I am Little Jo and I am a self taught artist from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.
I have always loved art and creating since I was a child, and started my artistic career in 2004 when I landed a job in a Tattoo studio in town, with a view to becoming the apprentice. I worked there for 11 years as the receptionist and body piercer, and designed and drew up custom tattoo designs and cover ups. In 2015 I decided it was time to pursue my own artistic path after discovering a love of drawing portraits which lead to me taking commissions.
Old keys started to creep into my artwork in 2015, and became the main focus of my artwork at the start of 2020 just before the pandemic hit. My love and fascination of old keys comes from my childhood, and the memories of the homes and town I grew up in. The keys for me, also serve as a powerful symbol for unlocking ones authenticity, passions, purpose, and true unique self, and I express this by sharing my own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs from my life experiences and what I have learned from them.
Exploring my love of old keys through my artwork has also re-opened up and deepened my spirituality along the way, as in the process I have unlocked and rediscovered my own authenticity and expression, and that has led me back to working with crystals again, learning about sacred geometry, divination and re-invoking my interest in astrology which I am also studying further, all of which is helping to strengthen my intuitive abilities, and that has opened up the artwork to even more purpose and meaning, gradually developing into offering personalised key artwork and readings.
Alot of what inspires my work is very much related to the historical market town I grew up in and the quirky old Victorian house in which I spent my earliest years. This is where I first discovered and fell in love with the magic and symbolism of old keys. The history of my home felt magical and mysterious to me, and it sparked my imagination as I seemed to live in my own little world. The later part of my childhood, teens and 20’s was spent growing up in the village of Rede in the heart of the south Suffolk countryside. It was here that I fell in love with walking and being in nature, Keys began to re-appear to me starting in the form of a flatlay display on the wall of the village pub, and I was given my first art studio in the village hall. I have recently discovered a number of synchronicities, and connections related to the village, myself, keys and my family tree since I have been on this path, and I like to get back to this area as much as I can as it feels very significant to who I am and what I am creating. This connection, love and nostalgia has helped to inspire my creativity, healing, evolution and growth, and create the thread that runs through my artwork.
Positive mindset, mental and emotional well-being, embracing your authenticity and following your own truth is something I feel very passionate about. Through my artwork, and sharing my own journey and what I have experienced and learned, I offer my own feelings and perspective with the intention of encouraging and inspiring a more positive understanding of our own emotions and feelings with those who feel drawn to it, and the importance of embracing our uniqueness and authenticity. I share these on my online platforms on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, in the form of musings, painting videos and photo blog posts.
Over the years I have spoken about my artwork on Radio shows, The Midweek Morning Show with Adrian Copping on RWSfm, BBC Upload with Sophie Little on BBC Radio Suffolk and Norfolk, and Women Making Waves on Cambridge 105 Radio. I have also had featured interviews in the Cambridge Independent, Bury Free Press, East Anglian Daily Times newspapers, and Velvet Magazine, and I hope to share more on more platforms as I continue along this path, which is unfolding in front of me as I walk it.
Artist Statement
As an artist, my mission is to inspire people to unlock their true uniqueness and authenticity, and love who they are through the symbolism of old keys, by promoting a positive mindset, emotional and mental well-being practices, and the courage to move beyond fear and self-doubt so that they can remember and discover who they truly are, what they love, and nurture their self-worth, so that they can confidently share their unique self and gifts with the world.
By honestly expressing my own journey and truth through my artwork, I hope to encourage others to release limiting beliefs, embrace their authenticity, and follow their own path. To me, keys symbolise unlocking not only doors, but our own potential and who we are. I believe we are both the lock and the key, and that by learning to love, value, and believe in ourselves, we can grow beyond fear and comfort zones into the best version and the highest expression of who we truly are.
My work is a reminder that each of us holds the key to unlocking our own magic, purpose, and fulfilment through what we love. Keys can also represent the choices available to us, the doors we choose to open on our journey of personal growth, self-discovery and opportunity.
I believe we all deserve to live a life we desire and love that feels true and fulfilling. Through my art, I hope to remind people to trust and believe in that, rather than feeling like they have to follow paths shaped by others’ expectations. By sharing both the positive and not so positive parts of my experience, I would love to inspire others to step out of fear-based mindsets and into a life of confidence, abundance, authenticity, and happiness. When we fully and fearlessly express who we are, we step into a space of love and possibility, where we can grow, thrive, and positively impact the people and the world around us.