Joanna is a true Phenomenal Woman. She is storyteller, poet, photographer, actress, arts activist, teacher, jewelry and ornament maker, web designer and host, and friend. She has been a bridge between cultures, disciplines, and economic communities in the Shreveport-Bossier area for as long as I have known her (maybe 5 yrs). She has many credits in her portfolio (perhaps she'll send us a list of plays she has performed in - and other events she has participated in) and it is our honor to have her here on the site. TopCat
Words and their origins, textures, sounds, and symbols have always fascinated me. I was making up songs and stories, even before I could read and write, as well as questioning where words came from and why and how people, places, and things got their names. I have always been fascinated by color, especially the vibrant colors around me in Northwest Louisiana. Until the internet came along, I was never satisfied with what came out of my hands onto the page with drawing and traditional art the "stories" never came out quite right.
The internet combined with my photography has given me free range with blending my words with sight and sound (spoken word and music) in an exciting way to share my "stories". I had never considered taking them away from the web and blending them for display till a few years ago. I am constantly exploring and experimenting, so there is no telling where my imagination and creativity will take me and my "stories"!
As far as oral storytelling goes, people and their stories have always intrigued me. I agree with Mark Twain who said "There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy and a tragedy." I love listening and learning from others of life and in particular their own stories which often find their way dressed up and rearranged in my oral storytelling art.
Words, sounds and color, to me, are exciting mysterious and challenging in any medium! I enjoy exploring and sharing my "stories" in many avenues to a wide and varied audience.
