Joan Painter first exhibited at the International Congress for Art in Education, Prague, aged 15. She was a regular exhibitor at the Reigate Society of Artists, where she was a member from 1965.

Her solo exhibitions include:-
Langfords Hotel, Hove 1973;
Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, 1977;
Gallery 20, Brighton, 1981;
The Grange, Rottingdean, 1982;
Trinity Arts Centre, Tunbridge Wells, 1983;
Hove Museum and Art Gallery 1994.

Her mixed shows include:-
South East Touring Exhibition, 1974-5;
Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, 1975;
Craftsmen in Textiles at Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, 1976;
Europa Gallery, Sutton, 1977;
Burstow Gallery, Brighton, 1981;
Brighton, 1982;
Alpine Gallery, London, 1985;
Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, 1985;
The Grange Rottingdean, 1986;
Guildford House, 1987;
Albion Gallery, Lewes, 1990;
Brighton College;
Apple Gallery, Godalming, 2004;
Lincoln Joyce Fine Art Gallery, Great Bookham, 2004;
and The Mall Galleries, London, 2004.