Copyright 2026
Built with Indexhibit
Education
2006 - Master of Arts in Textile and Fibre Art with Distinction (Honours), Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, Winchester, UK
2004 - Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Textiles, NSCAD University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Solo Exhibitions
2017 - Documenting the Farm, Crafts Council Annex Gallery, St. John’s, NFLD
2016 - Documenting the Farm, The Owens Art Gallery, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB
2014 - Prospect: 17 Joanna Close, Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, Halifax, NS
2012 - Houses and buildings a part of documenting the farm, Bella’s Café, Amherst, NS
2009 - A Family of Blankets, Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Canning, NS
2007 - Earth, Wind and Fibre Gallery, London - Wul Farm, Lakeburn, NB
2006 - Vital, Masters Degree Exhibition, Winchester School of Art, Winchester, UK
2006 - City of Moncton Gallery / Galerie Moncton, Moncton, NB
2004 - Earth, Wind and Fibre Gallery, London - Wul Farm, Lakeburn, NB
2004 - woven landscapes, beets, carrots and cabbage oh my... Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026 - Conversation Threads, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS
2015-19 - Home Economics: 150 Years of Canadian Hooked Rugs, travelling exhibition curated by The Textile Museum of Canada,
Toronto, ONT
2016 - Residency, form & concept gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2016 - Common Threads, NSCAD University Textiles/Fashion Department Survey Show, Anna Leonowens Art Gallery, Halifax NS
2016 - Home Economics: 150 Years of Canadian Hooked Rugs, Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, Halifax, NS
2015 - Home Economics: 150 Years of Canadian Hooked Rugs, The Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto, ONT
2015 - Interlacing Conversation, Inverness County Centre for the Arts, Inverness, Cape Breton, NS
2014 - NSCAD RPT (Regular Part Time) Faculty Exhibition, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
2014 - Pulling Loops of Love for NB, Lutes Mountain Meeting House, Moncton, NB
2013 - CARDED, Cambridge Galleries, Cambridge, ONT
2010 - Traditional Waves, Corridor Gallery, VANS, Halifax, NS
2010 - Laborious, Harbour Front Center, Toronto, ONT
2007 - Elemental Connections - Travelling Exhibition 2007 – 2009 – Ontario Crafts Council, Toronto, ONT - Alberta Crafts Council Gallery, Edmonton, AB - Saskatchewan Crafts Council Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
2007 - Cape Jourimain Eco Arts Festival exhibitor, Cape Jourimain, NB
2007 - Talisman Fibre Arts Inc. Presents, and now for something completely different part II at Not a Deli Gallery, Toronto, ONT
2006 - Lausanne to Beijing 4th International Fiber Art Biennale, Suzhou Art and Technology Institute Art Gallery, Suzhou, China
2006 - Vital, Masters Degree Exhibition, Winchester School of Art, Winchester, UK
2006 - Art in Progress, Winchester School of Art, Winchester, UK
Curated Exhibitions
2009 - Contemporary Fibres, the art of J Penney Burton, Joanna Close, Margaret Forsey and Rilla Marshall,
Mary E Black Gallery, Halifax, NS
Artist Residencies
2019 - Artist in residence, Kings Landing Historical Settlement / NBCCD, Prince William, NB
2007 - Artist in residence, Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, Dawson City, YK
Permanent Collections
2016 - Owens Art Gallery, Sackville, NB
2016 - Private collection of Joy Trites, NB
2014 - Private collection of Charlotte and Brian Carter, ONT
2014 - Private collection of Andrea Briggs, NB
2013 - Private collection of Ruth Flanagan, NB
Awards
2019 - Arts Nova Scotia Travel Grant Recipient
2010 - Creation Grant from the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture.
2008 - Arts NB Creation Grant.
2007 - Travel Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts.
2005 - International Study Grant from the University of Southampton.
2004 - New artisan scholarship for the One of a Kind Show.
Teaching Experience
2018 - Nova Scotia Rug Hooking School Instructor, Halifax, NS
2018 - PAINTS (Professional Artists in the schools) Instructor, Halifax, NS
2009-Present - Regular Part Time Instructor, Textiles Department and Foundation Department, NSCAD University, Halifax, NS
2017 - Patch Workshop Instructor, Halifax, NS
2016-2017 - Lunenburg Makery Workshop Instructor, Lunenburg, NS
2009-2016 - Nova Scotia Center for Craft and Design, Halifax, NS
2015 - Dyeing and Rug hooking workshop at Halifax West High School, Halifax, NS
2014 - Natural Dyeing, Lunenburg Makery, Lunenburg, NS
2014 - Indigo Dyeing, Deanne Fitzpatricks Rug Hooking Studio, Amherst, NS
2012–2013 - edVentures, Fredericton, NB
2010 - Dyeing and stitching workshop to Grade 12 students at Charles P Allen High School, Bedford, NS
2010 - Natural Dye and Acid Dye workshops for Deanne Fitzpatricks Rug Hooking Studio, Amherst, NS
2009 - Extended Studies Instructor, NSCAD University, Halifax, NS
2009 - Fibre Art workshop, London – Wul Farm, Econo
2008 - Dye workshop, London – Wul Farm, Econo Museum, Lakeburn, NB
2008'Working with wool' workshop (dyeing felting and spinning) at the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, Dawson City, YT
2008 - Silkscreen printing workshop at the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, Dawson City, YT
2007- Instructed Bookbinding workshop at the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, Dawson City, YT
2007- Youth Art Enrichment Program, teaching textiles to high school art students from throughout Yukon Territory at the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, Dawson City, YT
2007- Natural Dye workshop at the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, Dawson City, YT
2007 - Felting workshop at the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture, Dawson City, YT
2007 - Dye workshop at London – Wul Farm, Econo Museum, Lakeburn, NB
2007- Private weaving instructor, Moncton, NB
Professional Experience
2024-Present - Enrolled in online study with Maiwa Natural Dyes, Vancouver, BC
2019-Present - Part time administrative assistant at ThermalWise, Dartmouth, NS
2004-Present - Proprietor of Joanna Close Textile Projects: Rug hooking, Weaving and Dyeing, NS
2009-Present - Regular Part Time Instructor at NSCAD University, Halifax, NS
2026 - Instructor at Cloth to Clothing Symposium, Hocking College, Nelsonville, Ohio
2025-2026 - Instructor at the Lunenburg School of the Arts, Lunenburg, NS
2025 - Natural dye consultant for Sow to Sew Flax Fibre Project, Halifax, NS
2025 - Visiting Artist to Melinda Spooner’s Community Collaborations class, NSCAD University, Halifax, NS
2024 - Instructor of Natural dyeing and Indigo at Patch, Halifax, NS
2004-2023 - Proprietor of Field Day Paper, NS
2011-2020 - Active seller on Etsy.com
2018 - Participant at Ace Camps block printing and natural dyeing workshop in Jaipur, India
2013-2018 - NSCAD University Assistant Textiles Technician, Halifax, NS
2018 - Dye Technician at Fleece Artist, Halifax, NS
2013 - Online Course writing for Deanne Fitzpatrick, Amherst, NS
2011-13 - Summer camp cook’s assistant, Chipman, NB
2007-08 - Production and Advertising Manager, Klondike Sun Newspaper, Dawson City, YT
2002-07 - Wool Dyer for Artist Deanne Fitzpatrick at By the Door Rug Hooking Studio, Amherst, NS
Community
2010-Present - Member of Visual Arts Nova Scotia (VANS), Halifax, NS
2007-Present - Member of Dawson City Arts Society, Dawson City, YT
2006-Present - Member of CARFAC Maritimes
2018-2019 - Mirror Mentor NSCAD University alumni mentorship program, Halifax, NS
2016-2020 - Member of Manual Training Artist Collective, Halifax, NS
2016-2018 - Board member of Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax, NS
2014 - Intensive Drawing retreat participant, Red Clay Farm, Upper Economy, NS
2013 - Sow to Sew Conference participant NSCAD University, Halifax, NS
2012 - A Handmade Assembly Conference, Sackville, NB
2010-2011 - Member of North Pocket Studio (Textile Art Studio), Halifax, NS
2009-2019 - Member of Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax, NS
2009-2015 - Board member of Halifax Crafters Society, Halifax, NS
2008 - Dawson City International Short Film Festival committee member, Dawson City, YT
2005-2019 - Member of Struts Gallery, Artist Run Center, Sackville, NB
2005-2016 - Juried Member of the Nova Scotia Designer Craft Council, NS
Illustration
2016 - Illustrator of Field Notes, Nimbus Publishing, Halifax, NS
2013 - Illustrator of Seasoned, Nimbus Publishing, Halifax, NS
2011 - The Telegraph Journal, Salon Section Illustrator, Saint John, NB
Selected Publications
2025 - Contributor to Create Beauty everyday Magazine published by Deanne Fitzpatrick Rug Hooking Studio, Amherst, NS
2024 - The Sky’s the Limit, A Rug Hooking Magazine Publication, Illinois, USA
2022 - Linseed Journal, London, UK
2016 - Radio sound clip and interview CHMA Radio Station about Documenting the Farm, Sackville, NB
2016 - Article about the exhibition Documenting the Farm, The Telegraph Journal, NB
2016 - Documenting the Farm Exhibition Catalogue, The Owens Art Gallery, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB
2016 - Home Economics: 150 Years of Canadian Hooked Rugs Exhibition Catalogue, The Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto, ONT
2015 - Visual Arts News, Summer 2015 Issue, Published by Visual Arts NS
2015 - Article about the exhibition Prospect 17: Joanna Close, The Chronicle Herald, Halifax, NS
2014 - Prospect: 17 Joanna Close Exhibition Catalogue, Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, Halifax, NS
2009 - Things of Desire, online weekly art magazine thingsofdesire.ca