I am excited to announce my next show on Saturday 2nd December 10am to 5pm at my lovely converted Methodist Chapel in Keevil, Wilts. This is to present the progress on my forthcoming book “The Hare in the Moon” which I am looking forward to showing the beautiful, intricate new Gold Borders and Drawings but also to view other work with the potential to purchase Limited Edition Prints and Original Paintings at reduced prices for Xmas whilst enjoying a glass of wine. I’d love to see you on the day and would ask If you could be so kind as to let me know if you will be attending so that I am aware of the approximate numbers but even if you haven’t advised please feel free to turn up on the day. Parking will be in the field behind the house which is accessed through the drive of our Chapel House. I really look forward to hearing from you and seeing you.
I am excited to announce my next show on Saturday 2nd December 10am to 5pm at my lovely converted Methodist Chapel in Keevil, Wilts. This is to present the progress on my forthcoming book “The Hare in the Moon” which I am looking forward to showing the beautiful, intricate new Gold Borders and Drawings but also to view other work with the potential to purchase Limited Edition Prints and Original Paintings at reduced prices for Xmas whilst enjoying a glass of wine. I’d love to see you on the day and would ask If you could be so kind as to let me know if you will be attending so that I am aware of the approximate numbers but even if you haven’t advised please feel free to turn up on the day. Parking will be in the field behind the house which is accessed through the drive of our Chapel House. I really look forward to hearing from you and seeing you.
Earlier this year I was delighted to host a show with Paul Martin, the presenter from BBC’s ‘Flog It’, talking about ‘incorporating modern interiors with contemporary art’. This was a connection with my work and the wire sculptures of Rachel Ducker and how they complete and complement modern interiors in, for example Steven Graver’s award winning kitchens. Unveiled at the show were two different pieces, but a new style of my work. An image is created using a word repeated over and over again building up and representing the figure in a monochrome type object. ‘Hare-kin’ the hare sold immediately. The other piece, ‘Roar’ is made up of the word Roar used over and over again to form shading. Also released at the show was a young prancing Zebra against a striking red background across two canvasses which sold; and responding to client feedback, I produced three smaller original leopards in pink, white and cerise red. The show was attended by 100 people visiting our home in Wiltshire on a sunny spring day.
Joanna May Art and Interior Exhibition held on Saturday 29th March 2014 in her home near to Devizes Wiltshire. Joanna was delighted to have guest speaker Paul Martin, presenter from BBC’s ‘Flog It’ at the exhibition.
This event, in October 2013, was the launch of my series of Moon Bear paintings and auctioning prints and paintings to support the Animals Asia charity raising awareness and funds to help end bear farming for bile in China and Vietnam. The day was attended by Animals Asia founder and CEO Jill Robinson MBE with actress Rula Lenska and “Flog It” presenter Paul Martin generously donating their time to help me with this worthy cause.
Joanna May’s solo show titled ‘The Iconic Animals of London Zoo’ held at The Savoy in London and celebrated David Attenborough’s sixty years in wildlife television. The show was opened by wildlife television presenter Michaela Strachan and attended by the actress Rula Lenska
The Chris Packham Exhibition, October 2011. Joanna held an exhibition of her work in her beautiful chapel/school house, opened by the TV wildlife presenter Chris Packham. Chris auctioned off one of Joanna’s paintings to help raise funds for his girlfriend Charlotte Corney’s zoo on the Isle of White. Chris also presented a talk on conservation.
Joanna was married to David Ladd on Saturday 23rd July 2011, their wedding was covered by Wiltshire Life Magazine. Here are some of the shots taken by Wiltshire Life on their happy day.
The Year of the Tiger Exhibition attended by the TV presenter Chris Packham and his girlfriend Charlotte Corney, the CEO of the Isle of Wight Zoo. The exhibition was held at the Joanna May Gallery in Marlborough in November 2010. The research for the paintings was based on the tigers at Charlotte Corney’s Zoo on the Isle of Wight. Jo was also filmed while sketching for local TV on the Isle of Wight and photographed for the press. The event raised £2,000 for tiger conservation for WWF who opened the event at Jo’s gallery. Chris Packham also spoke about his experience of tiger conservation.
Joanna was invited to paint a 6ft fiberglass Elephant for charity ‘Elephant Family’ raising money to save the endangered Asian Elephant. 250 Elephants were positioned around London.
In 2009 Joanna May held an exhibition in Lord Bath’s Orangery at Longleat, following on from the exhibition held at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir Exhibition. For both solo shows Joanna used the animals of Longleat for her reference to create the new paintings. Lord Bath came to view the exhibition when it opened.
Joanna May held her first solo exhibition at Raymond Blanc, the famous chef’s hotel, Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons. It was attended by the DJ Mike Read and the actress Pam St Clements or more commonly known as Pat Butcher from Eastenders. After producing seven original paintings and one print of the Black Leopard for two of Raymond’s bedroom suites in the hotel, Joanna produced further leopards, tigers and lions in the same format as the Black Leopard but in gold and silver leaf for the exhibition.
While running her gallery and other commissions, Joanna had several meetings with Raymond Blanc to discuss the work for both the Sandalwood and Lemongrass suites at Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons. Lemongrass was a blank canvas as the room had just been completed. Raymond had fallen in love with the Black Leopard when he saw the painting featured in a brochure. Although the original had sold to Standard Charter Bank he ordered a print and then commissioned Jo to do another painting and purchased additional work from the existing collection – in total, seven originals for the two rooms. Jo comments, ‘we had so much fun designing the triptych – the Lemongrass suite had been inspired from Raymond’s trip to Malaysia and he wanted me to depict the rice fields he had seen on his travels. Raymond loves the art deco period so the painting was designed in a modern art deco style’.
