Jo-An Thomas

I'm currently the president of TESA, The Exhibiting Society of Artists, where we exhibit fine art throughout Greater Tampa Bay in Florida. I'm also an instructor of Chinese brush painting at the St. Petersburg Moran Arts Center, where I teach children, teens, and adults. My journey in art began in the 1970s when I studied at Chamberlain in Boston, focusing on curation, architecture, and painting. After that, I had to take a break to earn money, so I went into the hospitality industry. My passion for art was reignited when I traveled to Japan and China and met master painters there - that's what really inspired me to get back into it. One of my most notable professional achievements was when I served as vice president of the San Juan Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, where I worked with the Public Service Commissioner to resolve serious issues with taxis taking advantage of residents and visitors. We got uniformed agents at the airport assigning taxis and providing information about proper charges, and I created a curriculum for taxi drivers to help them understand the history of their island and work as ambassadors, which improved their tips and income. For about 7 years now, I've been curating antiques and collectibles along with one-of-a-kind jewelry, which started because I wanted to get products made out of my art. I'm looking at opening up a gallery that has curated antiques and collectibles along with one-of-a-kind jewelry. At 73, I've had about 4 lives already, and I continue to study with the mentor of my early teacher, Master Ning Yeh, a PhD and master Chinese brush painter.