Professional artist Joanne Tarrant was born in Riyadh in 1978. She studied Art Foundation (HND) at Cheltenham College of Higher Education and in 2000 graduated from The Surrey Institute of Art and Design with a BA (Hons) degree.

Joanne has worked with the Marine Conservation Society, Marwell International Wildlife Art Society and the Wolf Conservation Trust helping to raise funds for various conservation projects. This year Joanne has donated a painting to the Shark Trust. Which was presented to them at this years NEC Dive Show.

Joanne's work has also been shortlisted for 2009 and 2011 semi-finals of the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year competition. In 2010 "Pagliaccio del Mare" was shortlisted to exhibit at the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) art exhibition, at the Mall Galleries in London. This piece was also shortlisted for the SAA artist of the year competition of the same year. 2011 has already seen Joanne's painting "Two For Joy" shortlisted for the DSWF art exhibition in June.