Welcome to Deerdove Studio

Step into a whimsical world full of vibrant, handmade art.

Portfolio

GENDER LESS
2024
Risograph Zine
11 x 17 in (Unfolded)
27.94 x 17.78 cm (Unfolded)

Crying Over Spilled Blood
2025
Risograph Zine
8.5 x 11 in (Unfolded)
21.59 x 27.94 cm (Unfolded)

Butterfly Book
2024
Handmade Book
Colored Pencil, Risograph, Book Board
Size Variable

In the Dust
2024
Relief Print
8 x 10 in
20.32 x 25.4 cm

What Lives Here?
2024
Relief Print
11 x 14 in
27.94 x 35.56 cm

Table Setup

Artist Statement

I create drawings, prints, and books inspired by colorful, maximalist design, especially impressionism and abstract expressionism. My work uses fantastical creatures and magical worlds to explore emotional and conceptual tensions. I have always found myself to have much more intense emotional experiences than most. This has led me to become fascinated with the idea of pain and pleasure coexisting within the same experience. Often, the presence of one amplifies the feeling of the other. I use this contrasting emotional intensification to elicit a raw, complex effect in the viewer that leaves them both unsettled and understood. My work doesn’t give answers, but generates questions, curiosity, and hope.

Artist Bio

Jo Misseri is a Virginia-based artist creating illustrations, prints, and art books that depict vibrant, whimsical creatures and settings. Despite the cute and lively aesthetic of their work, they often create raw, emotional work informed by their struggles with loss, identity, and mental health. Animals, especially prey animals, are a core part of their visual language, since they’ve always felt a connection with them.Jo is currently pursuing a B.F.A in Art and Visual Technology at George Mason University. As the president of the Illustrators at Mason club, a student organization dedicated to advancing the arts at Mason, they volunteer their time planning and managing events for the 300+ members of the club as well as the broader public. They have created designs and posters to help advertise and further the club’s mission. While they have not shown their work in galleries, they share their art online and at artist alleys, such as George Mason’s Spring Artist Alley and Fairfax Comicon. They are currently focused on attending more community focused events like local artist markets and zine fairs and the work they are creating is in line with that.

Creative Resume