Born in 1958, international sculptor, Joanne Sullivan-Gessler grew up in South Africa. Having spent 4 years in the USA, Joanne relocated to New Zealand in 2002 where she was granted New Zealand Citizenship in 2006.

Joanne studied sculpture under noted South African sculptors, Etienne de Kock, Andries Botha, and Guy du Toit. Subsequently Joanne attended workshops under some of the finest sculptors in the world at The Scottsdale School of Art (AZ, USA) as well as The American Academy of Equine Art, (AAEA) in KY, USA.

Careful attention to detail combined with extensive research on her subjects and a solid grounding in anatomy, have all contributed as a foundation for her work.

With a string of prestigious commissions to her name, Joanne’s works have made their way into collections in England, Europe, South Africa, the USA, New Zealand and Australia.

In recent years, Joanne’s sculptures have been exhibited in several International Museum exhibitions (1999-2005) including The International Museum of The Horse in Lexington, KY, USA and notably the “Master’s Invitational” exhibition held at The Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA, USA, by invitation of The American Academy of Equine Art (AAEA).

Today, Joanne is an Associate Member (sculpture) and Board Member of the AAEA.

“Balance”, a life size public sculpture of a rooster toppling a chair, takes pride of place in front of the library, in the Albany Village Center on New Zealand’s North Shore.