ABOUT JOAN PINTO
BIOGRAPHY
Joan Pinto is a ceramicist specializing in visual, elegant, and sensory art. Her organic work is influenced by her fascination with seed pods, biomorphic formations and the subtle illumination of porcelain. Her vessels and non-functional pieces add a natural depth and interest to their surroundings and are a pleasure to touch. Joan loves the outdoors, takes daily walks and considers her work to be an echo of the nature that surrounds her.
Joan obtained a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art from UC Davis and studied Art History while living in Holland. Her post-graduate studies took place at Brooks Institute of Photography, where she specialized in Architecture and Digital Media and where she met her husband. After working in San Francisco at an interactive advertising agency, Joan and her husband started a family. She then became a yoga instructor and taught for several years. Possibly due to the intense self awareness of her yoga practice Joan realized she was always meant to be an artist. Drawing inspiration from her earlier studies in art, photography and yoga, Joan creates beautiful, visual meditations.
CV
Joan lives and works in Walnut Creek, California
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (Juried)
2024 Bay Area Arts and Crafts Exhibition, Sausalito Center for the Arts, Sausalito,CA (Director Shiva Pakdel)
2023 Potentiality/Actuality, Greater Bay Area Open (GBAO)
Juried Exhibition, presented by Los Gatos Art Association,
Los Gatos, CA (Jurors: Pancho Jiménez, Ceramic Artist and Allison Railo, Curator of the New Museum Los Gatos)
2023 Annual Bay Area Artists' Choice, SFWA Members' Juried Exhibition, San Francisco, CA (Juror: Devon Bella)
2008 “Local Voice”, Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA (Juror: Phillip Linhares)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1995 UC Davis Basement Gallery, “Mostly Mud” Ceramic Sculpture
1995 UC Davis Shooting Gallery, “Works in Progress”
1995 UC Davis Basement Gallery, Three-person show “Sculpture, Photography, Mixed Media”
1994 Del Paso, Sacramento Phantom Gallery, “Archeology of Identity”
1994 UC Davis Basement Gallery, 198 Seminar Class, “Archeology of Identity”
1994 UC Davis Basement Gallery, Davis Photo Exposition, “In Like a Lion”
1994 UC Davis Shooting Gallery, “A Day in the City”
1994 UC Davis Memorial Union, Whole Earth Festival
EDUCATION
2014 Yoga Instructor Certification
1999 Degree in Digital and Architecture Photography, Brook's Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, CA
1995 BA, Fine Art, University of California, Davis, CA
EMPLOYMENT
2014-2019 Yoga Instructor
Crunch Gym, group yoga classes
Owner of Yoga Plus You, private and small group instruction
1999-2004 Web Design, Jubilee Restoration, Aedis Architecture and Planning, California Asparagus Seed and Transplants, Inc, Above Records, Women's Community Clinic
1999-2000 Designer, SF Interactive, San Francisco, CA
1997-2001 Photographer
California Asparagus Seed and Transplants, Inc., Architects, Brian Cearnal, Michael DeRose and Marc Winnikoff, Contractor, Mike Noonan, Arlington Construction, Interior Designer, Hayward's,
Landscape Architect, Louis Marano
1997-98 Photography Assistant
George Lange Teen People, Phil Harvey Sunset, Flat Top Production House Macys, Paul Berg William and Sonoma, Media 27 Jewelry Catalog
1998 Studio Manager, San Francisco, CA
Phil Harvey Photography
1998 Teaching Assistant, Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, CA, Teacher David Litschell
1994 Gallery Assistant, Davis, CA
Pence Art Gallery
