Jo Peterson
About the Artist
Exploring a new artistic medium for me is renewing my commitment to being an artist. I discovered watercolor just after college when I could not afford to build frames and stretch large canvases for oil or acrylic paintings. I was a watercolor artist for many years and used a variety of paper and used marker and color pencil for different effects.
One cost-saving exploration in my forties was a trial and error experience with collage. I could overwork and destroy a watercolor painting on a full sheet of 300 lb paper, tear it in half and store it in the closet. Later I would pull out the sheets and discover the colors, textures and shapes I would use to create new collage works from my disasters. I found the abstract style I was working in at that time was enhanced by textures of various types.
Eventually I took that cotton paper and tore it up into 1 inch pieces, boiled it in lye and learned to make my own paper. It wasn’t long before I started making paper from denim jeans and 100% cotton cloth. I became acquainted with the Twin Rocker Paper Studio in Indiana and bought their paper pulp. I even spent an afternoon there working with other papermakers and making full sheets of paper. One summer I also learned to make rice and linen paper at Oxbow School of Art on Lake Michigan.
I am no longer making paper but I am still exploring new uses for paper as well as a variety of mediums. I am now exploring what I can do with alcohol ink. Ceramic tile, Yupo paper and photo paper all give different characteristics to the finished work. I am also combining mediums such as alcohol inks with blender, marker and color pencil.
Education and Employment
1971 BS degree in Interior Design and Studio Art, University of Minnesota
1981 MS degree in Visual Arts Education, Parsons School of Design and Bank Street College of Education, New York.
1977 -1982 & 1991-2011 Specialized in teaching drawing, rendering, design principles anddesign history in several schools of higher education in Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan.
1982-1984 Employed as an interior designer, Tucson Arizona
1984-1991 Worked full time as an artist, focusing on watercolor and handmade paper in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Traveled throughout the mid-west exhibiting in art fairs and galleries.
1991 -2011 Associate Professor of Interior design at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; department coordinator 2001-2007 Exhibited in several local, regional and national galleries and exhibits. Served on the board of directors of two arts organizations in Kalamazoo. Illustrated and helped publish a children’s book; “Grandpa Thor’s Stories” by Marianne Mueller.
2017, August, Moved to Sun City and began developing skills as a pastel artist.
2021, Began developing my work in Alcohol ink paintings
