Chained Mother of Pearl Frame

Joanne Brown (Mottsie) was born in Boston and moved to Hartford, Ct. in 1977 when her employer, American Airlines, relocated there. She was fortunate to meet and work with many talented people in an atmosphere that allowed her creative side to flourish. As a child, her mother, a talented artist, encouraged her to try anything that interested her which, in the ensuing years, led to a wide variety of hobbies; calligraphy, Chinese brush painting, oil and pastel painting, egg decorating, miniatures, cake decorating and sewing among others! She began making floral ornaments as gifts, using silk flowers, fabrics, trims, jewelry, beads and found metal, and was encouraged by her friends and family to set up a business to sell them. So, with her daughter Jennifer, “Mottsie and Me” was born in 2013. Both Joanne and Jennifer are interested in the arts; they have decorated and donated trees for the Wadsworth Atheneum’s “Festival of trees” for 11 years! Joanne says she loves the creative process, but the best part of her business is meeting fellow artists, making new friends and having fun, and that the Madison Autumn Arts Festival and the associated Spectrum Gallery are the perfect place for that.