Hi, I’m Joyanna Margo, an abstract floral painter from Maine.
I was raised to follow rules and distrust my heart—creativity was fine, as long as it stayed in the kitchen. For years, cooking was my safe, acceptable art form.
Then, in my thirties, I allowed myself to paint—and not just tentatively, but freely. Painting from the heart was like coloring outside the lines. It was healing then and is every time I step into the studio.
My art education is through elective classes, books, demos, museum visits, and a lot of painting: discovering what works, what parts I love, and what parts to paint over.
I paint primarily with acrylics for their speedy dry time between layers, sometimes incorporating paper, charcoal, and other water-soluble media.
My style emerged as abstract florals with crisp white negative space. To create an abstract floral, I open up and create wild yet balanced compositions. Then I carve out flowers with negative space, lifting each bloom into clarity and giving it room to breathe. When I add stems, the flowers become part of a whole.
When people see beyond the joy my work conveys, I want them to feel a connection with the natural world and their inner world, a sense of clarity and connectedness.
My first solo show was in Rockport in 2018. Since then, hundreds of my original paintings have gone home with collectors near and far. I also lead occasional workshops—fun opportunities to play with paint. Stay tuned for details!
