Black Friday, Mellow Yellow Daily Painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Today is Black Friday, or Blitz Day. It's the day for putting retailers out of the red and into the black on their balance sheets. If today is a good day, it could be a good sign of a rebounding economy. Still, some of us prefer to skip the early mornings, the parking traumas, and the overly hyped sales. How much nicer to stay home with family, have a slice of leftover pie and make some nice turkey soup!

I'll be busy today getting ready for the Naples Renaissance show this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, if you'd like to work off some of that turkey and pie, and still get some shopping done at your leisure, walk the Naples Renaissance Art Festival on 10th street, just up from the Naples Depot and south of Coastland Mall. It's an invitational festival, and there'll be many renown local and distant artisans happy to show you their work and help you to select just the right gifts. Handmade gifts and original art will bring value and pleasure years for many years to come.

Thanks to the purchaser of yesterday's plump little pumpkin!

Mellow Yellow
7" x 5"
acrylic on Panel
$150 with FREE shipping and handling in the US

Thanksgiving, Pumpkin Daily painting by JoAnn Sanborn

Despite the gloomy economic outlook we have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving week. The majority of us have jobs, roofs over our heads and haven't gone hungry, ever. For the most part we're safe in our homes, have medical care available, systems in place for those less fortunate, and a government that will try to help. Much of the world has so much less, so I'm going to appreciate and be very thankful for what I have.

Personally, I'm thankful for my art, and a place to do it. I'm thankful for a terrific growing family, good longtime and new friends, and a wonderful, supportive husband. I'm thankful for you who take the time to look at my paintings and to read this small blog. I'm thankful to the collectors who enjoy my work and purchase my paintings. I have so much to be grateful and thankful for. Thanks for being part of it!

Now, I'm off to make a pumpkin pie. Have a wonderful, thankful Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin
7" x 5"

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Conservation Land, Trustee's Meeting, Daily Painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

I was dismayed to read in this morning's Naples Daily News that nearly 200 acres of Everglades wetlands under consideration for purchase by Conservation Collier has been sold to a private airboat operator. This land lays in the center of lands that are already protected and would have saved a block of wetlands into the future. Selling to a conservation group takes time and takes patience, but well worth the effort when it's the right thing to do. It seems that a box of cigars turned the deal from good faith to a sham. Now the land will have noisy and disruptive airboat tours tearing up the fragile wetland grasses. This land is on the south side of 41 to Everglades City, and will be the closest airboat tour for Marco Island and Naples, but let's not go there!

On a lighter note, here's a turkey trivia quiz for you to enjoy. How much do you really know about the bird? Turkey Quiz How'd you do?

Trustee's Meeting

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Manatees, Quite a Character daily painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

The first manatee of the season made its way past our dock last night. Our new neighbors said there were a group of manatees in the canal last week, but I didn't see them myself. Manatees are vegetarians, and come into the canal during the day to feed on a sea grass bed at the end the canal where it opens up into a wider pond. At night they head back out to the river and into the deeper water that might be a bit warmer on a cold night. It's hard to get a good picture because the manatees swim just under the surface of the water, so all you see is a pattern of expanding circles on the surface unless they happen to do a nose-up for a quick breath. I've promised my sister for years that if she just visits Florida in February I can guarantee that she'll see a manatee int he wild. This year she's coming, so I'm going to have to watch their movement patterns carefully to fulfill my promise!

The palm in today's Everglades painting is Quite a Character. Don't you know someone just like him/her? A bit prickly in places but strong, stately, and with some gorgeous attributes!

Quite a Character
7" x 5"

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Twitter, Outdoor Artist, New Day Daily Painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Brr-r-r. It's cold outside this morning despite my two layers of clothing. That's the news over much of the country and the most talked about subject on Twitter this morning. I intend to spend the morning in the warm studio rather than venturing out, and may even turn on the heat to warm things up just a little. Wednesday is the Marco Island Outdoor Artists paint the island together day, and you may see some brave souls painting outside in Old Marco today, at either Mereck's Restaurant, the shops, or the old Marco Inn. You may want to wait wait until the day warms up just a little before looking for them, thought! Hope you're able to stay warm and cozy wherever you are today!

Today's daily painting is of a place in the Everglades where the composition is simple and pleasing. I've watched the small mangrove grow from just a few leaves to a nice full bush. There's usually an alligator sunning on the far bank.

New Day
7" x 5"
acrylic on Panel
$150 with free shipping and handling in the US

Art Show, Happy Hour Daily Painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

There's a spot off to the left coming into Marco Island that has beautiful sunset reflections if you happen to be passing by just at the right time. We were fortunate enough to enjoy this beautiful sunset recently. It's a good place because you're just going over a bridge so you're a little higher up than usual and can view the distance as well as the gorgeous reflections in the water closer to you. Great spot, so don't miss the magic if you're passing by at sunset.

The art show on Saturday was very enjoyable. There were just 25 artists since this is a revival of a show not held for years and will probably get larger in years to come, but the public came in enough numbers that no one complained and everyone really enjoyed the day. It was hot, hot, hot, so the Art League made lots of money selling their ice cold water. A couple of my daily paintings were adopted into new homes, and I was delighted to meet and greet a number of my collectors. Several of us were trying on new ideas or methods considered at our local Alyson Stanfield's Free Art Marketing Plan seminar, and were pleased with the results. I'm sure it will be the subject of much conversation at our bi-weekly meeting later today!

If the iguana post intrigued you, go back one post and look at the Comments. One of my friends has posted a link to a short movie of an iguana on her dock! You may have to cut and paste the link but he's worth it. His colors are fabulous!

Happy Hour
7" x 5"
acrylic on Panel
$150 with free shipping and handling in the US

Iguanas, Art Show, and Skyline Daily Painting by Everglades Artist JoAnn Sanborn

An exploding green iguana population has become a problem for some people living on the canals of Marco Island. I saw one right in the middle of my own street last week, but by the time I ran for my camera it was gone and hasn't been back. The City of Marco has hired an iguana catcher to help limit the population. This man has a lot of experience with iguanas and caught fifty in just two days work! You can see a picture of one of his catches and read more about them in the Marco Eagle. They're quite handsome, but apparently are a nuisance species here on the barrier islands and will spread rapidly, causing damage to boats and seawalls and spread non-native plants.

This Saturday I'll be showing my work at the Marco Island Center for the Arts Fall Members Arts and Crafts Festival on the grounds of the Art League. This outdoor members show was successful years ago, and now the Art League is trying to bring it back. Since this is the first year of it's revival it's a fairly small show, but a great place to see the work of local artists. Several of Marco Island's well known artists will be there as well as some very talented newcomers. I'll have a nice selection of my collectible original small paintings available as well as some larger work. I never do prints, so each work is an original. Help the Art Center, support the artists, and purchase a special treasure you will enjoy. See you there!

Skyline

5x7

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October Sun, Daily Painting by Everglade Artist JoAnn Sanborn

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I worked on two small daily paintings yesterday and am not satisfied with either of them well enough to post! Either I'll paint over them completely, or work through and resolve their problems. In any case, let's have a look at October Sun today. It's a painting started some time ago, and every now and then taken off the wall and worked on again. The contrast is stronger this time and I really like the reflections in the water. Perhaps it's finished! If so, I'll bring it to the Marco Center for the Arts Members Art show this Saturday.

The typical Everglades landscape is almost always composed of water, palms, and prairie and clouds. Oh, there are a few variations, some cypress stands and the pond apple swamps, but for the most part close to Marco Island it's water, palms, prairie, and clouds. I use these words to describe my paintings, and paint these subjects over and over. The repetition might bore some artists, but I love the familiarity. Even though the parts have become familiar, each time they reveal themselves in a way that's totally new and exciting to me. Sometimes the prairie is vast and wide. Sometimes the clouds are racing over the landscape. Sometimes a particular palm will demand to have it's portrait painted. Other times the grasses wave and sway demanding attention. Each day it's own joys and challenges.

The weatherman said last night that we've had 18 days without measurable rain. After all that rain this summer, the dry season is creeping up on us. It's a great time to visit the Everglades. There's wildlife in abundance, and the dirt roads are dry enough to traverse easily without the over-road water flows and the mud of the rainy season. The growth is lush and lovely in full fall finery, refreshed by summer rains. Take a drive or a hike, and see what the landscape reveals to you! For more information you can click on any of the Everglades places on the right hand side of this blog.

Brent Batten, Familar Paths Daily Painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

Here I am speaking with Brent Batten following the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts quarterly luncheon. Brent is a columnist for the Naples Daily News and writes humorous, sometime irreverent articles about life in Southwest Florida. Everyone is always asking him what he thinks about something so he keeps a long list of "what I thinks" for talks like the one he gave MIFA. His book, Batten 100, is available from NDN or Borders Bookstore.

Centerpieces for the luncheon were original works of art by MIFA artists, set on small pedestals in a circle. They made a nice display, and the small paintings were the subject of much lively discussion about techniques and composition.

There's also a darling picture of a budding artist--at least that's what the adoring grandparents who sent me the photo are sure that she'll be!

Bob and I will be at the Von Liebig Center for the Arts in Naples today, doing some volunteer hours returning paintings to artists for the Show of Shows. Tomorrow is intake for the Founders exhibition, so if you've entered don't forget to take your paintings in tomorrow or Wednesday.

Today's Everglades painting, Familiar Paths is a common, but welcome scene. I love it when the palms are in sight of the water. We've had some remarkably good weather, with crisp days and low humidity, and it seems to have cooled my palette a bit. Or, that could be replacing the ultramarine blue with phalo for a while!

Familiar Paths
7" x 5" SOLD

Morning Stillness Everglades painting by JoAnn Sanborn

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Today's small Everglades painting worked out just the way I hoped it would. An artist often starts with an idea--the idea, or an idea, is really the reason for painting at all! The idea for this small painting was to capture the very still, quietness of the early morning. I love this time of the morning, when it seems that the whole world is just holding it's breath waiting to greet the sun and a new day. The Everglades landscape is infused with a soft light. It's quite still, so the reflections in the water are without ripples. Many days I take a short walk in the early morning to wake up and greet the day, and find early dawn a perfect time for the mind to reflect on the natural beauty of our fabulous landscape and be glad for it.

Back to the idea. Sometimes the idea for the painting gets changed into beautiful colors as the palette takes over. Sometimes the forms change according to the needs of the canvas. Sometimes an artist reacts to what's happening and develops the painting in a different direction from the original idea. Sometimes there are miserable false starts until the idea is diminished out of existence. But sometimes it all comes together the way it's supposed to, and there's a great sign of "hooray!" at the finish.

New Dawn, Daily Everglade Painting by JoAnn Sanborn

Phew, it's over! The election season was by far the most contentious one in recent history, with everyone taking sides and adamantly discussing the positions of the candidates. For the most part it was civil in my circle, with interest and respect for the other person's perspective. We saw some great humor on both sides if were able to enjoy it without taking it personally, and some really bad stuff that should not have been circulated under any circumstances. Just think for a minute how wonderful it is that we can discuss, debate and vote, and then move on under a totally different leadership every four or eight years without any serious civil disruption.

However you voted, today is a New Dawn, and we'll be ready with our American spirit strong and with hope and optimism to see what the future brings.

New Dawn
7" x 5"

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Rosy Future, Daily Everglades Painting by JoAnn Sanborn

The clouds, weather, and landscape have combined to give us a beautiful few days. We've done some work around the garden to get ready for the fall season. Here on Marco Island the drier weather means that its the planting season. Gone are the punishing rains and the rottingly high humidity. We've started a couple of tomato plants, some lettuce, basil and a lavender plant. Our rosemary from a few years ago is a beautiful established bush and smells heavenly when we brush past, and our pot of mint is growing nicely. Our lot is tiny, so it's easy to keep up with just a little work. I'll get some geraniums for color at the Island Garden Center today. Perhaps all this sprucing up will make me want to paint in the yard instead of going further afield into the Everglades.

Rosy Future, today's Everglades painting can be interpreted as you like. Perhaps you can picture yourself following the waterway out to a happy fishing trip. Perhaps you've got a new baby or a favorite child and want to think of them as having a rosy future. Maybe it's the economy, and you want to remain positive despite some financial setbacks. On the whole, we Americans are a positive people, hardworking and innovative, and ready to take on the future in a hopeful way. I'm positive that we'll have a new start and a rosy future regardless of the winner. What does Rosy Future say to you?

Rosy Future
14" x 11" (35.6cm x 28.0cm)
acrylic on canvas
$325 with free shipping and handling in the US