Joanna Jowett

Remembering recent skies after the return of some I shot this winter.
📸 🎞️

Hi! It’s been a little while since I said hello and introduced myself to any new followers 👋 so here I am! I’m Joanna an Artist, Writer and Producer based in Leeds.
I’m a mum of two girls, I work mainly from my home studio and I split my time between freelance work and making.

I’m currently exploring photography and cyanotype in my practice, along with other sustainable ways to print images. 💚

I run workshops in bookbinding, curating the page/artists publishing as practice and more recently cyanotype.

I’m just a little bit addicted to coffee, but brew my a decaf please after lunch ☕️🫶🏻

I love going outside and foraging, taking note of the changing seasons, but today I’m staying in and avoiding the sleety snow 😆 ❄️

I have worked in the arts since graduating in 2006 in Performing Arts. I went freelance 8 years ago and often create bespoke Communications Strategies or act as an Evaluation Consultant for arts organisations.

I also offer mentoring, access support work and work as a Producer for some brilliant people and companies when I can. I’m always pretty busy juggling all the above! But this year I really want to make as much new work as I can ✍️ 📸 📚 🎨

Thanks for following me here, it means a lot to have your support. 😊

"It all hurts, sometimes" - one of my first pieces layering text on top of a cyanotype print of gypsophila.

These A3 prints are still available in my Etsy shop, just £10.

The broad spectrum of human emotion is at the centre of all my creations, embracing the soft, tender and godawful bits of whats makes us all humans. It's ok to hurt, sometimes.

It All Hurts Sometimes A3 Print of Gypsophila Cyanotype Artwork - Etsy This Digital Prints item is sold by JoannaJowettPrints. Ships from United Kingdom. Listed on Jan 19, 2024

Small drawings from this week, playing with ink pens and pencil. In this case, pencil wins 🩶 ✏️

I love to just draw sometimes, without a particular plan or idea of what they might ‘become’ or how they might evolve. They might just stay in the sketchbook…but I’m persevering with some drawing and painting as well as my go-to’s of printing, writing and photography. I spoke to a friend recently about how sometimes it’s not the medium that matters, as long as you’re making what you want to make, and your theme, focus or subject is something that drives you or captivates you, however momentarily.

My hope for the new year is this page will be full to the brim with my creative practice, new works, insights in to works in development and the creative process behind them, so everything creative from me! Expect current projects, prints and works for sale and opportunities to connect or come along to local workshops I am running. Thank you for joining me here! Normal service resumes on my personal FB profile for all the pictures of the family and baking attempts!

‘It all hurts sometimes’ digital version of my gypsophila cyanotype and text artwork now available in my Etsy shop, £10. Unframed A3 print on Arden 170gsm card stock.

https://joannajowettprints.etsy.com/listing/1569227303

Rearing Whilst Rising - Exhibition Launch from 6pm tonight!
Left Bank Leeds, Cardigan Rd. Thanks to Leeds Inspired for funding 3 workshops where Creative Mothers Project - Leeds members could join me to write and take photographs, feeling and expressing all the big emotions and how we take up space and be seen, through the lens of motherhood. This exhibition is of a new body of my work, including photographs, texts and cyanotype prints. I’d love to see you there! 💙

Let’s Make!
Wed 24 May 10am - 12 noon
Online Workshop: FREE
In the lead up to an exhibition of new work by Joanna Jowett, ‘Rearing Whilst Rising’ at Left Bank Leeds 21 June - 17 July, local creative mothers are invited to join three workshops exploring the themes of the exhibition through writing and photography.

This second workshop invites local creative mothers* to delve into the world of photography. At our second workshop we’ll discuss how as artist mothers we situate ourselves both inside and outside of the frame. We’ll look to other artists, photographers and projects for inspiration, before starting to get playful with our own image making and planning our photography day.

Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lets-make-workshop-for-creative-mothers-in-leeds-tickets-637211505767

Supported by Leeds Inspired !

*Workshops are open to all mothers and are adult-centred but child friendly, with resources available for children throughout. Expectant, new, grand, great/grand, step, foster, adoptive mothers and non-binary parents are all welcome. Mothers of any race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and mothers with a disability, those with babies, or older children and mothers without living children.

Let's Make! Workshop for Creative Mothers in Leeds Join writer and artist Joanna Jowett for a workshop exploring the extremes of joy and grief in motherhood in Leeds

In the lead up to an exhibition of new work by Joanna Jowett, ‘Rearing Whilst Rising’ at Left Bank Leeds 21 June - 17 July, local creative mothers are invited to join 3 workshops exploring the themes of the exhibition through writing and photography.

Creative Writing, Thu 18 May, 9.30am - 11am
Held in the WOW Barn - Now fully booked!

Let’s Make! Wed 24 May 10am - 12 noon
Online.
Inviting local creative mothers to delve into the world of photography. At our second workshop we’ll discuss how as artist mothers we situate ourselves both inside and outside of the frame. We’ll look to other artists, photographers and projects for inspiration, before starting to get playful with our own image making and planning our photography day.
Book at:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lets-make-workshop-for-creative-mothers-in-leeds-tickets-637211505767

Photography
Friday 9 June, 10am - 12 noon
Left Bank Leeds

In this final workshop, mothers are invited to join Joanna along with Photographer Emily Ryalls, as we play with creating group portraits and using a self-shutter release. Thinking about; how do we see ourselves and how are we seen? Who takes the pictures and who is left outside of the frame? Working collaboratively, we’ll take a series of group self-portraits, using the incredible Left Bank Leeds as our backdrop.

Workshops are open to all mothers and are adult-centred but child friendly, with resources available for children throughout. Expectant, new, grand, great/grand, step, foster, adoptive mothers and non-binary parents are all welcome. Mothers of any race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and mothers with a disability, those with babies, or older children and mothers without living children.

I am so delighted to announce my upcoming exhibition 'Rearing Whilst Rising' will be from 21 June - 17 July at Left Bank Leeds. Full details below and more information on a launch date to be announced shortly!

Rearing Whilst Rising
An exhibition of new work from Leeds based artist and writer Joanna Jowett, exploring the extremes of joy and grief experienced through the lens of motherhood, in new prints, poems and a series of portraits of some of the many makers who are part of the in Leeds.

The pandemic brought into sharp focus the challenges of holding multiple roles within a domestic space 24/7 - a challenge that working parents & in particular m/others have always navigated. It was also a time of loss, anxiety & grief during which many of us turned to local communities for support. This exhibition of work from Joanna Jowett celebrates one such community in Leeds, with a series of photographic portraits & new texts and printed work that brings into focus these themes, exploring the edges of what is public/private who is seen/unseen and the soft and vulnerable parts of being human.

This project is supported by Leeds Inspired, with funding for 3 workshops for local creative mothers taking place in the lead up to the exhibition. Thank you to continued support from the incredible Creative Mothers crew, Leah at Left Bank and Leeds Inspired for all your support in making this happen!

'touch down' - new collage work in progess. Polaroid framing of cyanotype print and tracing paper. 2023 by Joanna Jowett