Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Henry.
Hi Joanna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I like to say to that my art journey started when I was about 5 or 6 years old. My mom found this old drawing that I made of myself as an artist, and for the caption I wrote, “I want to be an artist because they make weird things and pretty things”. Since then, I feel that I’ve been really living that out. From taking AP art with my twin sister in high school to it being my major in college. And I’m grateful that my family has been supportive of my dream and the gift I’ve been given for art. It helps that everyone in my family is creative in their own right too.
I got my Bachelor’s in Fine Art from Winthrop University with a concentration in painting and drawing. From there I went on to intern for a non-profit arts organization, started selling my work at art markets, exhibiting at different art shows, and eventually landing a position with the Catawba Indian Nation as their Artist Development Coordinator. In addition to doing all of that, I’ve always found the time to keep up my own practice as a studio artist and to teach pottery classes at the Village Studio and Gallery in Charlotte. And looking at how far I’ve come, it’s cool to see that I’m carving out my own lane in the art world and that I am where I’m supposed to be right now, right in this moment.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Has it been smooth? No, not always. With all the ups and downs of life, choosing to be an artist is not for the faint of heart, it really takes dedication and discipline. I’ve experienced a lot of “no’s” and being waitlisted for opportunities, sometimes in favor for other artists that seem to always get picked for things. Couple that with being black and a woman in a historically white, male-dominated profession it isn’t always easy. You have to work 10x harder, but for every “no” I get, the “yes” is that much sweeter because it means that there are people out there that see the value in what I am doing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in figurative and abstract painting and functional/decorative pottery. Traditionally within Caribbean and African American culture, our history has been passed down through oral storytelling. With my work, I add to that tradition by sharing my story and my history through portraiture and pottery. This approach allows me to analyze my culture, my place in it, and the positioning of a black woman as the author. I’m reclaiming the narrative, making it my own and giving it to you direct from the source, ME.
What I’m most proud of though is that across every medium that I use, viewers can see that I have a very painterly approach to my work. And that’s something I take pride in because for years, I’ve really tried to hone in on the colors and subject matter that I choose and for someone to see that in my work means a lot to me. It means I’m doing something right.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Remember to stop, reflect and to extend grace to myself. During the shutdown, I experienced the loss of my twin sister (which was not covid related) and in that moment of time, I really reflected on what I wanted out of my life and where I wanted it to go. I had to learn it’s okay to sit with my feelings and give as much grace as I give to others to myself. Leaning into art and God really brought me out of some things and has taught me to take a moment to stop and take account of what I’m doing and where I am in that very moment. This way of thinking for me has carried over into my work and has really helped me create with more of a purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jhenrystudio.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jhenrystudio
Image Credits
Image credit for personal photo and in-action photo: Carley Hicks of Bailey Ridge Photography
