"Well, now we have seen each other," said the unicorn "if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?" ~ Lewis Carroll

Joanna Ballard's Biography
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Scroll to view Joanna Ballard's Bio and Artist Statement
All downloadable photos are 81/2X11 300dpi and high resolution.
For downloadable spoken word MP3's go to words page.

Joanna Ballard

Joanna Ballard's Bio

Joanna Ballard

Joanna Ballard's Bio

Joanna Ballard’s blend of original stories, poetry, folk tales and fairy tales from around the world along with her unique performance delights both young and old. Ms. Ballard engages the audience in dialog and often gets them to participate with her in the art of storytelling.

Joanna is a Northwest Louisiana native and current member of the Trapped Truth Society, the Shreveport Writers’ Registry, the Red River Storytellers, the Northwest Louisiana Art Gallery, and founding member of the West Edge Artists Co-op. Ms. Ballard began her storytelling and writing career before she could even read or write by creating her own songs and stories. She was first published at the age of 16 and has been widely published and won numerous contests. Joanna earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a Theater Minor from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia AR in 1986. Her lifelong love of words and stories carries over in her enthusiastic storytelling adding flair and flavor to her shows.

Joanna Ballard also shares her stories as an artist, intertwining her love for words and color digitally in her own self styled “poetic art”. This art has grown out of her talent and enjoyment in sharing her stories thru web design and photography.

Storytelling and performances:

	Storytelling~ Red River Revel Shreveport, Louisiana (October 2006)	Spoken Word ~ Art and Soul Festival Juried Art Festival Natchez, Mississippi (September 2006)
Storytelling ~ Hispanic Celebration Shreveport, Louisiana (September 2006)	Storytelling ~ Providence House Benefit Shreveport, Louisiana (August 2006)	Storytelling ~ Reggae on the Mississippi River Vidalia, Louisiana (May 2006)
Spoken word ~ Live for Today Benefit ~ Scott Griffin Shreveport, Louisiana (May 2006)	Storytelling ~ Memorial Benefit – Thomas Randall Lil’ Joe’s Shreveport, Louisiana (April 2006)	Storytelling ~ Spring Fling Festival Sibley, Louisiana (April 2006)
Acting Role ~ Mrs. Grayson ’Waiting to Be Invited’ (Play) Performing Arts Center Shreveport, Louisiana (Feb. 17 ~ 18 2006 )	Storytelling ~ The Gonzo Art Collective Mia’s Shreveport LA (Dec. 2005 and May 2006)	Acting Role ~ Rosetta ’You Shouldn’t Have Told’ (Play) Louisiana State Museum Theater Shreveport, Louisiana (Nov. 17, 2005 )
Storytelling ~ The Multicultural Center of the South Shreveport LA (July 2005 - October 2005)	Storytelling ~ Mexican Style Katrina Benefit Bossier City LA (September 2005)	Storytelling ~ Chris Alexander CD release party Shreveport, Louisiana (July 2005)

Storytelling ~ Boomtown Days Festival Rhodessa LA (June 2005)	Storytelling ~ Mudbug Madness Festival Shreveport, Louisiana (May 2005)	Lead female (non singing) ~ Let Freedom Ring Touring Musical Production Shreveport, Louisiana (February 2005 ~ May 2005 )
Storytelling ~ Highland Center Lighthouse After School Program Shreveport, Louisiana (Dec. 2004-May 2005) monthly	Storytelling ~ Garden Park Nursing Home Shreveport, Louisiana (Oct. 2004 and 2005)	Storytelling ~ Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play Shreveport, Louisiana (Oct. 2004)
Storytelling ~ Black-eyed Pea Festival Bossier City, Louisiana (June 2004 and 2005)	Co-Host ~ 3rd Annual Ledbetter Heights Music & Arts Fair Shreveport, Louisiana (Feb. 2004)	Spoken word ~ Northwest Louisiana Art Gallery Art Show Reception Shreveport, Louisiana (Jan. 2004)
Storytelling ~ The Annual Hope Street Back to School Jamboree Shreveport LA (Sept. 2003 and 2004)	Storytelling ~ The Annual Sunflower Trial and Fest Gilliam, Louisiana (June 2004, 2005 and 2006)	Storytelling ~ Back Porch Tales Red River Storytellers Bossier City, Louisiana (June 2003 and 2004)

Publications and Displays:

	YWCA Sexual Assault Awareness Month Art and Literature Show Poems ~ ‘Words of Beauty’ and ‘Mary’s Lament Short Short Story ~ ‘Mom’s Day Out’ Java Junction Shreveport LA (April 2006)
Sunday @ Four Spring 2006, Vol. XII, No.1 Poems ~ ‘Paths, ‘Talk’ and ‘True Music’	City Lights Nov. 2005, Vol. 1, Issue 11, pg 34 Article and Photos ~ ‘Director Vincent Williams’	Detour Louisiana August 2005 http://louisiana.detourmemphis.com/ Poems ~ ‘Ghost Hunting’ ‘Legacy’
Sunday @ Four Spring/Summer 2005, Vol. XI, No.1 Poems ~ ‘Tears, ‘Whorls’ and ‘The Wrong Side of the Moon’	Whatz Da Word May-June, 2005 Poem ~ 'Without A Map’	The Natchitoches Times Weekend Edition March 26-27, 2005 Poems ~ Bring Home the Bacon, ‘Daily Grind’ and ‘Words of Beauty
Electronic Poetry Network Jan 21-Jan. 23, 2005 Weekend Poem ~ 'Jazz Soloist'	About The Rainbow January 2005, Vol. 2, Issue 1, pg 4 Article ~ 'Dreams'	Jo’s Journey: Musings Along the Way Feb. 10, 2004/ Ballard’s Bytes ~ Chapbook of 34 Poems

Sunday @ Four Spring/Summer 2004, Vol. X, No.1 Poems ~ ‘Goodbye Dreaming’, ‘Bar Tomb’, 'Cafe Cats' and ‘The Beat’

North of New Orleans Summer 2004, Vol. 2, No.1 Poem ~ ‘Blue Song'

Electronic Poetry Network July 30-Aug. 1, 2004 Weekend Poem ~ 'Summer Time'

Downtown and Around Shreveport May/June 2004, Vol.2, No.3 Article ~ ‘The Mysteries of Public Transit!’

The Shreveport Times March 12, 2004 Prose ~
‘Ledbetter Heights event was quality entertainment’

Love Bytes Feb. 10, 2004/ Ballard’s Bytes ~ Chapbook of Love Poems

Ballard’s Bits Feb. 10, 2004 (2^nd printing)/ Ballard’s Bytes ~ Chapbook of nature and seasonal verse

North of New Orleans Fall/Winter 2003, Vol.1, No.1 Poems ~ ‘Water’ and ‘Loving

Sunday @ Four Summer 2003, Vol. IX, No.3 Poems ~ ‘On a Rainy Night’, ‘This Bed’ and ‘Words of Beauty’

Visual art shows, displays and publications:

Nubian Express Books 3814 Linwood Ave. Shreveport LA (Current)	The Multicultural Center of the South 401 Texas Street. Shreveport LA (Current)	Art and Soul Festival Juried Art Festival Natchez Mississippi (September 2006)
Image Nation Artist Group Show Prima Tazza Shreveport, Louisiana (August-September 2006)	Current the Aesthetics of Contemporary Culture (A National Juried Show) Baton Rouge Gallery Center for Contemporary Arts Baton Rouge, Louisiana (June 2006)	YWCA Sexual Assault Awareness Month Art Show Java Junction Shreveport LA (April 2006)
Campus Collectibles Shreveport LA (Feb. 2004 - 2006)	Meadows Museum Northwest Louisiana Artists’ Triennial Competition Shreveport LA (Feb. - May 2006)	Montessori Art Show and Silent Auction Shreveport LA (March 2006)
The Gonzo Art Collective Mia’s Shreveport LA (Dec. 2005 and May 2006)	Torn Apart By Art The Body Electric Shreveport LA (Oct. 2005 ~ Nov. 2005)	Boomtown Days Festival Rhodessa LA (June 2005)

Cool Space Art Opening Art Space Shreveport LA (May 2005 ~ July 2005)	Animal Welfare Art Show Shreveport LA (April 2005)	Ann Rowell Celebration of Women in the Arts Shreveport LA (March 2005)
Java Junction 101 East Kings Highway Shreveport LA (Sept. 2004 ~ Feb. 2005)	Peace of Mind Center 284 Southfield Shreveport LA (Oct. 2004 ~ Jan. 2005)	Soulful Underground Pamoja Cultural Arts Center Shreveport LA (Oct. 2004)
King's Treasure's Boutique Kings Highway Christian Church Shreveport LA (Oct. 2004)	Art For Animals Columbia Café (Oct. 2004) Semolina’s & Pierremont Mall (Nov. 2005) Shreveport LA	North of New Orleans Summer 2004, Vol. 2, No.1 Black and White Photographs ~ ‘Child's Play' and 'Freedom of Expression'
Shadowbox Pan Centennial Shreveport LA (Sept. 2004)	The Annual Sunflower Trial and Fest Gilliam LA (June 2004 and 2005)	Louisiana Writers Month Display Shreve Memorial Library Broadmoor Library Shreveport LA (June 2004)
National Poetry Month Shreve Memorial Library Shreveport LA (April 2004 and 2005)	Annual Leadbelly Ledbetter Heights Music & Arts Fair Shreveport LA (Feb. 2004 and 2005)	Northwest Louisiana Art Gallery Annual Art Show The Turner Shreveport LA (Jan. 2004)

Artist Statement
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Happy and Blessed 2006! Both the Ballard's Bytes and Flavor web sites are working to keep up with the exciting new year. ... Coming soon on line ordering with a shopping cart! ... Visit the calendar pages on both sites to keep up with performances and art shows! ... Please continue to support your local artists and musicians living THEIR DREAMS! ... Both Joanna Ballard and Henry Turner Jr. and Flavor wish for you and yours a harmonious year filled with Peace and Oneness! Thank you for your year round support. ... Harmony and Peace to you all in 2006! ...

Click here to download Joanna Ballard's Storytelling and Performance Bio as a color MS Word document Click here to download her Storytelling and Performance Bio as a black and white MS Word document	Click here to download Ms Ballard's Writer's Bio as a color MS Word document Click here to download her Writer's Bio as a black and white MS Word document
Click here to download Joanna's Artist's Bio as a color MS Word document Click here to download her Artist's Bio as a black and white MS Word document	Click here to download Joanna Ballard's Artist Statement as a color MS Word document Click here to download her Artist Statement as a black and white MS Word document
Click here to open a new page with Joanna Ballard's black and white press kit picture right click on the picture and click "save as" to save photo.	Click here to open a new page with Joanna Ballard's color press kit picture right click on the picture and click "save as" to save photo.
Click here to open a new page with Joanna Ballard's black and white press kit picture without contact info right click on the picture and click "save as" to save photo.	Click here to open a new page with Joanna Ballard's color press kit picture without contact info right click on the picture and click "save as" to save photo.