Joan Giampa Anderson, D. Arts, is an artist, designer, and educator rooted in the tranquil landscape of central Virginia. This rural setting—which she shares with her beloved husband, Michael, her family, and a menagerie of goats, chickens, cows, pigs, horses, and dogs—inspires Anderson’s creative endeavors daily. Raised in Northern Virginia, Joan's educational journey led her to James Madison University, where she obtained her BFA in Graphic Design. Subsequently, she advanced her artistic skills at the University of Maryland, earning her MFA in Painting. Her pursuit of knowledge continued at George Mason University, where she achieved a Doctor of Arts in Community College Education, with the knowledge area in foundations art.

 

Joan's professional experience is just as impressive as her academic background. Her 18-year teaching career was driven by a keen passion for foundations art, a force she carries into her current work. In addition to teaching, Joan dedicated five years of her career to the corporate world as a UX/UI designer and product owner, contributing her artistic sensibilities to technological interfaces. Today, Joan is building a spiritual retreat center on her farm with her husband.  They plan to continue hosting spiritual retreats.  Joan will also host Conscious Mapping Book retreats. She balances a tranquil life on her farm with the ebbs and flows of her creative process. Whether engaged in writing in her studio, tending to her farm, or actively painting, Joan's artistic energy remains ever-vibrant, manifesting in her daily creative endeavors.

Between 2009 and 2014, Joan owned and operated the Red Caboose Gallery in Vienna, Virginia, where she featured works from numerous students and Washingtonian artists. Today, she's working on another small gallery project on her farm, the Red Tractor Gallery.

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