This blog is called Jo B Creative, which is pretty obvious what it means! The B stood for Bennett, my surname, but I'm changing that. I grew up with that name. I got married and changed it. If I was getting married again, I would keep my old surname.
But now I've reached my seventieth decade I feel that I can make choices without justifying myself or feeling apologetic. I want to create new names and surnames for a number of reasons that include having names that represent me as a creative - both as an artist and writer. Not by deed poll - far too complicated and not necessary. I would use my official name for official stuff - but I can choose names and use them.
My wild west persona is Kitty Le Roy. I chose the name because Kitty was my paternal granny and Kitty Le Roy was a wild western gambling and shootist woman I read about in a Tit Bits magazine (😄 hilarious title or what?) that's been defunct for many years. I identified with Kitty at the time (I have other preferences now). So I identified as Kitty at wild west living history camps and the handle stuck. Now I run Kitty Le Roy's Wild West Saloon Facebook Group and my wild west website Kitty Le Roy's Wild West (which badly needs a spring clean!).
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| THIS IS NOT KITTY LE ROY, BUT I LIKED THE IMAGE, SO SHOOT ME 😉! |
My author and creative writing name is Kit MacKenzie. I love the surname and there are no other writers with that name so Kit MacKenzie I am.
In more recent times I decided that I'd also like to choose a surname to suit my artistic profile. I've neglected my art while concentrating on Alias Jeannie Delaney but I intend to return to it and try to make a go of art online because I know I'm good at it when I put my mind to it, and I love creating art.
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| PAINTING! |
I like my name Jo, and the 'B' had to remain, so I scrolled through umpteen surnames beginning with 'B', and possibly 'Be' (Bennett). I couldn't find a 'Be' that I liked. I decided to just stick to the 'B'. I found 'Ballantyne' and liked it a lot. There are no other artists called Jo Ballantyne.
So Jo Ballantyne, artist, I am!
It's an interesting challenge, changing one's name. I know several people who've done it for various reasons. My aunt changed her Christian name, and so did an old boyfriend. Happens all the time.
So that's who I've become - Jo Ballantyne, Artist, Kit MacKenzie, Author and creative writer, and Kitty Le Roy, Wild West Woman! Confused? You definitely are!
All I've got to do now is change my Facebook page from Jo Bennett to Jo Ballantyne...! 🙄
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