Art as a career often begins when life takes an unexpected turn, and that is profoundly true for artist Jo Vincent. After surviving two massive strokes at age 26, Jo’s original career path as a Special Educational Needs (SEN) teacher was suddenly derailed. Doctors gave her a demoralising prognosis, saying it was “unrealistic” to think she would speak or teach again. As I learned when I met with Jo recently, her journey from that moment of total physical and professional loss to becoming a thriving abstract landscape artist is a testament to resilience and the therapeutic power of creativity.
The Unexpected Discovery: Art as a Rest for the Brain
Jo’s art career began not in a gallery or studio but in a hospital bed. When communication was impossible, a friend brought her a sketchbook and coloured pencils. Jo quickly found that drawing was unlike the rest of her exhausting physical therapy: it provided a “rest for my brain” and felt “calming”. This discovery reconnected her to the pure, pressure-free joy of creativity she hadn’t experienced since childhood, transforming her from “stroke Jo” back into “just a person”.
As she recovered, Jo realised that the stroke injury may have actually unlocked a new part of her creativity. This insight later became the foundation of her teaching philosophy when she returned to work part-time as an SEN teacher, focusing on how the process of making art could help students manage stress and find self-confidence.
The Pivot: Licensing, Visibility, and Finding Purpose
After years of giving as an artist / teacher, Jo knew she had to find a scalable solution to combat the grind and start growing her audience. A chance encounter let to her connection with Vieunite, enabling her to reach a global audience. For Jo, this pivot wasn’t primarily about income. It was about “audience and engaging with different people,” believing artists must be open to showing their work in new ways in the digital world.
The physical culmination of this journey came when her work was chosen for the VieuPoint digital screen overlooking the college where she had previously taught. This full-circle moment affirmed her difficult decision to leave the restrictive demands of formal teaching, a painful moment that felt initially like “losing my original plan… all over again”, but that is now blossoming into a new creative chapter.
The Core Wisdom: Don’t Give Up, Just Adjust
Jo’s biggest takeaway for artists facing a difficult moment is simple but profound: “Don’t give up on dreams, just adjust them”. She found that although her new path was harder, more painful, and less stable, it led her to something “more you” than her original plan.
Today, Jo is a full-time abstract landscape painter who credits her success not only to her resilient spirit but also to her close network of family, friends, and fellow artists. They provide the emotional and physical support needed for a disabled artist, helping her constantly “reinvent myself” and giving her life a renewed purpose.
Jo’s advice for any artist feeling stuck: “Don’t wait till you think it’s perfect… Don’t wait. Just do it.”
Benedict is Vieunite’s Cultural Director and a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University.