BIOGRAPHY

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Jo started working in the Live Events industry at the tender age of 16 learning to do lights at the famed Pink Toothbrush Club in Essex. Over just a few months she moved from club nights to live acts and was then asked by the visiting bands to tour with them for PDs. Her work as a lighting designer led to regular touring as LD for the up and coming bands of the then new indie scene and grunge bands from Seattle. 

Her creativity with light came from always having a love for the music she was responding to and the fact that she sees music in colour, shape and form, almost like a type of synesthesia. She was the youngest person in the world and the first woman to train on the LSD IKON, and worked across the world designing and operating lights and eventually all aspects of production for the first six years of her career. Towards the end of this period, she moved into Production and Tour Managing before returning to study and qualify as a Professional Youth and Community Worker.    
From Divas to DIvas...

After the birth of her first child, Joanna spent time working as a Professional Youth and Community Worker; teaching, educating and empowering young people  to learn and develop and, in some circumstances, re-engage with the world. Using the Arts and Music as a tools to empower change in the lives of young people, her projects won awards and she was asked to sit on national bodies to develop future working practices.  Her greatest gift from this time was being told that she had inspired others to want to create change in the lives of others. That accolade is in itself a priceless gem.

During her time working in the public and third sector Joanna worked with many "hard to reach" young people and established funded and award winning education programmes to reengage young people and adults back into education and training. One notable project involved building a straw bale building with volunteers – this space became  a new sustainable education and training centre for the organisation.

The return of The Lady with the Lamp ...

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In 2001, Joanna returned to the Live Events Industry and began to reconnect with Lighting and Set Design. Her background in project management and resilient attitude meant she was asked to Crew Chief some large shows, and the invitation to be the resident LD at the sadly now closed Ocean venue in Hackney. Following this she was asked by the Beta Band to Production Design their shows and remained with them until she left the Live Music Industry again to have her second child in 2004.

Joanna has designed and managed multiple corporate events,  as an event designer, stylist, floral designer and producer. In more recent times she has moved more into the field of Production Managing mainly for large scale outdoor events. At present she is working on designs for Jubilant Productions and Principal Girl as well as established collaborations with Kristina Train and Caroline Smith. She continues to develop a large-scale installation pieces, using light and space. 

Its all about inspiring..

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Joanna is a keen advocate of Women in the Live Events Industry and serves on the steering committee for Women in Stage Entertainment. She is currently working with colleagues to ensure that WiSE has an increased presence in the global arena. 

Joanna is a University Lecturer in Concept Design and Live Event Planning. She also creates the Quality Assurance plans for Industrial Placements to ensure the next generation meet the high standards of the current practitioners. She has recently returned to University to further her knowledge in Art and the Environment.

Joanna splits her life between being the creative driving force behind both the education and creative aspects of her career for others as well as leading her team to make great ideas a reality via her companies naturespacecreative. and HartleO'Hare.

This is based from the movable studio  naturespacecreative seeks to empower responses to environment through the Arts and Education, its portfolio of work includes solo pieces as well as the development and production of unique and memorable events  with its  central aims of engagement and change making as the cornerstones. 

Joanna’s special qualities are her tireless enthusiasm for ideas, finding ways to make things happen, her passion for educating and inspiring, an ability to bend time, being a dynamic and creative thinker on many levels and her ability to dispel tension with compassion.
She is an avid tea drinker and loves The West Wing.
Jo is a Mom to 3 + 2  children 25, 21, 18, 15, 13 and lives in Benfleet Essex with her creative and life partner Brendan O'Hare. They have 3 cats and a rather lovely old van that takes them on adventures.