Jo Ann Atwood

My name is Jo Ann Atwood and I graduated from CVHS in 1991, part of the School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) program, which I began at Chula Vista Middle School (then CV Junior High). I’ve been drawing all my life, and when I heard about the magnet arts program at Chula Vista, I knew it was the right place for me. I was taught by the amazing Vicki Jones-Pittman at CVJH, who was extremely encouraging, then by the late Fred James at CVH, while in his design studio classes. Being a part of the SCPA made it possible for me to focus on my art study for 2 periods a day while still being in a public school and having the full academic experience.

After graduation, I went to Southwestern College for 2 years to work on my lower division college requirements while continuing to take many different art classes. I then transferred to UC Berkeley, where I completed my bachelors degree in art practice in 1995. I moved to New York City that summer, and after a few years of retail jobs finally landed an apprenticeship at Lady Luck Tattoo in Brooklyn, NY. I worked in a couple of different shops in NYC before moving to Canada in 2002, where I began managing and tattooing at Urge2 Tattoo in Edmonton, Alberta. There I built my reputation as a portrait artist and colorful tattoo specialist, and was very busy. In 2013 I returned to my hometown of San Diego, worked at FSG Tattoo in Imperial Beach for two years while establishing a reputation here, then went to my current place of employment, Avalon 2 Tattoo, which has a long history and is highly regarded as an early innovator in San Diego tattooing.

I am grateful for the foundation in art I was afforded at Chula Vista High; and to this day it’s always a pleasure to tattoo my former classmates, and now their children. I’m a proud Spartan for life!