Joan V

Our latest Voltgirl feature is with the "inspiring, sophisticated and extroverted" Joan V - quite possibly the happiest and friendliest person we've ever come across online! Click 'read more' for the full article and great pics...

Hi, welcome to Voltcase! How are things!?

Thank you for welcoming me to Voltcase, I'm doing quite well!  I'm healthy, happy, and my recently sprained ankle is healing very well, thanks! Life has been very busy with work, photo shoots, and new projects, and this month looks to be yet another busy month, so I’m looking forward to it all! I’ve had the opportunity to be published in six international alternative magazines, as well as two newspapers within the past six months - very exciting times!

So, how would you describe yourself to a stranger in just three words?

Inspiring, sophisticated and extroverted!

Is there anything in particular that sets you apart from all of the other Voltgirl’s we’ve featured in Voltcase over the years?

Yes - my more mature age!  I just turned 45 years young, and I am of Japanese-Canadian descent.  I have an exotic look from my parents, and I look a lot younger then my actual age. Most strangers think that I'm in my late 20's, even now!  

Now, on to the modelling – how did it all start for you? Was it something you always wanted to do, or did it just ‘happen’?

I got into modelling when I was 18 years old.  A family friend, who is a professional photo journalist in Japan, saw my pictures, and told my mother to get me into modelling.  I started off as a mainstream petite model , but transitioned into alternative modelling in my early 20's, as I have lead a Gothic lifestyle since I was 15 years old. It's just a lot more comfortable for me to be an Alternative Model, rather than a mainstream one.  I also find it more exciting, interesting, and I can express my creative self more easily!  I always wanted to model, as I love being in the limelight, and have an outgoing personality - I really LOVE what I do!

Do you have any personal guidelines on what you will or won’t do for the sake of a good photo, or is it pretty much anything goes? And if you do have any guidelines, have you ever been in a situation where you’ve had to enforce them?

One of things that I won't do to get a good photo is pose completely nude, or do anything that would make me personally uncomfortable.  I believe in being professional in my work each and every time, and I also expect this from all the photographers that I work with.  To me, modelling is not just about looking great in certain clothing, or non-clothing; for me, it’s a personal expression of who I am as an artist.  I am a perfectionist, and in terms of enforcing my professional guidelines, I always make those clearly known to any photographers that I work with before we even start a project. That way, there are never any misunderstandings regarding expectations on either side of the camera!

A lot of the models that we chat to here at Voltcase are often actresses, musicians, writers etc as well. Are you concentrating on just the modelling, or is it just one of many things that you do?

Modelling is my first and foremost artistic priority!  I enjoy every minute of it, no matter what the project is. Secondly, I am a musician. I play the piano, harpsichord, pipe organ, and electronic keyboards! I began my formal music education at age four. Currently, I am a keyboardist in the Goth/Industrial band "Groit!".  My boyfriend, Zlatan, is the lead in our band, and we rehearse and perform on a regular basis. We also write original compositions as well. I really enjoy doing live stage performances, it gets my adrenaline going!

We’re all a bunch of geeks at heart here at Voltcase, are you particularly geekie about anything in particular yourself – the more embarrassing the better!?

Wow!  I've been a geek since I was in Junior High School! (laughs) I confess that I LOVE science fiction movies! Almost ALL of them, and I can't get enough of watching them all! When anything new comes out, I have to see it ASAP! I have an extensive sci-fi movie collection, as well as a horror movie collection!

I also still love to eat Orange Pop-Rocks Candies - you know, the ones that explode and crackle in your mouth when you chew them?! (laughs) They taste awesome, and they're loud! I love to see the expression on people's faces when I'm eating them!

If you were interviewing yourself, what question would you ask yourself? And what would the answer be?

I would ask myself, why do I model when I'm in my mid-forties?  My answer would be: it's what I LOVE to do!  Every shoot is exciting, fun, and something creative to be totally involved in.  I take very good care of myself; I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, or anything... My health is very important to me, and looking my best is an on-going routine. I hope to model for as long as possible because I enjoy it so much!

Loud rock ’n’ roll plays a big part in our lives here at Voltcase, are you a big music fan? Any bands or artists you might want to namedrop for us, or any unknown acts that you think we should check out?

I LOVE loudmusic! I listen to music whenever I get the chance to. It is SO much a part of my life that I couldn't live without it! I am a big fan of "Old School" punk rock and Goth / metal bands, especially groups like Bauhaus, The Cure, The Clash, The Monks, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Depeche Mode, The Cramps, New Order, The Ramones and Lords of the New Church. If I can do some name dropping, I would love to mention the band I play in - "Groit!" I also love to promote and support local Canadian alternative bands, such as Nocturnal Divinity , Black Optic , Slick Idiot, Project Pitchfork and Bobbi Styles, who are some of my local favourites. They all really rock, and some of their band members are also good friends of mine!

And finally, the question that we ask everyone that appears in Voltcase - what does the word 'Voltcase' mean?

To me, the word Voltcase means a Tesla styled unbreakable glass/steel container that traps ghosts, or spirits! It has an alarm and flashing lights that go off whenever a wandering spirit is attracted to its intense electromagnetic energy field! The container would hold it hostage! You could actually trap a ghost within its walls! (laughs!)

Photography by:
Envision Photography, Pendragon Photography, Tanya Beth Photography, Ted Sali Photography and Kat Cruz Photography.