Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, Mary Jo Maraldo began her study of to study Japanese language and culture at Sophia University in Tokyo in 1971, beginning her formal instruction in the Ikebana Ikenobo School in 1972. She received her teaching credentials in 1984 and, in 1985, was given the title of Junkankan by the School’s Headmaster, Sensei Ikebono. Her artistic pursuits also led her, in 1987, to study Japanese calligraphy under Daiki Takemoto in Tokyo. 

From 1982 to 1986, Mary Jo created numerous gallery installations of large Ikebana sculptural at the Jacksonville Art Museum. Composed both two and three dimensionally, her calligraphic works have won her several grants and awards, and have been the focus of solo exhibitions in Kyoto, Japan; Jacksonville, Florida; and Santa Fe, New Mexico. They have also part of group exhibitions in Florida and New York. 

Art Work

Testing the boundaries of form and function, Mary Jo Maraldo’s calligraphic works infuse traditional Japanese writing with a stunning dynamism. Even while the works twist themselves towards the realm of abstract expression, the figure of the character remains, retaining a basic, linguistic meaning that takes a powerful, new shape in the hands of the artist.