• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Interiors Addict

The Interiors Addict

Style without the Snobbery

Job Board
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australiaโ€™s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      Weโ€™re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
      • Subscribe

    • How to Pull a Living Room Look Together eBookSubscribe to the Newsletter!
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • How to Pull a Living Room Look Together eBookSubscribe to the Newsletter!
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesnโ€™t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • Snapseed-14Navy weatherboard house: a crazy good before & after
    • Skylights_web_JacquiTurk-1Skylights have transformed our living room: here’s all the details
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other peopleโ€™s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether youโ€™re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • IMG_035116-9-ContrastInstall new lights without an electrician thanks to new product
    • Hallway styling ideas to make the best first impression
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? Weโ€™re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • IMG_035116-9-ContrastInstall new lights without an electrician thanks to new product
    • Hamptons-Home-Landscape-Images-600-px-by-400-px-64 easy ways to incorporate Hamptons decorating into your home
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jenโ€™s a legitimate interiors addict, sheโ€™s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the countryโ€™s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • md_TAM-Rooms-12Luxury hotels NSW: Tamworth gets its own 5-star glamour
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      Weโ€™re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks youโ€™ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Banquette seatingThe Star Sydney: New Italian restaurant features interiors by TomMarkHenry
    • md_TAM-Rooms-12Luxury hotels NSW: Tamworth gets its own 5-star glamour
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our Job Board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

Abstract artist Jo Carroll: creating from nothing

July 16, 2020 Leave a Comment

Facebook0Pin00Email0Tweet0

Abstract artist and Reiki Master Jo Carroll, previously had a successful career in advertising, and only became serious about painting in late 2016. Jo’s desire to become an artist is one of her earliest childhood memories. Despite being discouraged rather than encouraged, she finally gave into this powerful urge when she became attuned to Reiki (a Japanese relaxation technique based on the notion that an unseen life force energy flows through us) and her creative energy came bursting forth in a way she’d never experienced before.

Artist Jo Carroll with one of her works

Melbourne-based Jo describes art as one of the greatest forms of self-expression where she can allow herself to be guided by the energy within and create from nothing. The practice of Reiki enabled her to find her inner happiness and focus on what’s truly important: “For me, itโ€™s a wonderful way to meditate and let go of the conscious side of the brain. Itโ€™s probably the only time that Iโ€™m able to switch off and just be.”

Peacefulness, limited edition canvas print

Her serene colourscapes are not made from conscious choices but from an absolute trust in her body and mind to connect with the paint and canvas to create something beautiful. This is a huge departure from Jo’s background in advertising, where a tight brief is essential to a successful campaign. Although it may seem like a daunting task to face a blank canvas with numerous colour choices, Jo says: “The moment I try to control things is usually when I lose control and nothing works harmoniously. Itโ€™s a good reminder to always trust my intuition. It never fails me.”

Emerge, limited edition print on canvas

Despite the short period of time, and initially juggling full-time work and a third pregnancy, Jo’s artistic career has taken off. It took her two to three years of painting most days of the week to define and redefine her style into where it is today.

“People really underestimate how long it takes to find a unique style that is authentic to you as an artist. I think my style has always been there, mixed up with a range of other styles that Iโ€™ve played with over the years.” She adds: “When you love doing something so much, it doesnโ€™t feel like hard work at all.”

After finding her style and putting all her trust in her intuition, Jo hasn’t hit a creative block since. “I actually have two different styles that I paint in. One is definitely dominating at the moment and I seem to like blue more than any other colour (laughing), but Iโ€™m looking to give the other style some love again soon and see where that takes me.”

Rainy Parade, 2019 original artwork

As an abstract artist, Jo has a connection and dialogue with her work that lets her know when a piece is done. She describes this process as “a bit kooky” but when itโ€™s time to step back and part ways, the artwork lets her know.

Jo believes in her own creativity and tends not to spend too much time studying art in detail. “I believe that our creativity can be heavily influenced by what weโ€™re exposed to. Images are very powerful things, so I donโ€™t want to be distracted from my own path.” However, there are many artists Jo greatly admires. “My dream is to move to a home with an abundance of walls and open spaces suitable for large scale paintings and sculptures by Australian artists.”

Jo is now selling prints of her original work for the very first time, making it more affordable and accessible to all. They are available as high quality, limited edition prints on canvas, framed in oak, exclusively through The Interiors Assembly. Prices start at $770 inclusive of framing and shipping within Australia.

Shop Jo’s work online | For more on Jo

The Drop Off, limited edition print on canvas

 

Facebook0Pin00Email0Tweet0

Primary Sidebar

Trending This Week

Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Subscribe

Love interiors and renovating? Sign up for our bi-weekly emails featuring all the best bits! We'll also send you our free eBook:
How to Pull a Living Room Look Together

Real Renos

Navy weatherboard house: a crazy good before & after

Kitchen

Redfern terraces combined to create one light-filled home

Architect’s Victorian villa comes alive in colour

AFTER bathroom

Tired 40s house given colourful new lease on life by interior designer

Amazing backyard transformation for under $1,200

Christine Tang

About Christine Tang

Christine Tang is a third year student at the University of New South Wales, studying Media and Design. She is interning at Interiors Addict as part of her degree.

More from Art

Win a stunning photographic artwork in time for Christmas

Mosey Me: colourful textiles that combine playfulness and sophistication

Kylie Tyrell

Former Melbourne property stylist now styles homes for living

Bibi Ana + Co.’s new Contour Collection

Kip & Co. collaborate on female-led Indigenous homewares collection

Greek busts right at home in modern homes: meet Mercer & Lewis

Printing for Solidarity: grab bargain artworks for a cause

Greenhouse Interiors: inspiring & empowering people to buy art online

Choosing art for your home: tips to get it right

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Promo Area

Subscribe to the Newsletter

We publish twice a day every weekday. Sign up to our twice-weekly newsletter with all the best bits! We'll also send you our free eBook:
How to Pull a Living Room Look Together.

Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2021 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP ยท Log in

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!