative problem solving, and the world’s climate and wildlife need all the help they can get.