Joanna Zjawinska was born in 1950 in a small Polish mining town. She began painting at an early age. In 1975 she moved to New York to pursue a career in art in earnest. She later moved to San Francisco CA. Drama is a primary element in Zjawinska's paintings and her colors are rich, expressive and dynamic. Zjawinska’s works are housed in many prestigious private and public collections including Brook Shields and Elizabeth Arden.