Featured image: Tea Time, Jo Ford, 2025, oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in. / 60.96 x 76.2 cm.
Jo Ford’s oil paintings transport viewers into a world where reality blends seamlessly with dreamlike elements, creating evocative narratives rich in symbolism.
Jo Ford creates surreal oil paintings that weave together memory, mythology, and imagination, using vibrant colors and dreamlike compositions to explore human connection.
Through vibrant colors, playful compositions, and surreal imagery, Ford explores themes of connection, transformation, and the interplay between past and future. Her works High Desert, Meadow Weaver, and Welcome Home each present a unique yet interconnected vision of existence, inviting viewers to step into fantastical yet familiar landscapes.
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High Desert, Jo Ford, 2021, oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in. / 60.96 x 76.2 cm.
In High Desert (2021), Ford presents a striking desert scene where an old red building, bare trees, and floating, expressive balloons hint at an enigmatic meeting of minds. The dreamlike contrast between the warm yellow ground and the cool blue sky adds an unsettling sense of isolation, yet the presence of human-like balloon figures suggests a deeper conversation beyond the visible. This piece captures the spirit of forgotten spaces and the way memories, both real and imagined, linger in the landscape.
Meadow Weaver, Jo Ford, 2024, oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in. / 60.96 x 76.2 cm.
Meadow Weaver (2024) delves into mythology and transformation, depicting a human-spider hybrid weaving dreams of the future. The central figure, dressed in red, appears both gentle and powerful, her delicate threads connecting her to the surrounding natural world. The oversized deer head emerging from the meadow adds an ethereal quality, reinforcing the idea of interconnected destinies. The lush greens and soft forest background provide a sense of serenity, while the web-like patterns introduce an element of quiet mystery.
Welcome Home, Jo Ford, 2019, oil on canvas, 24 x 36 in. / 60.96 x 91.44 cm.
In Welcome Home (2019), Ford creates a whimsical yet deeply emotional depiction of family and belonging. A boy returns home from school, but instead of a conventional greeting, he steps into a vibrant, surreal world filled with floating figures, fantastical creatures, and playful energy. The golden light and animated environment give the scene a feeling of warmth, nostalgia, and magic. This painting celebrates the joy of homecoming and the idea that reality itself can be shaped by imagination and memory.
Jo Ford’s paintings share a common theme of transformation, memory, and the blurred boundaries between the tangible and the surreal. Whether capturing the mystery of the desert, the interwoven fate of dream-weavers, or the fantastical elements of home, Ford’s work invites viewers to embrace the magic found in everyday moments. Her art challenges conventional perceptions, encouraging us to see the world through the lens of wonder and possibility.
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Return, Jo Ford, 2024, oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in. / 60.96 x 76.2 cm.
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