Jo is a papermaker. She makes books, cards and a small amount of jewellery. She eco-dyes her paper and fabric for books and cards, and then may stitch on them.
She was raised in country Victoria with a family who were all interested in the arts and crafts. She particularly remembers many family trips to the Grampians National Park where her love of the Australian bush and bush walking was encouraged. She replicates her appreciation of the Australian bush in her designs and work.
Jo formally trained as a nurse and spent many years as a theatre nurse and later worked in aged care. When she retired, she joined the Plant Craft Cottage group at the Botanic Gardens in Melbourne where all the crafts were plant based. It was here that she was first introduced to papermaking. She then joined Papermakers of Victoria to develop and refine her skills.
Her inspiration for her papermaking and eco-dyeing has always been the natural world. She loves bush walking and picking up leaves and other natural matter to use as stimulation for her work.
She has exhibited with Papermakers Victoria, as a member, Alcove Art Shop at Box Hill Community Arts Centre and in Bendigo.
