Joanna Ballard Shreveport, La. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ballardsbytes.com myspace.com/ballardsbytes

Words and their origins, textures, sounds, and symbols have always fascinated me. I was making up songs and stories, even before I could read and write, as well as questioning where words came from and why and how people, places, and things got their names. I have always been fascinated by color, especially the vibrant colors around me in Northwest Louisiana. Until the internet came along, I was never satisfied with what came out of my hands onto the page with drawing and traditional art the "stories" never came out quite right.

As far as oral storytelling goes, people and their stories have always intrigued me. I agree with Mark Twain who said "There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy and a tragedy." I love listening and learning from others of life and in particular their own stories which often find their way dressed up and rearranged in my oral storytelling art.

Words, sounds and color, to me, are exciting mysterious and challenging in any medium! I enjoy exploring and sharing my "stories" in many avenues to a wide and varied audience.

Photos of Joanna Coutesy of Steven Miramontz stevenmiramontz.com