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Art medium(s): Printmaking, drawing, painting (watercolors), individual coloring pages and greeting cards that can be colored.

How do you describe your art? Colorful, abstract and symbolic—not that realism is outside my grasp, I just find that my art is more about the message than the image.

Were you always interested in following a creative path? Yes. I have a BFA with a minor in Art History from UWO. The path hasn’t always been a conventional path! I also do database scrubbing, mapping and migrating, yet even in that work, I find myself color coding to stay on task. When I’m working on a database project, I only think about that project, but when I’m creating in the studio, I can figure out the difficulty that I’m having with a database project. I feel as though my mind is free to think outside of the box when I’m in the studio!

What does your “day-in-the-life” look like? My husband and I both work from home. We have separate offices, and I have a studio. In the morning, we have coffee, discuss the plans for the day, and then he heads upstairs, and I head to the studio or my office.
I am also a co-founder of a nonprofit organization called Makers Together Ltd. We help creative people “on the business side of creativity” so even when I’m not creating, I’m helping others have a reason to create. Much of my life revolves around hands-on “making” and that is fulfilling!

Where do you get your creative inspiration? In meaningful messages—those lessons I’ve learned that I want others to have a visual to remind them of the lesson. How our hearts know what is right; not being able to pour from an empty vessel; recognizing the space between breaths.

Why do you love what you do? When I see other people discussing artwork I want to contribute to the world of art and be part of the conversation—on both sides—as an artist and as a viewer!

One thing most people don’t know about being an artist, in your opinion: That “overnight success” is only the public’s perception. Artists work for years, some for decades—they didn’t just start yesterday! So, in my opinion, the idea of an overnight success doesn’t recognize all the work the artist accomplished before that moment, and I would like to be part of changing that message.

Early bird or night owl? Neither. I strive to get a good 8 hours of sleep overnight. I am at my best early in the morning, about 2 p.m. I begin waning and it’s nap time!

Last movie you watched or book you read: “100 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think” (read many times and am sharing with one of my granddaughters) by Brianna Wiest. “The View from the Studio Door” (read many times) by Ted Orland.

Is the glass half full or half empty? Depends on the time of day and where the glass is—a coffee cup with room in it is always half empty and needs to be filled because coffee cups should be brimming with coffee! However, if you’re asking if I’m an optimist or not, I’ll say yes. I am optimistic.

What makes you happiest: Hugs from my family members, especially from any of, or all of, the 11 grandchildren.

Find Joann at www.joannmariahazy.com and www.makerstogether.org, as well as on Instagram and Facebook @ARTbyJoannMariahazy