Joanne Drayton has a doctorate from the University of Canterbury, has published papers on art history and theory, and lectured and taught since 1981.

She is the author of four highly regarded biographies of early 20th century New Zealand women artists and writers. These are: Edith Collier: Her life and work 1885-1964 (1999), Rhona Haszard: An experimental expatriate New Zealand artist (2002), Frances Hodgkins: A Private Viewing (2005) and Ngaio Marsh: Her Life in Crime (2008).

Joanne was awarded a National Library Fellowship in 2007 to research and write her biography of Marsh.

Joanne has curated exhibitions of Collier, Haszard, Hodgkins and D.K. Richmond’s work, and publishes in art history and theory.

She lectures at Unitec on design theory and 19th and 20th century art history.