Name: Jo Keeley
Nickname: Jo
Occupation:
Job 1) Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Technician
Job 2) Receptionist in the Physio Dept at Worcester Hospital
Job 3) Artist
Funniest Moment:
Usually with Emma, my daughter! Or with George the dog… The last funny moment was when I dropped Emma off near to 6th Form on her first week and just drove off to work. Didn't look back... And she had fallen over on her face! People stopped and asked if she was okay, not quite believing that I just drove off and left her with a red face and sore knee! When she told me I couldn't help myself but laugh, it was hysterically funny to me but possibly not to others!
Scariest Moment:
Starting a new job of which I had to be trained to become competent at, as well as starting an MA in Fine Art at the same time!
Biggest Fear:
Failure, I absolutely hate failing. Failure has affected my career; being unable to gain a GCSE in Maths has stopped me going forward in any career, I failed 5 times… So that is my all-consuming fear.
Favourite Artist:
Not the easiest of questions because favourite artist is dependent on different aspects. Frida Kahlo is an incredible painter of suffering and survival, but Jenny Saville’s application of paint is sublime! There’s Francis Bacon’s work of aggression and sexual angst and excess, and Grayson Perry’s take on humanity. Sorry, for me ‘favourite artist’ has to be fractured into different aspects!
About you:
Single Mum and dog owner. I work in two jobs that add up to full time hours. I paint in mismatched pyjamas in the evening in my studio/office/bedroom! There is paint stains all over the house. I enjoy wine and food.
I am short and dumpy and dream of being 5 foot 4 inches and a size 8. Being short is frustrating as it’s difficult to tell your child that you are the adult when they are looking down on you. Growth has tended to be outwards not upwards! Have I mentioned that I enjoy wine? Which adds to the weight gain… so the dream of a size 8 is realistically staying a dream!
I attempt to walk the dog once a day, but Friday is the one day of the week where George is denied a walk as that is my one night without Emma and George. I race home from work, grab the wine from the local store, grab some food and then race to studio/office/bedroom to throw off the shackles of the working week and tumble into the mismatched pyjamas and get the paints out for a really lengthy painting session!
My attempts of being a parent are haphazard at best. No instructions popped out at the same time as the baby did, this is where God didn’t think the parenting thing through properly. I enjoy Emma’s teenage years as her way of dealing with any issues is to be quiet and withdrawn… until about 10.30 at night and then she comes into my bedroom and throws herself on my bed and vents. These interactions are on the whole very entertaining and once she has vented she is usually fine. I am exhausted, but content in the knowledge that she is feeling happier. Here is an example of one of Emma’s rants… on this particular day she had burst into tears at dinner and sprayed food everywhere! So I did think that that evening I would not have another trauma… I was so wrong
Conversation regarding Career choices:
Emma: OMG!! My life is over! I am just going to have to become a prostitute, there is no choice!!
Me: Sooo...No University? Just prostitution... Ummmm..
Emma: OMG!! Is there nothing you want to say!!!
Me: I have always said I would support in your choices in life, always! Therefore if you feel that your career path is prostitution... well... I can buy your first Red Bulb!!!
Emma: You are no support!!! And no parent would say that only you!!!
2 Hours later...
Emma: I have been looking at Universities!!
Me: Oh... So no prostitution!?! Well weighing right side Prostitution... Left side University....No contest Love!! Uni it is!!!!!!!!
This is just one of many examples.
I will be so so glad when these exams are over.
I also suffer from depression. This is frustrating as I struggle to function and at the darker moments I struggle to paint, but depression doesn’t define me. I hate being middle-aged and having to wear glasses; not being able to read anything without having to put the blasted things on drives me nuts! When you get to your forties having to wear makeup everyday just to look vaguely alive is just plain unfair.
I am also a drama queen. I hate meeting new people as I don’t have any confidence, and my home is rarely tidy. I do try, but I think I have seriously pissed off the housework fairies because they never ever visit… actually I think George (Dog) has eaten them all!
How did you get into art?:
I failed my Art GCSE and when I attempted to go to Art College I got turned down 3 times. Due to this, it wasn’t until I was 28 years old that I decided to try again properly. I had always dabbled but never succeeded to go further. Husband had left me with a gorgeous 14 month old baby. I did a 2 day life study course and I loved it! Once again I applied to College… And I got in to do a BTEC in Art and Design, which was hard to juggle. During this time I meet an artist called Bill Talbot. The first time I met him he was involved in a community exhibition in Ticehurst and I went to meet this amazing artist. As I walked into the hall, I realised my period had started (whilst wearing white trousers!). I rushed over to this chap and introduced myself, waffled at him at 90mph, escaped within 20 mins and left him stunned by this mad, red faced woman who sounded like she had taken speed! It took me another month to pluck up the courage to go over to his studio. Luckily, we became great friends. He taught me to paint in oils and then love of painting really blossomed for me.
I used to go over to Bill’s studio whenever I could. He just let me use his paints and brushes and canvases. He also lent me books, this was a wonderful haven for me. One day I went into his studio and there was this huge pot of brushes. Bill explained to me that the formal way, or rather proper way, of using brushes was something I could not grasp at all. So, he had gone out and bought me a huge set of brushes! I have never been allowed to touch any of his brushes again. The way I apply the paint goes against all the laws of painting, so all brushes are ruined within minutes of me using them.
Anything else:
I originally lived in Heathfield, East Sussex. I moved to Worcester about 10 years ago to make a fresh start. I was lucky enough to be accepted to do a degree at Worcester University of which I gained a 2.1. I was then accepted to do a MA in Fine Art through the Open College of the Arts, an online correspondence course, which took 4 years to complete and that finished in November 2014.
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