JO ANN BLOCK

“Sicily”

limited edition of 5

image size 8” x 10”

Frame size": 13.5” x 15.5”

Each artwork comes matted and framed, with a certificate of authenticity.

Prints are created using archival pigment inks and printed on heavy weight Hahnemuhle etching paper.

$250. each

Call to schedule pick up from Vita Art Center or to arrange a shipment. Shipping fees will be charged separately.

805-644-9214.

All proceeds from the sale of Vita Art Editions support our youth art programs.

Jo Ann Block is a Ventura-based mixed media artist whose work delves into the complexities of queer history, sexuality, and identity. Her series, “Phenomena of the Fierce,” features intimate mixed media collages of older, butch women who have achieved public recognition. These works envision a personal source of strength from which their fortitude springs, pairing each figure with a symbol representing a life force. Infused with the defiant spirit of self-assured butches from a bygone era, these figures are depicted as bodies of stone, rendering them both heroic and timeless.

Block's art explores the fluid nature of identity, particularly through the lens of queer identity, examining how history, sexuality, philosophy, and biology intersect within cultural contexts. Her work seeks to challenge and subvert existing norms surrounding aging, power, and the social relevance of lesbians, offering a powerful commentary on the resilience and enduring legacy of butch women.

Primarily a mixed media and collage artist, Block also works across various mediums. She received her B.F.A. from UCLA and her M.F.A. from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her work is included in the collection of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art. She has been a fellow at Touchstone Gallery (DC) and has participated in summer residencies at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York.

Block's work has been exhibited in numerous esteemed venues, including A.I.R. Gallery (NY), American University Museum (DC), Transformer Gallery (DC), Williamsburg Art and Historical Center (NY), Metrospace (MI), Baum Gallery of Fine Art (AK), Thompson Gallery (MA), and Launch LA (CA). Through her art, Jo Ann Block continues to push the boundaries of societal norms and highlight the enduring strength and relevance of lesbian identities in contemporary culture.