Josie V. Toney is an artist, illustrator, and designer with a surrealistic style that is whimsical and bright. Her work is comprised of a variety of mediums including acrylic, pastels, watercolor, marker, color pencil and graphite.

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A sixth generation Atlantan, Josie was a born artist, following in the creative footsteps of her architect father, Philip Vrooman, with inherited design sense. In addition to her bachelor degree in business administration from the College of Charleston, she holds a master’s degree in design and manufacture, with a specialization in footwear design, from De Montfort University in Leicester, United Kingdom.

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Josie has been creating art since she was a child. She began actively exhibiting her work in 2002, in South Florida, where she worked in the fashion footwear industry for a leading designer. In 2009, Josie relocated to Savannah, Georgia, where she continued to exhibit and create art in the community as a member of the Savannah Art Association.

 

Currently, Josie resides in North Georgia and is an active member of the Chestatee Artists, Bowen Center for the Arts, and the Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center. Her work can be found in local galleries, boutiques, and indie bookstores.

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In addition to her profession as an artist, Josie is a published children's book illustrator. Her first book, Georgia ABCs: A Finding Milo Book, written by Chris Jespersen, debuted in October of 2019. A whimsical alphabet book that feature's the state's places, plants and animals in verse, this is the first in a series. A fun element is finding the curious dog, Milo, who appears in every letter. 

 

Inspired by her practice, Josie also creates yoga apparel featuring her art, which can be found at the Yonah Yoga studio in Sautee Nacoochee and is available in her Etsy shop. 

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Josie lives in Cleveland, Georgia with her supportive husband, adorable son, two dogs, three cats and several chickens. With a passion for education, Josie works at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. In her spare time, Josie enjoys yoga, the outdoors, creating and spending time with her family.