As Seen On : Joanne Barnes
Joanne Barnes has an effortlessness about her, an ease, a je ne sais quoi. Whether it is how she dresses and styles herself for the day, or how she is quick with a smile and a kind word, or how she crunches number as treasurer for the Amesbury Cultural Council, Joanne evokes a sense of quiet calm, confidence + charisma that is hard not to notice, and is a joy to witness.
Joanne and I first officially met in my studio years ago, first during Open Studios, and later, when her husband gifted her an Intro to Encaustic Painting workshop for her Christmas present. Since then, our paths have woven together creating a braided bond with our love of art, our love of creating, and our love of living in and building up our Amesbury community. We have always circled each other in the Amesbury art scene, have worked together at Our Neighbor’s Table, where I was an in-office volunteer and she was the accountant, and now we are both on the Amesbury Cultural Council, Joanne relieving me of my duties as (gulp) treasurer (whew!).
A couple of months ago, we ran into each other downtown. I had been developing my new jewelry collection and I needed some help testing out some designs. When I spotted Joanne sitting outside of the Bakehouse, I thought “perfect!” and took the necklaces from off my neck and put them on hers. She thought I was doing her a favor by giving her jewelry in return for honest feedback, but really, the favor was for me; this stylish, gorgeous, loveliest of humans walking around town wearing my designs…Oui s'il vous plait!
-amy
Joanne, please tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in Boston and have lived in and around Boston my whole life. Fortunately I have done quite a bit of traveling to compensate for never moving out of this area! My husband and I settled in Newburyport in 1990, started a business a few years later and eventually opened a second business in Amesbury. After renovating our building in Amesbury to include a fab loft-like apartment, resale shop and art gallery for pop up art shows, we decided to make the move across the river. We watched Newburyport grow into a city that people wanted to visit and were fortunate to have a front row seat as Amesbury matured into a city that really embraced its artist and creative community. It is amazing to see how quickly Amesbury has become a hub of shops, restaurants, breweries and more…definitely a place for those to visit but more importantly to be enjoyed by all who live here.
What has your path as an artist/maker been like? What are your favorite mediums/subjects?
I have done needlepoint stitching for many years as a way of fitting creativity into my busy life. It’s definitely still a part of my life, but with a little more time now, I have the opportunity to explore and play in so many other mediums–collage, inks and acrylics, encaustic–and still add some stitching to my work when the mood strikes!
How was creativity + self expression fostered for you? How does it mark your life now?
I was always crafty–I remember how I was super excited when my mom and grandmother bought me my first sewing machine–I was off and running making quilts, accessories, kids costumes and all kinds of home stuff. Now I feel more focused on channeling my creativity in painting, although I do not consider myself an artist–I do consider myself a creative. My family has always been very encouraging & supportive, and they definitely push me to get out of my comfort zone!
I know you are a bit of a left-brain/right-brain gal - mathy and artsy! Can you tell us about how these two interests (skills/strengths) have influenced your life + career?
My least favorite subject as a kid was math, so it is so funny to think of myself as mathy, but the skills I developed out of college have served me well! Everything has its place in finance and accounting, and I do like that predictability for sure. My husband, sculptor Stephen Martin and I had a design/furniture business in Newburyport called Ashley & Barnes, and that was a perfect way for me to combine my creative and business strengths into my everyday work! It was a great experience–hard work–but we did have an amazing business for almost 20 years!
You also live in Amesbury, Massachusetts. What do you love about living in Amesbury?
I love living close enough to walk downtown and enjoy all that our downtown has to offer–coffee, breweries, restaurants, art and a community of business people with great shops. It is so wonderful to be able to find most of what I need right in this city. Who can say that about their community today? I love it…
You and Amy are both on the Amesbury Cultural Council…What do you enjoy about being on the board of the ACC? What are some of your favorite projects/programs to work on?
I enjoy watching this city grow in a direction that is so supportive of creatives–the public art projects, the Wave Mural and other painted murals in our town are the visible signs of some of what we are doing on the council, but behind the scenes there is a vibrant community of creatives supporting each other. The Cultural Center that we manage for the city is now officially open and another exciting part of what the council has accomplished.
Members of the ACC along with Amesbury Mayor Kassandra Gove at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the newly renovated Cultural Center
Are there any upcoming events/happenings that you would like to share with us?
The summer has been full of great events in Amesbury! Our next big event for the Cultural Council will be Open Studios. This has always been a favorite of mine, and this year we will be celebrating the 3oth anniversary! It just keeps getting better every year!
How did you and Amy come to know each other? Do you remember the first connection or your first meeting?
We first met in her wonderful studio. I love her jewelry and purchased a pair of earrings for myself and a gift for a friend at an Open Studios event. I later took some encaustic classes with Amy–she is an amazing teacher, kind and so incredibly open to sharing what she has learned through her own art.
How have your paths woven together since first meeting.
We are both on the Amesbury Cultural Council, so we have a really good reason to see each other more often at meetings and events around the city. And of course, I love her jewelry, adding pieces to my little growing collection and supporting her business by encouraging others to do the same!
How do you continue to support + champion each other to this day?
I enjoy being involved in the community and encouraging others to embrace their creativity, and I feel Amy is such a big supporter of the same!
What piece/pieces of Amy’s jewelry line do you wear?
I have a few of Amy’s pieces that I wear daily. Last year, my husband bought me the most wonderful pair of Lucie Dangles from her Sincera Collection for our anniversary that make me feel totally put together when I wear them! They are asymmetrical, dangly little pieces of art! I have the Gaea Cuff, and the Lana Cuff that I barely take off, along with other pieces that have become everyday staples.
What drew you to those pieces? What do you like about wearing them?
I like when a piece grabs attention, and Amy’s jewelry always does that for me. Her newest line, The Nouveau Collection, is becoming my new current fav–all about the abstract shapes within shapes–asymetrical and interesting! Love, love this new line, which includes the Helene Collar Necklace–It adds a cool, funky edge to even the most basic outfits!I do love layering two of them together, one with a hammered brass pendant and one without. And I recently bought the Emilie Dangles and the Judith Dangles from this new collection as gifts for family visiting from Italy!
How are you most often seen wearing this? (How would you describe your fashion style or favorite looks?)
I would describe my look as classic with a little edge most days! And I love jewelry that can add personality and be just a little different!
Is jewelry the first thing you think about or the last thing you adorn with when it comes to outfitting for the day?
I always like to finish with jewelry, it definitely makes an outfit complete!
Thank you so much for reading the latest installment of As Seen On and learning more about my friend Joanne. Be sure to visit us both in Amesbury at the upcoming Open Studio Tour on November 14h and 15th!
And in honor of Joanne, each of her favorite designs (Lucie Dangles, Helene Collar Necklace, Emilie Dangles, Judith Dangles, Gaea Cuff + Lana Cuff) will be 20% off on my website through the end of September.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in this “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out so that I can learn more about you and what you wear.