Joey grew up in Ft Wayne, Indiana and pursued her early love of drawing as a Fine Art major at Miami University of Ohio. Her journey in the world of art took a detour when she moved to Colorado and followed a career path in oil and gas exploration spanning 25 years in Denver and then in Tulsa, OK. Joey’s artistic outlet during those years was photography. “Composing a good photograph is much like composing a good painting; both must read well and tell an interesting story.” After retiring, she eagerly returned to art and was pleased to see that old talents could be renewed. She has immersed herself in painting and enjoys both pastel and oil as mediums for her realistic style

"Art is powerful and the creation of art is a means of expressing and invoking power. As an artist, I am not always aware of how my work might affect a viewer. In fact, as I am painting, I can only be sure of my feelings and reactions toward my piece. It is my desire to create beautiful and evocative paintings that touch and inspire the viewers. I build a relationship with my models and fall in love with them as I am putting their faces on the canvas. Whether I am painting in a traditional realism style based on observation, or a more whimsical painterly fashion using an intuitive approach, it is my goal to portray the subject’s soul beauty as well as their physical likeness. Once the painting is complete, the relationship between the viewer and the model is out of my hands." D. Allison