Tuesday 8 November 2022

 I'm very pleased and delighted to have been invited to exhibit with artists Edori Fertig and Gill Day, at the Jeannie Avent Gallery in East Dulwich.


If you remember Two Bananas at The Copper Beech Cafe, you might like Three Bananas at Jeannie Avent!

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It opens this Thursday November 10th, and runs for 2 weeks - ending on November 22nd. I look forward to seeing you there!


In other news, my work with Wave Cafe is coming to an end. My last Thursdays over at Wave in Muswell Hill will be on December 1st and January 5th. I hope to see you at the art table, where we'll be exploring mono printing. I'll be there between 11am and 2pm: 

Sunday 16 October 2022

 Dear friends,


Autumn is upon us! And what chaos it brings. If you want to see some art that addresses the current and historical political situation as well as lovely work inspired by nature, please join me at the opening party for Topical Trio, at The Hill Station Cafe Gallery, Kitto Road, SE14, on October 30th.

I'm very happy to be involved in this exhibition, with my dear friends and colleagues Dick Graham and Frances Greville. Here's the flyer:

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Here's the location:

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And here are the artists:

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The opening party will be on Sunday October 30th, 4-7pm with drinks, nibbles, a live singing performance from me, and piano accompaniment from Martha.

See you there!

In other news, my good friend and fellow artist Kimbal Bumstead and I have been sharing sounds, and he and his partner Eli have put some of them into a beautiful soundscape that was part of a drawing performance art piece that took place up North last month. You can listen to it here:


If you take drawing classes with me you might spot your own sounds of stippling, which I recorded during a drawing focus class earlier in the year. Enjoy!

Kimbal is showing at The Other Art Fair this weekend, stand 88 - it finishes at 6pm today, if you have time do pop by!



Thursday 29 September 2022

 Hi everyone!


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If you're at a loose end this Friday 30th of September, and you're looking for some excitement please join me and inspirall artists Nicole Mollet, Frog Morris, Mikey Georgeson and Sarah Sparkes for a mash up medley of our Sleepwalkers Guide to Deptford, first aired in February as part of Lewisham London Borough of Culture's events, We Are Lewisham. The walk is donation based, please go here to book:


Also booking now is my next life drawing all day class for Adult Learning Lewisham, on Saturday October 8th, 10am - 3.30pm. It's a hybrid class, costs around 40 quid and there are half price tickets for those eligible for concessions. There are plenty of online spaces available, but very few in person spots left:

To book an IN PERSON place please go here:


To book an ONLINE place please go here:


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I very much look forward to seeing you somewhere soon!

Best wishes - Jo

Thursday 7 July 2022

Dear everyone,

Summer is upon us at last! But you don't have to miss out on your art fun or art courses

I'm exhibiting in East Sussex this month and also teaching lots of summer school one day classes for Adult Learning Lewisham. 

I'll also be teaching an independent one off Exploring Creativity class at the end of July, before a break in August. 

The courses I'm teaching at Adult Learning Lewisham from September will be live to book tomorrow! 

And this Tuesday there's a final 5 week life drawing online before the summer break. This is an independent class that I run via zoom:


To book a place or find out more send an email to me vox@joart.info - you can also join mid way through the course, or take one or two sessions at a reduced rate, let me know if you'd like to arrange that.



My other private class is a one off Exploring Creativity class that will take place on July 26th, 10am - 1pm on zoom. We'll explore the work of UK based contemporary abstract artist Dragomir Misina. The cost is pay what you can, maximum £35, minimum £10. Please email me for more details.

Booking for September classes at AdultLearning Lewisham opens tomorrow, Monday 27th of July. Courses I'll be teaching there include Wednesday evening life drawing and painting, Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening drawing and personal projects, Friday morning studio time and Friday afternoon Watercolour Made Easy, as well as a variety of Super Art Saturdays and Life Drawing all dayers one Saturday every month. There's loads to choose from, so head over to the website to have a look! 


But you don't have to wait until September to try something new, because my one day summer courses for Adult Learning Lewisham are happening in July! Please find details below. The summer courses are all in person only, and most still have a few places available. To find out more or book a place, please follow the link under each poster.















Other one day classes available in July are my Life Drawing All Day hybrid class  - July 16th: Enjoy a full days figure drawing! In the morning session we'll explore different techniques for gestural drawing , blind contour drawing, opposite hand and action drawing. Loosening up with a series short poses and working to music, we'll build up to a very long pose in the afternoon





And Super Art Saturday - monoprinting, July 9th: Become a super artist! Have super fun trying out a range of different techniques for drawing and painting. With a variety of practical exercises and technical information, this fun day will help you unleash your creativity and build confidence for making a range of artworks using different mediums.This course will give you the opportunity to try out a variety of methods for using monoprinting techniques, including additive, subtractive, chine collet and mixed media.:


I have a monoprint on display in the Sea Creatures exhibition in Hastings:
SEA CREATURES!

A Mind Your Head Seaside Special Exhibition 

Venue: Zuzushii Art Laboratory  26 White Rock  Hastings  East Sussex  TN34 1JY
Artists, Performers and Deep-sea Divas:

Caroline Gregory / Fumico Azuma / Frog Morris / Good For Nothing Poet / Joanna McCormick 

Jude Montague / Julia Maddison / Mikey Georgeson / Miyuki Kasahara / Monika Tobel  
Montague Armstrong / Nicole Mollett / Paola De Ramos / Sarah Doyle / Sarah Sparkes / Sparkes & Thompson / Spruce Monkscyth / Tim Can / Venetia Nevill 

To find out more click the link here:

https://hastingsonlinetimes.co.uk/arts-culture/arts-news/mind-your-head-live-art-cabaret-seaside-special

Tuesday 26 April 2022

 Hi everyone,


Best wishes to you from sunny cold London!

I'm very happy to have been selected for Harts Lane's 10th anniversary exhibition The Way We Rise. It's at: 
17 Hart's Lane 
New Cross Gate 
London SE14 5UP 







The exhibition runs all week, in the afternoons from 2-7pm, until May 1st, exhibiting 50 women and female identifying artists with links to SE14. 
My piece Smash the Patriarchy is a homage to The Guerilla Girls. It's mixed media, including gold leaf on a wooden panel. I used wheatpaste to stick the prints of my self portrait on top, using the same recipe that Guerilla Girls use for their posters.
This is a fantastic exhibition! With:
Nadina Ali
Stefanie Allen
Cash Aspeek
Janet Barfield
Dagmara Bilon
Karen Bryne
Sara Carlyle
Nachael Catnott
Honour Cicley
Jane Dabate
Linda Dodd
Anna Dopke
Giulia Fassone
Julia Fernandes
Esther Frouchtman
Victoria Gill
Bijou Gregory
Charlotte Grocutt
Anna III
Mia Leech
Abigail Hammond
Molly Hankinson
Lily Hargreaves
Livia Harper
Niki Keep
Victoria King
Eloise Knight
Marina Kroyer
Larissa Latham
Megan Lim
Rachel Lonsdale
Katrina lyne-Watt
JJane MacKenzie
Rasa Mateviciute
Joanna McCormick
Venetta Nicole
Taryn O'Reilly
Shamina Peerboccus
Dagne petraityte
Qianhui Sun
Gill Roth
Tomilyn Rupert
Oie Slate
Katie Surridge
Jinia Tasnin
Lucie Turon
Iris Xu
Tisna Westerhof
Beth Carter Woodhouse

There are places still available for the following in person courses that I'm teaching at Brockley Rise for Adult Learning Lewisham:

Life drawing and painting - summer evenings 10 week course APP55BR Wednesdays 7.30-9.30pm. Go here to book:


On the Drawing Made Easy 5 week course you'll learn lots of fab drawing techniques on Thursdays 5-7pm APP0131BR.
To book that one please follow this link:



There's also an all day life drawing class on Saturday May 7th, 10.30am - 3.30pm - it's a hybrid class. For in person in the classroom at Brockley Rise please use the code APP0080BR and for the online zoom version it's APP0080OL. To book go here and scroll down:




My Exploring Creativity online zoom class  Tuesdays 10am - 1pm starts up again on May 10th, with ten weeks of exciting artists to explore, including contemporary artist Jason Rose, Aida the robot, Poussin, Maurice Wade and more...To book a place and for more details please email me at this address: vox@joart.info





And my next 5 week independent life drawing online zoom class runs from May 17th - June 14th. This term we have an outdoor theme, with flowers from model Sarah, beach scenes with Luigi and rooftop views with Ian:




My work at Wave continues on Thursdays during the day, and last week I ran a special cushion making workshop in the evening, which was lots of fun!





I hope you are all fine and dandy, and I hope to see you soon!

With love and best wishes - Jo

Sunday 3 April 2022

 Hi everyone!


Hi Everyone!

I hope you're all okay. 

I've been very busy hanging my show with fellow artist Edori Fertig, and it's up and ready! it's at The Copper Beech Cafeoff the beaten track on Red Post Hill in North Dulwich, adjacent to Jags Sports Club, SE24 9JN. Come and have a swim, eat some crisps and look at our delightful works of art (even if I do say so myself)... 
After much deliberation we went for an organic cluster hang, if you don't know what that is then come and see! The opening party will be on Wednesday, April 6th, 7-9pm ðŸ˜ŠðŸ˜ŠðŸ˜Š
Exhibition runs until April 27th. 
I loved working with Edori on this show. It's always so much fun collaborating on curation, which for me is as much an intuitive artistic creative process as making the artwork is.
We found so much serendipity in our work and explored these in the hang, through matching colour combinations, theme affinities and opposite shapes.
Don't forget to come to the opening on Wednesday 7-9pm. There's lots of outdoor space so we're hoping for fine weather, and our snacks will be covid safe!

This month I'm also showing some work at The Green Community Centre in Nunhead, on Sunday April 10th:




Teaching a hybrid life drawing class for Adult Learning Lewisham on Saturday April 9th - find out more and book here:

And my five week online zoom life class starts running again from this Tuesday 4-6pm - email me if you'd like to join:




I'm also facilitating a sewing art evening event for Wave Cafe over in Muswell Hill on April 21st in the evening:


In other news I was super excited to see Kiss Me Quick on the telly! 


On Grayson's Artclub, Channel 4, my live art interaction Kiss Me Quick was featured for the theme of Love. Go here to watch:


Finally, I don't normally promote petitions much, but this is one that's very close to my heart, if you'd like to sign:


Sunday 20 March 2022

 

I'm super happy and delighted to be having my first exhibition of the year! The opening party takes place on Wednesday April 6th from 7-9pm, and I really hope you can come!

It's at The Copper Beech Cafe, a lovely little cafe off the beaten track near Jags Sport Club on Red Post Hill in North Dulwich. The exhibition is on from April 1st - 27th. I'm curating the space with my friend and fellow artist Edori Fertig. We're showing still life works in watercolour, acrylic, monoprint, collage and pastel, as well as my large scale oil paintings.

I'm going to donate 10 per cent of any sales I make to the charity Depaul International who are helping people in Ukraine, to find out more information or make a donation please go here:


Here's some info on the exhibition:

TWO BANANAS
Two Bananas brings together the work of South East London artists Edori Fertig and Jo McCormick. The exhibition reflects the fascination with still life that both artists developed while working at the kitchen table over recent months. The works, in watercolour, pastel, collage, monoprint and acrylic explore a sense of pause, and describe this time spent at home with vibrancy and hope. Also on show are Jo's large scale oil paintings in the style of psychedelic Victoriana.

Edori Fertig is a visual artist, local art teacher, founding member of the Skip Sisters and singer for Deptford Wives. Her passion for collecting unusual and often overlooked objects from humble sources features in her still life paintings and collages. Her use of pattern and bright colour gives the images a surreal quality, with layered and cubist inspired perspectives.

Jo McCormick is a professional fine artist with over 30 years' experience. An interdisciplinary artist working across media from painting in oils and watercolour to live art and performance, Jo teaches art both independently and for organisations such as Adult Learning Lewisham. Through her fascination with colour theory Jo explores everyday and historical subject matter through simplification and texture, using bright scumbling, loose layered and impasto brushwork, wax resist, drawing, and hand made stencils.

Monday 7 February 2022

 Hello everyone,


I hope you're all keeping well and looking forward to spring as much as I am!

I've got lots of exciting things to tell you about, so this is going to be a long one...

First up, I'm delighted to be involved with Lewisham London Borough of Culture, We Are Lewisham. 

I'm working with Inspiral London and fellow artist Sarah Sparkes to deliver Love Around The Mulbery Tree, an artist led walk taking place next Monday - Feb. 14th - Valentine's Day - in Deptford in the evening. 

There's going to be singing, moths, mulberry tree lanterns, shadow puppets, historical anecdotes and more! We're meeting outside Little Nan's Bar near Deptford station SE8 4BX, and setting off at 6pm for a walk that'll last approximately 2 hours. But don't worry, we'll be stopping off for refreshments along the way! 

This is the first of a set of three walks. You can also join Frog Morris and Nicole Mollett for a Nautical Twighlight Tour on Feb. 17th, and Mikey Georgeson will be leading The Sleepwalker Guide to Deptford on Feb. 18th. 

All the walks are free, here's more information and links to book:


Sleepwalking the City: rewalking Inspirallondon 2022  Walking together, commonal action & shared on the ground mapping
Sleepwalker's Guide to Deptford 14-18 February
Join us outside Little Nan’s Bar by Deptford Railway Station from 5.30pm, to depart at 6pm on one of our 3 free unique tours: Walks will last approximately 1.5/2 hours including stops along the way. You are welcome to join us for as little or as long as you wish. Please bring warm waterproof clothing suitable for the February weather. Meet Little Nans Bar, by Deptford Station exit, SE8 4BZ
Feb 14th Love Around the Mulberry Tree - Shadow Puppets, lanterns and Love in the Air, led by Joanna McCormick and Sarah Sparkes: a dream-like magical mystery tour, illuminated by twinkling lights, shadow puppets and ethereal musical wonders. Sarah and Jo will whisk you away, down the hidden passage ways and back alleys of Deptford, in search of the mighty Thames. Uncover a magical dream land, peopled by a host of historical characters and events. Sign up Ticket
Feb 17th The Nautical Twilight Tour - you can witness spectres, monsters and all manner of otherworldly scenes appear from the darkness. For this unique perambulation Nicole Mollett and Frog Morris will take their Magic Lanterns out into the streets after dark to project an extraordinary collection of hand-painted imagery onto the walls and building of Deptford. Sign up Ticket
Feb 18th For Sleepwalker's Guide to Deptford you are invited to take part in a trance-forming ritual, animating the temporal substance of Deptford High Street and out beyond. Our sleepwalk begins with an introduction from Professor Tony Sampson author of A Sleep Walkers Guide to Social-media and concludes with exclusive trial encounters with Mount Analogue’s Lucia No. 03 hypnogogic light machine. Sign up Ticket
Supported by Lewisham and InspiralLondon Associate Artists and CIC




I'm also very happy to be involved with Illuminate Rotherhithe, free lantern making workshops in February, and a giant parade in March. More information can be found here:


I've got lots of lovely new courses planned for you, some independent and some for Adult Learning Lewisham, starting after half term.

My independent classes will be up and running again from Feb. 22nd. On Tuesdays you can choose from Exploring Creativity in the morning - 10 weeks from 10am - 1pm, or 5 weeks Life Drawing in the afternoon 4-6pm.

Exploring Creativity is run as a drop in, pay what you can. Attend all 10 weeks or 1 or 2 - as many as you like it's up to you! Just let me know.

It's pay what you can, minimum £5 per session, maximum £25 per session, or anything in between. Payable via sumup, paypal, bank transfer, or cash by arrangement. Or you can support me on Patreon - more about that later!

We'll be exploring lots of interesting and exciting artists, with a little bit of art history in the first hour, followed by a practical session after the tea break. If you don't want to attend the zoom sessions you can opt for the virtual version, where I email you all the information every Sunday, and a link to access a video of the demo each week on a Tuesday afternoon, for £35 all in. 

Here's the timetable:
EXPLORING CREATIVITY Early Spring 2022

Tuesdays 10am – 1pm

February 22nd – April 26th


Week 1 – Feb. 22nd - Comte Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse Lautrec Monfa – Paris’s colourful and theatrical life


Week 2 March 1st Constable and the weather. Oils, graphite and watercolour


Week 3 – March 8th – Wilhelmina Barnes – Graham – Abstraction at Saint Ives


Week 4 – March 15th – Hope Gangloff – Contemporary figurative colourful pop


Week 5 – March 22nd – Guerilla Girls – Radical feminist artists


Week 6 - March 29th – Helen Saunders and Vorticism


Week 7 – April 5th – George Suerat and Pointilism


Week 8 – April 12th – Marla Varner and quilting


Week 9 – April 19th – Bice Lazzari – exquisite, tranquil abstraction


Week 10 – April 26th – Caspar David Friedrich – Sublime landscapes

Next, my life drawing online is a five week course, run via zoom on Tuesdays 4-6pm. I've got some amazing models and interesting themes lined up!

The cost is £75 full price, £40 concessions. Please get in touch if you'd like to attend: 



In more indie classes there will be three Art and Poetry sessions online on Wednesdays in March. We read and discuss a poem and then I guide you through making a piece of art inspired by the poem. Sessions last an hour and suggested donation is £5 per class:






For Adult Learning Lewisham at the Brockley Rise Centre I'll be running an in person 2 hour life drawing class on Wednesdays, 5-7pm. It's aimed at beginners, but those with experience are also very welcome to attend! Find out more and book here:


Also for ALL I'll be running an online Explore Colour course - Wednesday 12.30 - 2.30pm, and a five week in person drawing course - Thursdays 5-7pm:



Places are also still available for my Super Art Saturday Impressionism course, Saturday Feb. 26th, 10am - 3.30pm:


My work with Wave Cafe over in Muswell Hill continues on Thursdays - I'll be at the United Reform Church on Queen's Avenue N10 from 11am - 3pm. There's inclusive yoga with Claire at 11am, lots of tea and cake on sale and a lovely hearty value lunch at 12.30.

In the art room we're continuing with the community banner during February, and then in March we'll explore printing techniques. Here are some pictures of details from our lovely banner so far:











More information about Wave Cafe can be found here:


And finally, I'm launching a Patreon page! There are lots of different ways you can support my creative endeavors, by signing up to give me £2 per month, or £250! You'll get the choice of access to lots of unique content, artwork to download, art surprises sent to you in the post, access to my independent classes, merchandise including a lovely mug and tote bag, and more! Take a look by going here:


So, that's all folks! Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter, I hope to see you again soon.

With love and best wishes - Jo