Jo Nehls was born of German parents. Her work incorporates visual aspects and she has exhibited at women artists' festivals at La Trobe University in Melbourne, at the Open Windows Close Doors Exhibition in Melbourne in 1981, at the Valley Spring Arts Festival, Tatura, Victoria, in 1983 and at the Womens Arts Register Auction, Caulfield Arts Centre, Victoria. Her collections of poetry are held in the Wimmin's Archives, New York City and she has published her own poetry as she feels it is important as a writer to be involved in the overall process of presenting her work to the public.