Biography

Joanna Pregon’s perception of the world expanded at an early age, she grew up surrounded by various cultures and unfamiliar languages. Born in Poland to Ukrainian parents, her family moved to Germany before settling in the United States.

After fishing High School in Connecticut, Pregon attended Pine Manor College in Massachusetts. Driven by her curiosity for the West and a growing desire to do creative work, she moved to Arizona. While concluding her studies in graphic design, Pregon realized that painting was her true passion and calling. She has been expressing her creativity and unique vision through art ever since. Pregon’s aspirations as a professional artist were quickly realized when she found an appreciative audience for her earliest efforts. Since picking up a paintbrush in 1999, she has participated in gallery and museum shows. Her work is part of a permanent collection in Phoenix at Shemer Arts Center and Museum where she exhibited a one-woman show in 2003. From 2006 till 2009 Pregon ran her own gallery in Jerome Arizona. She has also worked with galleries in Sedona, Arizona, Taos, New Mexico and New Orleans, Louisiana. Her paintings have been featured on the cover of several publications including “The Noise,” “Monsoon” and “Sow’s Ear.” Pregon’s collaboration with the poet Christopher Lane resulted in “Who is your God Now?” a book of his poetry, illustrated with her art.

Having fallen in love with Arizona, Pregon has lived among the red rocks of Sedona and the charm of the historic mountainside town of Jerome. Today, she resides in Tucson, painting among the tall saguaros of the Southwestern desert landscape.