With over fifteen years of creative practice, Jo Richards Hooker is an established New Zealand artist whose work spans ceramics, glass, and stone. Her pieces are instantly recognisable for their graceful lines, calming flow, and quiet strength — qualities that echo the natural world that inspires her.

Form and shadow are central to Jo’s sculptural language, while her paintings reveal an emerging vibrancy and colour palette that brings her organic forms to life in new ways. Her work often explores themes of movement — birds, boats, water, and wind — as well as the shapes and textures of leaves, trees, and landscapes, creating a conversation between nature’s rhythm and human emotion.

When not in her studio, Jo works as a Legal Assistant, balancing her creative and professional worlds with ease. She shares her life with her husband Paul Hooker and their beloved dog Rex, often adventuring to the Coromandel, where Paul’s passion for surfing and Jo’s love of coastal landscapes continually fuel her artistic inspiration.

For Jo, a perfect day includes good coffee, yoga, time with family and friends, a walk on the beach or in the bush, and a few hours immersed in making art. It’s no surprise that her pieces evoke the serenity and strength of those same natural places — a reflection of a life deeply connected to land, sea, and soul.