Joan Fear(nee Gibbison) was born in 1932 Raglan (Whaingaroa). Her parents Francis (Frank) Bertram Mitford Gibbison and mother Jessie Carr were also from Raglan. Joan is one of nine children. She has been an ardent supporter of the arts since she first became a member of the Waikato Society of Arts in the 1960s. Joan has two children, Lynda Light and Jonathan Fear. In the 2005 New Year's honours list, Joan was invested as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to the arts in the Waikato (MNZM) As a life-member and past president of the Waikato Society of Art, Joan Fear is the current WSA Patron.
She is represented in many private collections and galleries.

Leafa Wilson
Curator/ Concept Leader Visual Arts
1 October 2010