Jo Howe

Paper Scissors Stone – new exhibition

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Jo Howe in Artist Book, Book Arts, Book Sculpture, Exhibiting, Paper

Opening reception tomorrow, 2-4pm.

Beautiful gallery location and the work looks rather good too!

Digswell Arts Fellow Jane Glynn and Trustee Jo Howe selected to exhibit at Turn The Page 2015

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Jo Howe in Book Arts

Absolutely thrilled to be in Norwich again for http://www.turnthepage.org.uk/. This event is so inspiring. Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May.

Happy Holiday Season

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Jo Howe in Paper

Work selected for MMoFA

Posted on December 9, 2014December 10, 2014 by Jo Howe in Book Arts, Book Sculpture, Exhibiting

Jo Howe book sculpture distortion-of-time-detail — Distortion of time (detail) – Museum collection, Madison Museum of Fine Art

I am thrilled and absolutely delighted to announce that I have been fortunate enough to have had a piece of work (Distortion of time) selected for the permanent collection at Madison Museum of Fine Art, in Madison, Georgia, U.S.A.

The work will also be exhibited as part of a group show next year, entitled ‘British Intelligence’ at the Museum, showcasing their growing collection from British Artists.

A little about MMoFA

Founded in 2003 by Michele Bechtell, the Madison Museum of Fine Art (MMoFA) is a 501-c-3 tax exempt charitable not-for-profit educational art history museum with exhibition galleries, teaching gardens, Museum Store, and Tea Terrace. A collecting institution, MMoFA preserves, interprets, and imaginatively displays original works of art by nationally and internationally recognized visual art masters in a lively, intimate, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere for the education, edification, and spiritual nourishment of all persons living and traveling in the Southeastern US. As an educational institution, the Museum offers free permanent and traveling exhibitions, lectures, film, educational programming, and an extra classroom setting to study original objects to supplement the inter-disciplinary curricula of public, private, and home schools in the region.

Vision

The vision of MMoFA is to be a superbly operated internationally respected intimate visual art history museum system with a distinguished permanent collection, self-sustaining endowment, habitual visitation, engaging and well-attended educational programs, and to do so with sufficient institutional strength to delight many generations to come.

The Voice – work in progress

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Jo Howe in Book Arts, Book Sculpture, Experimentation

Her voice may not have been heard, because she may have strangled her own words.

Considering the marks of removal – Memory, Loss and the Human Condition

Posted on October 20, 2014October 27, 2014 by Jo Howe in Artist Book, Book Arts, Book Sculpture, Experimentation

I work extensively with a 10a surgical blade for most of my work. It is my most trusted tool, and has become intrinsic to every work I do… whether that is apparent in the final piece or not.

But I have started to question, what about the sharp precision of that cut line? Its clean definite mark conveys something… but does it really convey what I want in this current work? How would it be if the marks were a little more… uncontrolled, rougher, dirtier?

I have worked with burning before… but never with so much risk. The previous work to have received such a treatment, has been the finishing touches in controlled situations, where the burning can only travel a certain way until it has to extinguish.

This work is a little different. The singular pages are not treated before being introduced to the heat. It is difficult to control the timing and pressure of contact to create marks that are legible and at the same time preventing complete obliteration of the page, save for the ash at the end (I have a fair few examples!).

This is a process that feels right and appropriate to the themes behind the work. It is not fully resolved as yet, but, I feel, important to document these none the less.

The cut landscape

The burnt landscape

Tomorrow (Not) The burnt page

Halftone burn

Burnt holes

Burnt holes (wired)

The Flame Awards 2014 – Look what dropped through the postbox this morning

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Jo Howe in Book Arts

The Creative Hertfordshire Flame Awards 2014 are organised by Creative Hertfordshire, in association with the Heart of Flame Festival. The Flame Awards, in its inaugural year, recognised the achievements of organisations and individuals, of all ages, who symbolise the very best of Hertfordshire’s arts and culture.

I was delighted to have been nominated (thank you, whom ever you are) and then to become a finalist.

The awards evening was well attended and a really uplifting experience for all involved. As well as awards being announced, it also featured performances from talented young people in the Heart of Flame Festival, the county’s cultural celebration of work by young people for young people and an interview by the inspirational Suzie Birchwood, dancer, choreographer and artistic director of ActOne ArtsBase.

Work in process – Memory, loss and the human condition

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Jo Howe in Book Arts, Book Sculpture

Snapshots from new work in progress exploring memory, loss and the human condition.

‘The human condition encompasses the unique features of being human, particularly the ultimate concerns of human existence. It can be described as the unalterable part of humanity that is inherent and innate to human beings and not dependent on factors such as gender, race, culture, or class. It includes concerns such as the meaning of life, the search for gratification, the sense of curiosity, the inevitability of isolation, and the awareness of the inescapability of death. In essence, the human condition is the self-aware, and reflective nature of Homo sapiens that allows for analysis of existential themes.’ – Wikipedia

Outstanding contribution to the arts (over 25) – nominated :)

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Jo Howe in Creative Learning, Press

I have been nominated in this years ‘The Creative Hertfordshire Flame Awards’.

Outstanding contribution to the arts (over 25) – Sponsored by Creative Hertfordshire
This award recognises the contribution to Hertfordshire’s arts by individuals over 25.

This award considers the nominees achievement over the last year for themselves or enabling others.

It also considers how the outcomes of this/these achievements have affected themselves or what impact have their activities had on arts audiences or participants?

A full list of all successful nominations are available to download here Creative Hertfordshire Flame Awards 2014.

The winners, who are selected from the nominations by a panel of judges, will be announced at the award ceremony.

The award ceremony takes place at 7.30pm on Saturday 4th October at the Weston Auditorium, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield and will see the winners announced from a shortlist. The evening will recognise the achievements of organisations and individuals, of all ages, who symbolise the very best of Hertfordshire’s arts and culture. It will also feature performances from talented young people in the Heart of Flame Festival, the county’s cultural celebration of work by young people for young people. Tickets are available at £5.00 from The Weston Auditorium box office (10am – 4pm) on 01707 281127 or uharts@herts.ac.uk.