Braden Grafe

Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Braden’s love for art began in high school and led her to pursue a B.A. in Art History from Southern Methodist University, followed by an M.Ed. with a concentration in art from The University of South Alabama.

She finds daily inspiration in the breathtaking beauty of God's creation right outside her window in the lowcountry of South Carolina—the way light filters through the trees, the ever-changing colors of the marshlands with vibrant greens in summer and rich oranges in fall, the shifting tides, and the elegant coastal birds. Joanne paints primarily in oils, often favoring a palette knife over a brush. She describes the palette knife as a humbling and liberating tool—an ideal counterbalance for someone who, as the eldest of five children and mother of five herself, is no stranger to wanting control. With the knife, she may mix two or three colors expecting a certain result, only to be delighted by an unexpected and beautiful outcome. Though she knows she can never fully replicate the divine brilliance of God’s palette, she finds immense joy in the attempt.

Braden is married to Rob, an Anglican priest. In 2010, they moved to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, where Rob was called to serve as rector of All Saints Church. That move reignited Braden’s passion for painting, and she hasn’t looked back since. She loves everything—or almost everything—about being an artist: opening a fresh tube of paint, mixing colors, composing a canvas, and experimenting with new ideas. In recent years, she began incorporating words into her impressionist landscapes and coastal bird paintings, discovering that these words help ground her work and deepen her ability to express both her love of painting and her faith in God, the ultimate Creator.