JoAnne Carson was born in New York City and currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. She received her MFA degree from the University of Chicago and attended the University of Illinois for undergraduate school.

Her work can be found in various public collections including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, The Fort Worth Art Museum, Joslyn Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, and the Frederick Weisman Art Foundation in Los Angeles.

She has received many awards including the Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome, a Purchase Prize from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Louise Bourgeois Residency from Yaddo, and individual artist grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and The Awards in the Visual Arts.

Her sculptures and drawings been shown in numerous solo and two-person exhibitions including The Fort Worth Art Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, and galleries in New York City including Claire Oliver Gallery, Joan Washburn Gallery, Ruth Siegel Gallery, and Plus Ultra Gallery.

Notable group exhibitions in public institutions include the American Academy of Arts and Letters Ceremonial Exhibition, The Whitney Biennial Exhibition, The New Orleans Museum Frederick Weisman Collection, the Albright Knox Gallery in Buffalo, and Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia's Awards in the Visual Arts, and the Fleming Museum in Burlington, Vermont, New Works on Wood. Selected group exhibitions in commercial galleries include, Moti Hasson, D.C. Moore, Allan Frumkin, and Ruth Siegel galleries in New York City.