A native of the state of Pernambuco's Itamaracá Island, Jô spent much of his childhood in Campina Grande - Paraíba, and teenage years in Aquidauana and Ponta Porã - Mato Grosso do Sul.

 

He was a student of the National School of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro, and lived for six years in Budapest, Hungary. For six months he studied cartoon animation at the Stúdió Pannónia, and then attended the Hungarian Academy of Applied Arts (Magyar Iparmüvészeti Föiskola, today known as the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design) where he completed the Graphic Arts course. His first works, books and comics, were printed in the 70's in Italy. He has also published books in France and Germany and his comics have had publications in Spain, Italy, Greece, Serbia, Denmark, Argentina and Brazil. Jô has also participated in illustration exhibitions around of the world.

 

In addition to other books illustrated by him, he received the Highly Recommended appointment for his book of pictures "Os Donos de Bola" (The Owners of the Ball). His first book published in Italy was "Compare Gatto Impara La Lezione" (Buddy Cat Learns a Lesson), which was part of the Bologna Book Fair official exhibition catalog.

 

Jô is also a designer of postage stamps who created more than 50 philatelic pieces for the Brazilian Post Office. He won four Olho de Boi medals for the creation of the best Brazilian post stamps and twice received the World's best post stamp trophy in the city of Asiago, Italy. He was awarded the Tucuxí Award for Illustration, the Carlos Estevão Humor Trophy and the Grand Master of Comics Award, which was presented to him during the 2004 International HQ-Mix Festival in São Paulo.

 

Passionate about popular Brazilian culture, Jô has always sought references in the art of cordel, in the woodcut techniques of the booklet covers, in the Vitalino's dolls, in the mamulengo and in several folkloric manifestations.