From joyful to mysterious, Jo Carol’s art invites viewers to write their own story.
Jo Carol Mitchell-Rogers isn’t giving away the ending. Much like a cliffhanger in a film, her paintings leave you in suspense: what happens next? Who are these mysterious figures, and are they leaping or falling, rising or descending, joyful or unsettled? Each work is a fleeting moment preserved in paint, the story behind it open-ended—and you are the author.
“My most recent body of work invites the viewer to create their own narrative,” says Mitchell-Rogers, a prolific artist and celebrated local educator. “It has been incredibly meaningful to me to have viewers respond so emotionally to the work; to see things in [the paintings] that are beyond what even I intended or imagined. That engagement is what has really fueled the series. I love stepping back and watching people react.”
While nostalgia has long been a driving force for Mitchell-Rogers, who collects old photographs as inspiration, the newest pieces in her Open-Ended series have drifted into a more nebulous, enigmatic territory featuring submerged swimmers. “I’ve been on a whole leaping, jumping kind of [subject], capturing that exhilaration . . . it’s a challenge. How do you capture a real sense of physical movement in a static image?” Mitchell-Rogers asks. An intrigue with synchronized swimming quickly took the artist in a very different direction. Some of the paintings, like A Faint and Dangerous Hope, are enigmatic, even disconcerting—with almost spiritual or art historical references in the gestures as they move toward the light.
Open-Ended Journey into Mystery
“In all honesty, it’s really new, and I don’t know where it could be going, but I’m pretty excited about it,” laughs Mitchell-Rogers, who enjoys the meandering process of letting themes emerge and allowing herself to “chase the rabbit” when it comes to pursuing wild new ideas. “I think you miss out if you don’t follow the unexpected leads that cross your path. Even if you don’t know where you’re going, you follow [the idea] because you feel compelled to . . . and that can lead to a more meaningful body of work.”
Mitchell-Rogers has noticed that people tend to gravitate toward either the joyful, nostalgic images or the more mystical, nebulous ones. “It’s funny, I’ve seen two very different types of responses to the work, depending upon the individual, which I think is perhaps fitting of where we find ourselves right now,” adds Mitchell-Rogers, referencing our nation’s collective experience navigating uncertain waters.
In addition to her fellow creatives at her studio in ArtBomb, Mitchell-Rogers also draws inspiration from her students at Anderson University. “I live in two different art worlds,” she reflects. “I have the privilege of working with students who want to study art—they’ve kept me interested and on top of things. But the part of me that lives at ArtBomb is why I wanted to be an educator to begin with. I’ve been teaching for a long time and am looking forward to retiring young and creating more work.”
To see more of Jo Carol’s art or contact her directly, go to jocarol.net or follow her on Instagram @JoCarol8.
