Living Art: Jo Williams
Living Art features Jo Williams, an award-winning watercolorist and longtime resident of Denton, Texas, who, over the past 40 years, has been an active supporter of the arts in the community and beyond. Williams' students speak of her teaching them to "see the world with an artist's eye." Besides achieving recognition from her profession as an artist and teacher, Williams has volunteered countless hours, playing a key role in the growth and diversity of the Denton arts scene. This is the first in a series focusing upon successful artists who enrich their communities by living their art. North Texas musicians provide original music for Living Art with poetry narration by 2010 Texas State Poet Laureate, karla k. morton.
The Greater Denton Arts Council, Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts are funding organizations for Living Art: Jo Williams.
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Susan Carol DavisDirectorStory Town with Weldon's (Director); Waking the Dead (Co-Director); Retno's Refusal (Co-Director/Co-Producer); When We Were All Broncos (Associate Producer); The Spirit Horse (Producer); The Importance of Blind Dating (Producer)
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Linda S. AndersonProducerStory Town with Weldon's (Producer)
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Mateo Aaron GranadosDirector of PhotographyEditor: Banter Documentary / Director: Old Dirty Basement
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Jeremy TaubSecond CameraStory Town with Weldon's (Director of Photographer)
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Jeremy TaubEditorStory Town with Weldon's; Song of Earth
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Linda S. AndersonWriter / NarratorStory Town with Weldon's
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karla k. mortonNarrator / Texas Poet LaureateAuthor of 11 books including Redefining Beauty, Becoming Superman and Passion, Art, Community: Denton, Texas in Word and Image
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Clare Barns Warren, ComposerMusic ContributorsCompositions: Los Tapices de Goya
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Polly Maynard, Classical GuitaristMusic ContributorsDiscography: 12 Daze of Christmas, All Day Fun, The Parasol
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Chuck Voellinger, Composer/Guitarist - TrotlineMusic ContributorsCompositions: Bathed in Star Light, Aliens With Electric Guitars, Battle of Los Angeles
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Chris Veon, Composer/ Guitarist - TrotlineMusic ContributorsCompositions: Bathed in Star Light, Aliens With Electric Guitars, Battle of Los Angeles
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Jacob Dill, BassMusic Contributors
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Project Type:Documentary, Short
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Genres:Art
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Runtime:11 minutes 14 seconds
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Completion Date:August 29, 2016
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Production Budget:2,200 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Thin Line Film FestivalDenton, Texas
United States
April 22, 2017
World
Susan Carol Davis diversifies her creative pursuits as director, producer, actress and arts educator. She thanks mentors whether in Texas, Tennessee or California who invested their time and talents in helping her build a solid foundation for artistic vision with philanthropic roots. Living Art, the first in a series of films about artists living their art, marks her first directorial project created with funding from prominent arts nonprofits. Susan previously directed/produced the festival award-winner, Retno's Refusal and recently directed an inventive short film, Waking the Dead, with fellow filmmaker, Elizabeth Harding. Other producing credits include the documentary feature, When We Were All Broncos; Olive Tree Television's web series, Spirit Horse, and the popular festival short, The Importance of Blind Dating, featuring Stephen Tobolowsky. Susan holds membership in Women in Film-Dallas along with SAG-AFTRA and serves on the Governing Board of the Thin Line Fest in Denton, Texas. For Susan, each day holds great promise for films to grace other's lives: “I'm very thankful to be part of that amazing process. Film is a medium that helps all find stories which speak to the heart, soul and mind -- no matter the age, geographic location or philosophic roots of the filmmaker or viewer.”
Artists have much to learn from one another -- lessons in life that go far beyond technique and mastering a craft. Jo Williams is someone whom I have known as a community leader in the arts for years but it was not until I began telling her story through Living Art that I experienced her innate qualities of compassion, conscientiousness and courage which all complement her talents.
If she was never to paint another painting, she would always encourage others to do so for Jo wants each of us to see the natural world for the magnificent place it is. Beyond the often hectic pace of daily living or film production, I hope that her artist's eye will become a beacon for my own practice of living life with grace and generosity of spirit. Thank you, Jo, for living your art and living it well.