Art Show, Boca Grande, Daily Painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

Beach Walkers

20x20

$800

On the Beach is another in the series of elongated palms on the beach that I've been working on, It's in the same family with Out to Sea, Night Mists, Warming in Sunshine. You can see them here. Sometime groups of palms just scream to be painted! The intervals of space between them, the different heights, and the way the tops interact all make for a painting challenge. It took a bit of work but I finally was happy with the value range and the depth and movement of color.

This painting, along with a nice selection of others, will travel to Boca Grande this weekend for an outdoor show. I'll have a couple of large things, and some daily paintings as well. I don't know much about Boca Grande except it's a barrier island near Gasparilla. Although we've passed by it a number of times, it's a part of Florida we haven't investigated yet. We're excited about having the opportunity to check it out. It will be a mini-working-vacation for us.

It's been really busy getting ready for both the show and my yearly Marco workshop which will start first thing Monday Morning. I've been updating and revising the class material, preparing handouts and putting everything together to take. It's a very intense class, and getting home late Sunday night won't give much time. This is the last day to sign up, so if you're interested, call the Marco Center for the Arts today.

If you're here on Marco this weekend, don't forget to attend the Marco Seafood Festival. The Chamber of Commerce will have a wealth of information about Marco businesses, and will have my April flyer as well. Stop by and mention my name!

Art Class, Art Show, Jane Hitler Park, Marco Island Sculptures

There's no daily painting today, and my order for the small canvases I've come to love has been delayed. I'll wait for them before painting another daily even though I have got some others that aren't nearly as satisfactory.

So here's something different! Today's image is of a beautiful double white bird of paradise brought to me as a gift from by my gardening neighbor. We share a love of the natural world and are just delighted to live here on beautiful Marco Island. I'm making a number of images black and white for my class next week and this will be one of several that are something other than the Everglades. Not everyone shares my passion for that landscape!

The Boca Grande show is this weekend, so please stop in if you're in the areas. It should be a very nice show. I'll have a couple of large paintings as well as a nice selection of dailies. We'll travel home after taking down on Sunday night.

Monday morning starts my yearly workshop, Acrylics and the Florida Landscape. I've been focused on having everything all ready for that. The paperwork is done--there will be lots of handouts because it's really hard to absorb everything in four days. I"m still collecting my materials. I bring tons of materials, and paints because it's important that students try new things. It's a sharing class, and I tell students not to bring anything they aren't willing to share.

If you'd like to see the plan here's the student outline. We cover a lot of ground in the four days, and the students will do six to eight paintings. It's a lot of fun and I look forward to it. It's not too late to sign up at the Marco Island Center for the Arts.

I'm speaking very briefly today as a member of the City's Arts Advisory Committee at a sculpture and park dedication. Jane Hitler, and early Marcoite left funds for a liner park along Smokehouse Bay. The park has recently been re-designed and will be dedicated today at 10. Part of the re dedication will include the unveiling of Kent Ullberg's beautiful sculpture of the almost extinct Ridley Sea Turtle, Journey's End.

The sculpture is a donation from the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts throught the generosity of gallery owner Dean Knox. The Foundation has placed three sculptures around the City of Marco Island including Jo Saylor's Willow Whistle in front of the Marco Library, Kent Ullberg's First Born, at the entrance to Residence Beach, and now Ullberg's Journey's End at Jane Hitler Park. Hope you're familar with all of them!

Following all this there will be some wonderful family visits in April. I'm not going to have much access or time for the computer in the next couple of weeks, so please be patient and I'll post when I can!