Joanne Shih

Joanne Shih is a queer, non-binary Taiwanese American artist and illustrator living in Somerville, Massachusetts. After graduating from MIT with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Joanne worked at a neuropsychology lab and then at a digital marketing agency before they decided in 2014 to pursue their own path of making art. Their meandering creative path has looked like exploring and embracing the gift of a non-traditional art education, traversing various realms of artistic interests including hand-lettering and calligraphy, watercolor and gouache painting, and more recently, comics and digital illustration. In their work they explore themes of emotional honesty and the liberative journey towards one’s true self. Some of Joanne’s favorite freelance projects have been illustrating a cocktail recipe book, contributing artwork for an oracle-style deck of trans wisdom (Sacred Incantations by enfleshed), and creating an event poster for Octavia’s Parables (a podcast by adrienne maree brown and Toshi Reagon). Joanne is an aspiring pleasure activist and in their 30s they have embarked on a journey to more fully embrace their sensual self. They are a beginner pole dancer, after taking an intro class early in 2023 and falling in love with the feeling of spinning around the pole. These days you can typically find them drawing and writing at a cafe while sipping iced tea, or watching pole dancing tutorials as they recover from their last practice dance session.