Born in College Park, Maryland, Joni Hoffman didn’t start out to be a wood carver, but from an early age she found herself drawn to nature and the arts. Taking the advice of well-meaning family, Joni attended the Washington D.C. Business School and became a certified legal secretary.  The career choice was less than satisfying and in her late 20s, she joined the United States Marine Corps.  For three years she worked as an Avionics Technician in an OV-10 Marine Squadron where she met her husband, Mike Hoffman.

After a debilitating injury, she left the military and began attending California State University, San Marcos. She graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Accounting. Along the way, she never gave up her love of art and continued to create drawings, etchings, and paintings, garnering numerous awards for her work along the way. 

In 1998, Joni attended the Core Sound Decoy Festival in Harkers Island, NC.  She became fascinated with the many styles and techniques used to transform wood into water birds.  At the urging of her husband of 20 years, she picked up a knife and a block of wood and hasn’t put them down since. Joni’s carvings can now be found in private collections throughout the Eastern U.S.  Her many awards include First Place in Shore Birds and Third Best in Show at the East Carolina Wildlife Festival for her portrayal of a life size Avocet.

As Joni continues to stretch her carving boundaries, her knife has lent its edge to creatures of a more whimsical nature--a tipsy Pelican, an imperfect heart, a wintry snowman, as well as usual duck decoys, herons, and egrets.   

She invites you to commission your favorite creature, beautifully rendered in wood, and painted with acrylics, an acquisition you will not regret.  You can see Joni’s work at the Cedar Key Art Gallery or  contact her by e-mail.

Click on images below to enlarge.