Who is the artist?

As individuals, each person involved with the Concord Community of Artists works with their own artistic vision and voice, and with their own priority and purpose for their artmaking. Over the next few weeks, we'll meet some of these wonderful folks and get a peek into their lives as artists.

Meet Joani Share, who recently relocated and now makes Concord her new home.

"In April of this year, my husband Mark and I moved into our newly renovated home in Concord, California. Moving into a new house is always a big deal, and for us it was huge. After living for 44 years in Arizona (Phoenix/Scottsdale), we moved here to be close to our daughter, son-in-law and three adorable granddaughters (5, 3, and 7 months). We are both recently retired - Mark had been a Director of Educational Technology for a large school district, and I taught Visual Art (Art I – AP) in a public high school and dual enrollment through a community college.

I have always been an active artist, even during all of my teaching years. Moving to Concord meant reestablishing a studio and finding an art community. The remodel on our house included a large studio - which allows me to create art, and teach art to small groups. I was thrilled to find a community of artists in the Concord Community of Artists group and to begin making friends in my new home base.

Joani Share 

As I have settled into my new space, I have continued creating art– primarily utilizing mixed media. I have long been interested in shape, form and color with abstract figures as my main imagery. I have recently begun to search for ways to show my work in the wide area known as the East Bay. I submitted images to the Public Art Program in Walnut Creek, and two of my works have been selected and installed in the Downtown Walnut Creek Utility Box Project (through Bedford Gallery). These pieces will be included in the City of Walnut Creek/Bedford Gallery website, and become part of the art on the walking tour.

As I work in my new studio in Concord, I am enjoying the process of creating in a new environment. Combined with the art that I brought from Arizona, I have a large body of artwork that needs to find homes. I am currently in the process of determining the best place and fit for me to sell my art – the gallery scene here is vast, much larger than the one I just left. My website has recently been updated to reflect my Concord address.

Having Concord as my new home base has allowed me to begin exploring the art venues of San Francisco. Now I am only a BART ride away from the art scene here instead of an airplane trip. I am excited to be part of this community - looking forward to creating new art, meeting more artists, volunteering and enjoying all that is available in the rolling hills of the East Bay/SF area."