My Story
Welcome to my world! I’m Joanna Blair, Painter, self taught, based on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula, Australia.
In my studio with my painting “Radiant Grace”
My art journey began at the age of 5! The trigger happened one summer’s afternoon, walking back up from the beach, hand in hand with Dad, and coming across a lovely, gentle man (with the ability to paint dreamy, impressionistic landscapes) teaching a couple of 11 year old girls how to paint with oils. I remember we stopped to watch them for a tick, and having the overwhelming feeling that I really (REALLY!!) wanted to do what they were doing! By age 10 I built my own easel out of old fencing paling I’d found (family finances were tight in those days!) and Mum relegating my artistic endeavours to the laundry due to the smell of turps overtaking the house!
At age 12 I submitted some of my artwork to an art college in Melbourne (unbeknownst to my parents) and was accepted - until they found out how old I was; it seemed my dreams of being an artist had to go on hold for a bit.
From there life took over, and the advice throughout my teens that it would be wise to ‘get a qualification’, that ‘art is very hard to earn a living from’ etc etc. These were the days before the internet and certainly before social media. My art options were limited.
My love of beauty, of scenes that are inspiring, that give you that ‘all is well with the world’ feeling; of appreciating mother nature and the things she creates for us to gaze upon, smell the scent of, and at times, fill us with awe. Whether it be nature inspired, or culture inspired (France and anything French resonate a lot with me too!) are things I love to capture - whether it’s the colour flash of a Kingfisher bird diving in clear blue water for fish, or the stunning designer shoes an elegant woman walking past me is wearing - nothing escapes my radar!! I want to capture it all - hence I can’t confine myself to only one subject matter. I agree with Renoir:
“To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful, and pretty, yes pretty! There are too many unpleasant things in life as it is without creating still more of them.” Pierre-Auguste Renoir
I have painted all my life, however in 2015 I was invited to participate at the London Biennale (so exciting!!) - from there my artwork was catapulted onto the international stage, being invited to exhibit all over the world - self represented:
EXHIBITIONS:
Affordable Art Show - Melbourne Australia (September 2019)
Asia Contemporary Art Show - Hong Kong (March 2019)
Asia Contemporary Art Show - Hong Kong (October 2018)
Affordable Art Fair - Hong Kong (May 2018)
Art Expo New York - USA (April 2018)
Macau Museum of Art - China (March 2018)
Asia Contemporary Art Show - Hong Kong (March 2018)
Published in British Vogue September Edition - UK (September 2017)
Asia Contemporary Art Show - Hong Kong (September 2017)
Gallery Kurrentgasse - Vienna Austria (2017)
Foyer Charles La Trobe Building - Melbourne Australia (2017)
World Art Dubai - UAE (2016)
Art Expo New York - USA (2016)
Tokyo International Art Fair - Japan (2016)
London Biennale - UK (2015)
Tokyo International Art Fair - Japan (2015)
Museo D’Arte - Italy (2015)
Miami Art Expo - USA (2015)
PUBLICATIONS MY WORK HAS APPEARED IN INCLUDE:
Contemporary Art of Excellence Volume II
Current Masters 1
Art & Music - The Saatchi Gallery Magazine
Herald Sun Newspaper, Melbourne, Australia
Asia Contemporary Art Buyer - Art Alert
Latham & Watkins (world’s second biggest law firm) Calendar
Miami Artzine
Condign Art Magazine
Global Art Agency News
September Issue British Vogue
Tatler Magazine
My art journey continues…….!!! Come along with me and let’s look at the world through the lens of how truly wonderful, and how truly beautiful life is.
Where my international career started! London Biennale 2015 - Councillor Maighread Condon-Simmonds, The Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, admiring my artwork with Curator Peter Gagliardi
Exhibiting at the Museo D’Arte - Italy
Macau Museum of Art - First international Biennial of Women’s art. Sponsored by the Government of Macau.
Hectic! People lining up to get into my room during a showing in Hong Kong
Really well received at one of Hong Kong’s most prestigious art shows!!
At the Macau Museum of Art with my painting “Force Majeure” on exhibition
Exhibiting in Tokyo - such a wonderful country to visit if you get the chance!
Oh the fabulous places you go!! Me meeting one of Tokyo’s most revered Sumo Wrestlers when I was out and about over there.
Exhibiting in Dubai and meeting the very charming ‘Sleepy Prince’ aka Yousif
In New York exhibiting - meeting the flamboyant and fabulous Purely Patricia!
Loved my time in the City that Never Sleeps
In Hong Kong - one of the world’s second highest grossing law firms - Latham and Watkins, included my artwork in their annual calendar (which they give to their most valued clients each year). I was very honoured.
They chose one of my favourites - ‘Lift Off’
One of my other loves - reading!! This is me on The Ghan train (also one of my loves: travel), travelling through Central Australia, taking in the unique and truly Australian scenery of the outback. I hugely enjoy reading - escaping into other time periods and places; a particular favourite is from the period of the late 1700’s to the early 1900’s. So many interesting people in history to read about during this highly innovative period. From figures like Sarah Bernhardt (one of France’s most famous actresses -who was also a very accomplished Sculptor) to the Impressionists (of course!) - through to Winston Churchill - who was a talented impressionist artist in his down time; not to mention his mother - Jenny Jerome - considered one of the most beautiful women of her time, who’s life is a fascination in itself. I could go on and on…… The women of these times (Belle Epoque / Art Nouveau / Art Deco periods), the couture they wore, the spectacular homes they lived in, the balls they attended - to be an artist back then would have been a visual feast (John Singer Sargent / Giovanni Boldini are artists whose work I adore).
Sometimes it’s hard to turn my mind off - me at 2am getting ideas down!
Also managed to get a mention in the coveted September edition of British Vogue Magazine (I did well that year - also cracked it for a mention in one of the most respected luxury lifestyle magazines: ‘Tatler’ !! - Dad was very impressed!!)
Thank you so much for visiting my site - I really look forward to sharing more of my work, and my adventures with you! Please feel free to get in touch at any time, I’d love to hear from you. With my warmest regards…..Joanna
