About the Artist: JO RICH-VADAS

Born in Southern Illinois, Jo Rich-Vadas was exposed to art at an early age. Both of her parents were creative and encouraged her abilities. Though she has had no formal training per se, she has attended workshops and classes along the way at EIU, ISU, Tarble Art Center and Gaslight Art Colony.

Jo has also been inspired by the works of the French Impressionists and by the painting with oils, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencils and pastel. She has been commissioned by Marshall Main Street to paint several Marshall local landmarks and has also been commissioned to paint numerous murals and paintings.

She had her first art show in 2010 at the Gaslight Art Colony. She also had a solo show in Palestine in 2014 and “France Comes to Paris” solo show at the Bicentennial Art Center in Paris in 2015.

In 1975 when she moved to Marshall, Illinois, she joined the Marshall Art Guild. Now she is a member of the Gaslight Art Colony, the Bicentennial Art Center, Wabash Valley Art Guild, Arts Illiana and River City Art Association. These memberships have given her the opportunity to compete and expose her work and win various awards and recognition over the years.

In October 2009, she was one of the initial founders of the Gaslight Art Colony, a Not-for-Profit organization, in Marshall. She has served on the board for more than ten years, three as Vice President, and as the Gallery curator since it opened.“