The artist was born September 14th in Silver Spring, Maryland. She started to show artistic abilities by the age of 18 months. However, she accomplished this display by secretly drawing on the wall behind a crib. Yet, her mother would always find the little drawings of figures with a welcome response. With the approval of her mother's insights in providing a fresh 'canvas', the wall was often re-painted. Yet, Jo-Ellen's ability seems to stem genetically from her artistic father who would often create drawings for his children and their friends. Both parents supported Jo-Ellen's desire to create at an early age. As a youth, she grew up in the city of Rockville, MD. In Rockville, she created her first painting of a pinto horse in the second grade at College Gardens Elementary School. As her classmates showed great interest with the painting, she took in the exchange. This was when she realized that her drawings were capable of attention. Soon after, Jo-Ellen sites many of the fantasy movies(often seen on television as re-runs) created by Ray Harryhausen as a large artistic influence. In many these movies Jo-Ellen saw that there were no limits to creation. The imaginative creatures and whimsical stories served to open up a vastness that would allow her to utilize her imagination and her natural abilities in order to create fantasy and realistic images. Soon, Jo-Ellen drew anything she could think up, in as many ways possible, for her siblings and neighborhood friends that her mother looked after as a day-care provider. In many phases of Jo-Ellen's youth she had taken ballet, excelled and won awards in archery, enjoyed shooting black powder guns, learned the beauty of music in playing violin, studied photography, admired the talents of nature, and even entertained thoughts of becoming an archeologist, but art was her one constant passion. On weekends her family spent several years building a log cabin from hand tools and the natural provisions of 13 acres (that her parents bought over a period of many years) deep in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. Both the city life and natural life of 'The Land' (as the family came to call it) were early influences on Jo-Ellen's 'eye'. 'The Land' taught Jo-Ellen patience for light, an understanding of changing color, and respect for living things. Meanwhile the city gave her a keen sense of vibrancy, and movement. Both showed her survival as a technique for absorbing what is seen. Though 'The Land' was often visited after their years in Rockville, the family moved to Frederick County, MD in the late 1970's. In the quiet town of Point Of Rocks, Jo-Ellen became more secluded as she began to concentrate on devoting time to her natural inclinations to create. It was here, that she created more intent drawings that contained expression, rather than only technique. It was also from here that while attending Carroll Manor Elementary she was first encouraged by students and teachers to exhibit her art in public. At CMES, she was introduced to photography which she continued to study well into college. For Jo-Ellen, The camera lens taught her 'eye' to capture the movement which is often seen in her works. Later, as a student at Brunswick High School , with the help of her family, she sold stationery and T-shirts (locally & nationally) of several creative efforts. While attending B.H.S. she entered many high school level art competitions and exhibitions (including a senior year dedicated to participation in the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts - 'ARTS' = Arts Recognition and Talent Search Program). Frederick County provided the start into entering many public youth art exhibits for Jo-Ellen, and the process of displaying her art has continued ever since.... As an artist she has won such prestigious awards from: The Great Frederick Fair at the age of 10, The Smithsonian Institution for Mesozoic Era Dinosaur Poster Design at age 13, various county & Maryland State Youth Art Program awards while attending B.H.S., and a national award from The Animal Protection Institute after graduation from Frederick Community College. Prior to graduation from college, she was a strong force in resurrecting the F.C.C. Art Club which she presided over during three semesters. While attending college, Jo-Ellen's work became more imaginative, but she also sold many conventional Pet Portraits at local A.K.C. Shows and across the Untied States via magazine advertisements. She also participated in several group shows presented by F.C.C. in it's own MCH Gallery (where she worked for two semesters as a gallery assistant/attendant). With discipline and dedication, Jo-Ellen was primarily self taught, but she considered her years at F.C.C. to be insightful for growth in her use of colors. Though she contributes no conscious influences from other artists, Jo-Ellen also began to enjoy many works by N.C. and Andrew Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, and Georgia O' Keeffe. During and after college, the artist held several non-art related jobs (which remotely influenced some of her works, such as Ah, Pas de Deux, and even in later works Nada es Mas Seguro, Decrescent, and Knowing) before she was able to devote much of her time to her art. Jo-Ellen has shown her work in both juried and personal exhibits in Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico (including the New Mexico Art League's 25th Anniversary juried National Small Painting Exhibit), New York, and Pennsylvania. She has also sold her works, both originals and posters/prints, on a national level. Her art was initially shown in galleries throughout Maryland, including Lady On Skates (her first solo show), The Delaplaine Visual Arts Center, The Weinberg Center, Frame and Art of Olney House, Montpelier Cultural Art Center, and most recently a LIVE solo exhibit at BORDERS Books & More of Frederick, MD. Jo-Ellen has also made appearances on local television, and traveled to New York City to appear on the national morning program Breakfast Time created by cable channel, FX. On a personal note, Jo-Ellen's last work created in Maryland was the piece In This Corner which depicts many of her inner struggles in dealing with personal loss and a will to go forward. After re-locating to Shepherdstown, WV for a few years Jo-Ellen worked at creating and marketing several online shops to sell products featuring her artworks. As well, she worked a part time job which helped to influence her sales skills. West Virginia was a slow period creatively for the artist but between working outside the studio and marketing her products Jo-Ellen created the paintings : The Biscuit, Reflection, and Ethereal. Currently, Jo-Ellen resides near Myrtle Beach, SC where she is able to utilize the uniquely vivid natural light in the creation of her most recent artworks, such as "Odyssey Integral", "Mestengo", "Many The Miles", "Quintessence", "She" and more. Recently she exhibited art in several of The Waccamaw Arts & Crafts Guild Annual Juried Shows at 'The Franklin G. Burroughs - Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum' in Myrtle Beach, SC , "A Tribute To Women" Art Exhibit Benefit for the American Cancer Society in South Carolina, and 'The Franklin Square Gallery' in Southport, NC as well as local and national exhibits. Jo-Ellen is in the process of participating in local and national projects in 2012. For visitors who wish to read current information and news about Jo-Ellen's artwork, please enjoy the Official Art of Jo-Ellen What's New area. Although Jo-Ellen enjoys exhibiting in live galleries, her art is easily located at many online galleries, and art data-bases throughout the World Wide Web. As well, her work can be viewed throughout the world at the Official Art of Jo-Ellen Website. Tweet - S. E. Hammond

Article/Bio-Copyright © 1997-2013: S. E. Hammond

Artwork & Photos-Copyright © 1996-2013:Official Art of Jo-Ellen Web Site