Jo Situ Allen

Jo's love for creative expression started when she was young.  Growing up in China and Los Angeles, her life was always filled with art, music and literature.  Her father Michael Situ is a respected plein air artist and her mother is an avid reader, philosopher, and writer.  Whether it was a moving passage from a book, an unforgettable scene from an independent film or dandelions peeking through concrete sidewalks - to Jo, these moments were all love letters sent from the universe. 

This spiritual connection to wonder led to a degree in Geography / Environmental Studies at UCLA - where Jo almost became a Bryologist (that's right, a moss scientist)  in the process. 

While there, she was mesmerized by the band Le Tigre and the feminist punk ethos of the Riot Grrl movement.  Inspired by the voices of girls with fierce attitudes and something to say, Jo started a comic series in 2001 called "Watch My Muffin" which lead to the conception of DIRTY ERASER - capturing the messy perfection of the creative process. 

After UCLA, Jo worked as a sustainability advisor while setting also up shop at the annual LA punk craft fair Bizarre Bazaar selling her first "book", screen-printed fanny packs made from vintage textiles, and art prints.  In 2009, she graduated from Presidio Graduate School with an MBA in sustainable management.  She co-founded Canopy Strategies, lived in Hong Kong for over a year and continued working in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) but always with a notebook and pencil in her hand.

Fast forward...

These days, Jo works with watercolors, ink, and mixed media.  She loves to graffiti on anything she can get her hands on - jeans, jackets, home goods, etc.  A style dreamer and an ecology nerd, Jo is blessed to be surrounded by a community of bad-ass, creative, and spirited women.  She lives in Laguna Beach with her hubby and two darling girls.

Published Titles from Brook Street Books:

"The Accidental Naturalist:  Exploring the Flora and Fauna of Laguna Beach and Beyond (2016)

"The Accidental Naturalist:  Exploring the Flora and Fauna of San Francisco and Beyond" (2017)

"The Accidental Naturalist:  Exploring the Flora and Fauna of Los Angeles and Beyond" (Coming soon)  

For commissions and collaborations, send a note to jo@dirtyeraser.com

You can also DM her on Instagram @dirty_eraser