Dec. 26, 2023

Living the dream with former corporate executive turned self-published author, artist, and educator Joanna Barbolla

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Dive into the inspiring journey of Joanna Barbolla, a former corporate executive turned self-published author and educator. On this episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, Joanna shares her transformative experience from the bustling streets of New York City to the sunny avenues of Tampa, Florida. Discover how art therapy and a passion for wine led her to intertwine creativity with relaxation, resulting in her book "Divulge Divino." Joanna's story is a testament to the power of reinvention and the joy of pursuing one's passions.

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> Speaker A>Welcome, um, to the living the Dream podcast with curveball. If you believe you can achieve, cheat, cheat.

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> Speaker B>Welcome to the living the Dream with curveball podcast, a show where I interview you guests that teach, motivate and inspire. Today I am joined by self published author, artist, designer, corporate executive, now educator, Joanna Barbola.

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> Speaker B>Joanna started out as a corporate executive and she is going to be talking today about her book, her art therapy class.

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> Speaker B>And she's going to be talking about how she intertwines wine with art and what led her on that path.

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> Speaker B>So, Joanna, thank you so much for joining me today.

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> Speaker C>Yes, good morning, Curtis. Thank you so much for having me on your podcast. I'm thrilled to be here.

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> Speaker B>Glad to have you.

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> Speaker B>Why don't you start off by telling everybody a little bit about yourself?

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> Speaker C>Sure. So I am a born and bred New Yorker. I spent 30 years, um, working in corporate administration based out of New York City. Um, and I had a very, um, successful career for a 30 year span.

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> Speaker C>Um, and then unfortunately, Covid hit and New York City closed down more or less the time. And, um, I was laid off and I knew that I needed to start fresh. I knew that I wanted to take on a new challenge. Um, so I decided to relocate to Tampa, Florida, um, and dive into another career. So I'm now working in education. I'm working as a teacher. Um, I did some, um, art teaching when I first came down here. I did some substitute teaching. I'm down here almost three years. Um, I also taught art therapy. And, um, it's just been a lot of fun. I've really had a chance to, um, think outside the box, um, do different type of work. That's very rewarding and I have a chance to give back.

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> Speaker C>And, um, I learned a lot about myself and who I am outside of wearing the corporate executive hat. And, um, I've had a chance to be more creative and it's a wonderful thing for me. It really is. I've grown so much in the last three years that I've been down here in Florida.

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> Speaker B>So tell us what you did as a corporate executive.

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> Speaker C>Sure. So I worked as a high level executive assistant, um, in the corporate retail world. I started off at, um, Lord and Taylor on Fifth Avenue and 30 eigth. And then from there I went to Liz Claiborne on Broadway.

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> Speaker C>Um, and then from there I went to Macy's in Harold Square. And then the last twelve years of my career in New York City, I spent in toys r us in Times Square.

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> Speaker C>So it's been a lot of fun. I always worked in the corporate end in the executive offices.

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> Speaker C>Um, so I've met with so many different vendors and I've had the chance to work with so many different personalities. Um, it's sometimes been challenging, sometimes been really fun, very educational. And um, I learned a lot about, um, how I like to feel regimented and how I like to feel productive and have a sense of purpose every day. And my work ethic has gotten so very strong because of that, um, and that's why I wanted to continue that feeling of accomplishment when I came down here in Florida. Um, so yeah, it's been a whirlwind of a career, it really has. And I'll always be a New Yorker.

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> Speaker C>You'll never take the New York City girl out of me. But um, I now consider myself a late in life Floridian.

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> Speaker B>So tell us what got you into art?

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> Speaker B>And you talk about art and wine. So tell us how those two intertwined.

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> Speaker C>For as a, as a young woman, I was always an arts enthusiast. Um, I even went to fit in New York. But the funny thing is I never, um, took any kind of design courses in college. I took marketing at fit, believe it or not. Um, and then as I got more into my thirty s and forty s, I really started just getting the painting bug inside of me. I took 102, um, painting classes and thoroughly enjoyed it, found it to be so, um, enriching and really fun and gave me a chance to just let loose instead of being so regimented all the time.

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> Speaker C>And I tapped into my creative side and I took one, um, class, uh, and then I really loved it. So I took another class and then I was on vacation and I started taking m classes at a local art league. And then I just got so hooked that I bought myself an easel, bought myself a bunch of paint and set up, um, a little studio in my apartment back in New York. And just kept painting and painting and painting. And um, I've always been a, ah, wine enthusiast.

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> Speaker C>I'm italian, I love wine.

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> Speaker C>Um, and I spent um, many years in the wine business while I was working in corporate America, uh, because I used to run a wine or networking group, um, I started doing it in New York City. I started hosting and building my group and then I decided to open up a group on Long island. And I had about 250 members. And I used to plan a lot of really fun art and wine related events like wine picnics, gallery hopping, um, wine dinners, wine tastings. And it just got to be so much fun. And my members really loved it and we were trying wines from all different places. And because I have this networking group, I was invited to all these different trade events, um, all based out of New York City.

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> Speaker C>And I had such a great time. I would go to all these fancy venues and learn about all these wines from all over the globe. And I took wine classes, um, and lessons, and it was just very educational. So because I had all this knowledge, I really wanted to do something with it. I didn't want it to just go to waste. So I started a wine blog back on Long island and my members loved it. I would send it out once I published it to all of my members. And I got great, great feedback. Um, they were even giving me suggestions and we had such a great time with it. And so by the time I had finished the wine blog, after a couple of years, I had about 16 different wine reviews. And I always said to myself, back in New York, this is something that's just so educational and so useful, I should turn it into a paperback. But because of my schedule and because of my eleven hour days commuting into the city for so long, I really never have the time.

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> Speaker C>So now, um, when I came to Florida, my lifestyle changed so drastically. I work from home, I work remotely, I work part time in different areas. I have a couple of part time jobs. Um, so I have a lot more free time. And, um, I decided to do some research on how to turn this wine blog into a paperback. And I decided to self publish it on Kindle, where I was the publisher, the editor, um, the illustrator. And I was so excited. I finally finished it last year. It came out in October. Um, and I have just been trying, I'm doing all the self promoting, um, and I've been on several, several different podcasts talking about it and, um, fundraising it. And it's just been really lot of fun and it's something I'm really proud of. So that's how I came to create the book.

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> Speaker C>And, um, it's just so much fun talking about it. I've done wine tastings with it and, um. How could you not be joyful and happy when you're talking about the fruits of life? I mean, wine is a pleasure of life. It's wonderful, it brings people together, it's fun, it's challenging. And there's always something new you can learn about wine. There's always something new you can learn about the grape varietals and the taste and the flavors and all of that. So, um, I'm just having a really great time with it.

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> Speaker B>Absolutely.

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> Speaker B>And you also created an art therapy course.

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> Speaker B>So tell us about that course and why you decided to create it.

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> Speaker C>Yes. Well, because of all the painting that I did at home, I found it to be so therapeutic and so enriching and so helpful in relaxing me and getting me out of my own head that I designed a course, uh, for students of all ages to use different forms of artistic expression to help explore and transform feelings and thoughts and ideas. And, um, art therapy is designed to help cope and process emotional issues, as well as facilitate self awareness, healing, and well being.

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> Speaker C>And those are all, um, the feelings and the results that I got when I was doing it myself with all my paintings. So I decided to share it. I had all this knowledge, I had all this success with it, and I said, well, I should design a course and be able to share it with the rest of the world.

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> Speaker C>Um, in 2021, I was offered an opportunity to teach art therapy, um, with students at USF here in Tampa. And I had much success with it. So I'm trying to find different ways that I can facilitate this into my teaching now that I'm doing. Um. Um, so I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful that I can share this course that I designed, um, with students of all ages so they can get the results that I got and they can get the benefits that I've gotten from it. And, um, it's just so much fun. It's just another way to bring people together.

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> Speaker C>Just like the wine tasting and, um, the wine dinners and the wine picnics. It's just wine brings people together, art brings people together, and, um, it's just so easy to entertain the two of it together. And, um, it's just a lot of fun and, um, very joyful.

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> Speaker B>So in your book, you create abstract art throughout each chapter. So tell the listeners about that.

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> Speaker C>Yes.

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> Speaker B>Why do it like that?

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> Speaker C>Well, because for me, wine and art has always gone together. Whenever I was painting, I would pour myself a glass of wine. I would set up some cheese and crackers, and it was just a wonderful experience for me. And, um, I have been an artist now probably for the last almost 20 years, and I have so many paintings that I brought with me. I brought all of my paintings with me from New York.

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> Speaker C>And, um, I wanted to create this paperback with all my wine reviews, but I also wanted to make it creative, um, especially since it's done in a very witty, conversational tone. I feel like I'm talking to the reader, and, um, I'm right there with them, tasting the wines and talking about the flavors and all of that.

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> Speaker C>And if I'm talking about wine, then I also want to talk about art because that's part of who I am, an artist, designer. I also have home products and accessories that I've made through my designs for my paintings. So in each chapter of divulge divino, I incorporated one of my images of one of my abstract paintings.

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> Speaker C>Um, so it's a very colorful, vibrant, unique, um, paperback where it's about one or two pages of a wine review. I'm going to talk about the wine history, the origin of the wine.

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> Speaker C>Sorry about that. I also talk about, um, the flavors and how to pair the wine, um, with various foods. Um, and then, um, I incorporate one of my images in the chapters. So there's about 1617 different images of my art along with the wine reviews. And, um, it's really fun. It's a very unique type of book. I don't think there's a lot of books like that out there and I wanted to make it that way because that's part of who I am. I'm a unique person and I wanted to share that with the world.

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> Speaker B>Okay, well, tell us where we can pick up your book.

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> Speaker C>Sure. So it's available on Amazon.com.

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> Speaker C>Um, if you just go to Divino, you can find it. Um, and I also have a Twitter page under divulge Devino and a TikTok page under divulge Devino. Um, and it's available on Amazon in kindle and paperback versions. Um, and you can see my, um, paintings, my home products and accessories under my Etsy page, which is under art reflections design. Um, and then my home products and accessories is under my threadless page, which is again under art reflections design. And my Instagram page, um, so I'm kind of spread out a little bit. I've got my paintings and my home products and accessories online. And then I have my bookunder Amazon.com.

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> Speaker B>Well, tell us about any upcoming projects or current projects that you're working on that people need to know about.

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> Speaker C>Yeah, so I just started with a learning center, um, here in the Brandon area called learn to thrive, where I'm working as a part time teacher and facilitator, um, and it's a center for, um, students with diverse needs, um, not just special needs, diverse needs. And um, I just had my first planning meeting, um, this week. And I'll be teaching art there on Tuesdays and Thursdays, um, and then going forward, hopefully be able to facilitate my art therapy course into my teachings while I'm out there. Um, and then towards the end of the month, I'll be starting with next floor, which is another, um, teaching company where they do specialized teachings at various schools. And I will be starting a 3d printing class, um, at a local church here in Brandon. Um, and it's an eight week session on Mondays.

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> Speaker C>And, um, it's, uh, in an afternoon class for elementary age students. So I really specialize in elementary age students. That's, um, where I did my substitute teaching and my art classes when I first came down here in Florida.

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> Speaker C>Ah, so that's kind of what I'm focused on. I also, um, work as a social media manager for the national organization for women. Um, and I work for the Tampa chapter and I'm in charge of all their social media and, um, updating the websites for the Tampa chapter.

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> Speaker C>So I've got a couple of different part time things that are keeping me really busy. And, um, I find them to be very, um, challenging and very interesting. And, um, it's just a great way for me to give back all this knowledge that I've acquired over the years.

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> Speaker C>So that's my projects now. Um, and of course, getting my book around and getting my book noticed and promoting my book, that's another part time job that I have. So, uh, I'm quite busy these days.

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> Speaker B>Sounds like it. So everybody can keep up with everything that you're up to. Throw out any contact information you have.

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> Speaker C>Um, yeah, so you can always find me on LinkedIn. Um, I put a lot of information on LinkedIn as far as my teaching, um, the classes that I'm teaching, um, any information on my book, any promotions that I'm having on my paintings or home products and accessories, you can always connect with me on LinkedIn.

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> Speaker C>Um, I'm also on Facebook, and both of them are under my name, Joanna Barbola.

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> Speaker C>Um, and then, of course, on all my social media sites, you can always connect with me.

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> Speaker B>All right, we'll close this out with some final thoughts. Maybe if that was something I forgot to talk about that you would like to touch on, or just any final thoughts you have for the listeners.

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> Speaker C>I, um, would say anyone who wants to enrich their life and anybody who wants to learn, um, about wines. And if anyone is looking to find a good valued wine, um, I would say$25 and under.

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> Speaker C>Um, and if you're looking for some type of table guide where you want to choose a wine for a dinner party you're having, or you're looking for a stocking stuffer, divulge to vino is the perfect book for you. Um, it's about 70 pages, and this is the paperback. And it's, like I said, a great, um, stocking stuffer. Um, it's a great Christmas gift, a great Hanukkah gift. Um, and it's a fun read.

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> Speaker C>And, um, it's very entertaining.

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> Speaker C>And you'll learn a lot about wine without spending hundreds of dollars. Great, um, valued wines, all under$25 $25 and under, I should say. Um, so have a listen and take a look and you will be pleasantly surprised.

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> Speaker B>Absolutely. Ladies and gentlemen, all, uh, you wine lovers out there, please be sure to pick up Joanna's book. Please be sure to follow rate review share this episode to all the wine lovers out there.

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> Speaker B>If you have any guests or suggestion topics, cjackson 102 at Cox. Net is the place to send them. As, uh, always, thank you for listening.

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> Speaker B>And Joanna, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your expertise.

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> Speaker C>Thank you so much for having me. I truly appreciate it. I had a great time and great conversation. Thank you.

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> Speaker A>For more information on the living the Dream podcast, visit www.djcurveball.com.

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> Speaker A>Until next time, stay focused on living the dream.

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> Speaker B>Dream.