From a young age Joanna knew, in some form, art would be a huge part of her life. Both her parents were very creative, which naturally led her to drift down an artistic avenue. 

She completed a Degree in visual communications (majoring in painting) in 2007. During her time at university, she practiced many disciplines from set design to glass allowing her to walk away with a broad knowledge in the design field. 

Joanna’s works are highly detailed illustrations of mainly animal and flora motifs using ink pens on paper and a tattoo machine on leather, with a simple pellet of black and white with hints of blue and red. 

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This series introduces Monz, a chimpanzee. I chose an ape for this series because their features so closely resemble ours, biologically, chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than they are to gorillas. Through research and drawing various chimpanzees, it was beautifully uncanny to see and capture all the humanesque features. However, using a chimpanzee in costume removes the images from reality more into a daydream.

Monz is gender neutral, some of the costumes may teeter on masculine and others more feminine, this was mood orientated and impromptu, as none of these drawings are planned.

In these works, I hold onto the same restraint as my other form of art application (tattoo) through a fastidious highly detailed approach but these works introduce a theatrical, fantastical element through costume and props.

This has been a virtuous outlet for me emotionally, to break free from any self imposed constraints, developed over the years, by developing an extension of me, using a space, to let go, and be a bit over the top. There is also something a little uncomfortable about them, which is something I would like to explore further in the future.

Art can speak volumes about it creator, the style, pellet, technical structure and application. Playful and mischievousness, play a part here and the line between quirky and strange is a little hazy, which resonates with me completely.

I want the viewer to see Monz as a whole motif but to take note and delve deeper, look for the less obvious.I would like to draw the viewer into the minuscule and unseen. As my drawings contain elements of various scale.

I am happy to steal some of your time but in return produce a smile, feeling of wonderment or maybe even trigger a memory. A playful series lacking any kind of seriousness but provoking a notion of mad feverous fun. Nothing more.

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website: jo-jass-art.com

instagram: @jobii_art

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