Artist Statement
My art is derived from nature, inspired by walking paths and trails both near and far.
It is infused with the lush, delicate, vibrant color palette of the earth, the curving lines of organic forms, and the infinite richness of life daily.
I create using combinations of acrylic, gouache, found images and text, ink, paper, and fabric.
In my collage work I like having fun with visual texture and imagery to add layers of meaning and elements of surprise.
When painting I enjoy strong contrasts of light and shadow in a warm, muted palette within a focused composition.
My year round studio is nestled in the saturated, natural beauty of Sedona, Arizona.
I make art with a curiosity to find the universal in the specific.
I attempt to spark the joy and aliveness art can inspire in people everywhere.
Thanks for visiting. Enjoy!
Bio
Joann Tomsche has had an active studio practice for over 30 years.
Her art making was encouraged from a young age by her painter grandmother and inspired by the handcrafts of women in her family.
After earning a degree in graphic design she continued her fine arts education with formal studio classes and ongoing self-study.
Her accomplished compositions and vibrant color sense are directly influenced by her years of working as a graphic designer.
Joann feels strongly that art making and creativity are essential life skills. In that spirit, in 2000 she founded a curriculum based, community supported art program at the K-8 public school in Idyllwild, California, which continues to provide art classes for all students. This project led to roles in non-profit arts organizations, including Aesthetic Education Teaching Artist at the McCallum Theatre Institute, and Visual Arts Faculty and Gallery Manager at Idyllwild Arts, an international boarding Arts High School.
Joann was born and raised in Minnesota Farm Country, then lived and worked in Southern California for 41 years - where pieces of her heart continue to reside. In 2023 she relocated her studio and home to the magnificent beauty of Sedona, Arizona, surrounded by high desert light and the outrageous beauty of Red Rock Country.
Her rich life includes two creative, grown sons and a large extended family; travels and hikes in beautiful places; art field trips with women friends; and sharing life everyday with her husband, Doug.
Artworks by Joann are included in collections across the country. She maintains a regular art practice, and exhibits to share her work out into the world. In her artwork, she seeks to express color and aliveness, in an attempt to make the joy of experiencing art available to viewers.
CV
Selected Exhibitions
2026
from Far from Near. One Gallery-Two Exhibitions. Solo show. Yavapai College Prescott Art Gallery, Prescott, AZ
Sedona Visual Artists Coalition 24th Annual Exhibition. Sedona Arts Center, Sedona, AZ
2025
Deck the Walls. Artists Center at the Galen, Palm Desert, CA
Transforming Traditions: Art and Folklore in 2025. Yavapai College Prescott Art Gallery, Prescott, AZ
Monsoon. The Four Seasons: Summer. Level 1 Artspace. Yavapai College, Prescott, AZ
The Four Seasons: Spring. Level 1 Artspace. Yavapai College, Prescott, AZ
Artists Council Juried Exhibition, ACE 2025, Artists Center at the Galen, Palm Desert, CA
2024
Summer Exhibition, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
In My Imagination. MAC Gallery, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Flora and Fauna. Patty McMullen-Mikles Art Gallery, Yavapai College, Verde Valley Campus, Clarkdale, AZ
2023
Summer Exhibition, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
Open Roads, Open Trails, Open Sky. MAC Gallery, Mammoth Lakes, CA. Featured poster artist.
2022
Homage to Collage, Artists Center at the Galen, Palm Desert, CA
Summer Exhibition, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
Made you Look; Water; Small Things, MAC Gallery, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Artists Council Juried Exhibition, ACE 2022, Artists Center at the Galen, Palm Desert, CA
2021
Roadtrip: Route 66, Hi-Desert Nature Museum, Yucca Valley, CA
Nature is Calling, MAC Gallery, Mammoth Lakes, CA
2020
Uncertain Times, La Quinta Museum, La Quinta, CA
Isolation, Artspan.com
The Creative Mind of Women, Palm Springs Women’s Week, Barba Contemporary Art, Palm Springs, CA
2019
Autumn Color, MAC Gallery, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Summer Exhibition, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
Roadtrip: Route 66 in California, La Quinta Museum, La Quinta, CA
2018
Featured Artist Exhibition, Impressions of Earth and Sky, MAC Gallery, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Local Color, La Quinta Museum, La Quinta, CA
Chairs for Charity, La Quinta Museum, La Quinta, CA. Scholarship fundraiser for Idyllwild Arts.
The Moving Line, El Camino College Gallery, Torrance, CA. Artist Lecture, February 27, 2018
2012-2018
Academy Visual Arts Faculty Exhibit, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
2008-2018
Summer Program Visual Arts Faculty Exhibit, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
2014
Featured Artist Exhibition, Absolute Love, Courtyard Gallery, Idyllwild, CA
2012
Solo Exhibition, Fly, Café Aroma Gallery, Idyllwild, CA
Quilt Stories of the Inland Empire, Museum of History and Art, Ontario, CA
2006
Medley Open Studios, Idyllwild, Ca
1999
Featured Artist Exhibition, Courtyard Gallery, Idyllwild, CA
1998
Dos Damos Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
1994
Resident Artist, Café Aroma Gallery, Idyllwild, CA
Teaching and Gallery Experience
2015-2018
Gallery Manager and Visual Arts Faculty, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
2012-2015
Visual Arts Adjunct Faculty, Idyllwild Arts Academy. Summer Program Gallery Manager, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
2007-2011
Summer Program Visual Arts Faculty, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
2007-2010
Visual Arts Teaching Artist, Aesthetic Education Program, McCallum Theatre Institute, Palm Desert, CA
2002-2014
Founder, Organizer and Instructor, smARTS Project, Idyllwild Elementary School, Idyllwild, CA
Curatorial Projects
2018
Bearing Witness: Art and Advocacy, co-curated with David Reid-Marr, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
Mother Tongue, co-curated with Mique’l Dangeli, PhD and Jennifer C. Vigil, PhD, Native American Arts Festival, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
2017
Fluid, The Changing Face of Gender Identity, co-curated with David Reid-Marr, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
Louder than Words, co-curated with America Meredith. Native American Arts Festival, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
2016
Border Art/Arte Fronterizo, co-curated with Gerald Clarke, Jr. Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
Between You and Me: There is No Distance, co-curated with Heidi McKinnon. Native American Arts Festival, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
2012-2015
Native American Arts Festival Invitational Exhibit, co-curator. Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
1994
Group Shows, Café Aroma Gallery, Idyllwild, CA