You are My Sunshine, daily painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

You Are My Sunshine, 2015, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5" x 7"

First of September!

It won't be fall for a while here on Marco Island, but the turn of the calendar portents the change of season to come.  It's been a hot, hot, summer, with a sufficient amount of rain to refresh the Everglades waterflow and to make us humans long for drier weather.  The sunsets and sunrises have been spectacular this year, one of the best years I can remember for pure drama in the skies.

With the Marriott closed and Starbucks moved, the Esplanade has been particularly quiet. September should be another quiet month, barring the excitement of a tropical storm or hurricane but traffic will slowly increase. It's a cycle that those of us who live here have come to expect.

Artists need time alone to refine their ideas. Summer is a good time for me to paint large, and for contemplating painting, too.  It's a time to try new materials, try out new ideas, and to develop techniques.   I'm very appreciative of the time I've had this summer to do just that.

Doesn't mean I don't miss you. You Are My Sunshine!

Construction Madness and Water Babies, a daily painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Water Babies, 2015, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5" x7"

My studio/gallery on the Esplanade is open six days a week, Monday through Friday from 10-5, a little later on Thursdays, and till 2 on Saturdays. THis schedule will be in place until Easter.

The Smokehouse Bay bridge ajacent to the Esplanade is being reconstructed. The surrounding environment is bombarded with loud and persistant construction sounds, accompanied by the wailing sirens of emergency vehicles trying to get through almost umbearable traffic outside.

Parking has become difficult at the Esplanade, too, fueled by record numbers of visitors from colder climates.  And now, Daylight Savings, which always throws me for a loop until I adjust to the darker mornings.  

Right now, peaceful Marco isn't peaceful!  What a difference from the quiet pleaures of the Everglades.  Watching a heron slowly and patiently searching for breakfast, or a palm tree full of life and rippling in a light breeze helps to bring me back from the brink of over-stimulated madness. I'm so glad when I can spend time out there!

I've completed some new work, and placed some new large paintings on the website. If you're interested, take a look.  

Lease, and Spring Morning, painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Spring Morning, 2014, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 8"x 10"

After being told by the landlord that my studio/gallery space was going to be leased to someone else even though I was a "model tenant," I've been given a reprieve. Barring any unforeseen issues, I'll soon be signing a new, three-year lease to stay at the Esplanade.  

In the interim I've thought of little else.  Every option was considered. Find space elsewhere. Paint at home and have a show now and then.  Join in with other artists. (thank you VERY much for the invitation!) Go back to outdoor shows or the Farmer's market.  Look for a gallery. Retire.  Retire?  Nothing felt quite right.  

In the end, keeping the studio/gallery was what seemed best for me, so I asked the landlord to reconsider this decision.  Upon receiving my business and marketing plan, financials, and a strongly worded plea, I was reconsidered as a tenant and approved for a three year lease.  It's not all roses, since the new lease is a tough one and I'll have to work very hard, but I'm comfortable that the decision is the right one.

So I'll sign the lease and be at the Esplanade for another three years.  Many thanks to all of you who comforted me, stood up for me, spoke up for me, called me, emailed me, helped with the financials, review the legal stuff, and generally supported my plea. It wouldn't have happened without YOU and I am most truly grateful for your support. 

Come in for some coffee and art chat.  I'll be at my easel!

Studio on the Esplanade, and Cold Day, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Cold Day, 2014, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5"x7"

After being offered a one-year lease for my Esplanade studio the past two years, it was a surprise when the Esplanade leasing agent requested a three or five year lease.  I thought it over carefully, and as Dreama Tolle Perry would say, put on my big girl panties, and responded positively to a three-year lease request.  

THEN, was totally taken aback to receive a phone call telling me that my lease would not be renewed.  Not because I'm not a good tenant--"you are a model tenant, I was told--but because Sunshine Studios did not "fit the profile" of the vision of some marketing people up in Maryland, where the owners of the Esplanade reside.  They think someone selling soft goods or sunglasses would be more appropriate in the space.  

I became mildly (wildly?) hysterical as undesirable options flashed through my brain. Where would I go?  Was it time to retire?  How could they evict me without even giving me first refusal? What about the Everglades? Didn't they see the value of art?  Didn't my gallery provide diversity and interest?  What to do, what to do?  

The space is a perfect size for one artist.  It's a good fit, and I love it.  I'm not ready to retire!  After 24 hours of weighing and rejecting a number of options, I visited some of the other Esplanade tenants and asked them if they appreciated having me as a neighbor, would they, please, put in a good word for me. They DID, and I'm very grateful to them.  Then I called the leasing agent and calmly requested a reconsideration of their decision.  

Granted.  Reprieve.  Now I'm busy writing a marketing plan to show that my being in the space makes sense for their business as well as my own.  It will be presented to unknown people in a far-away place as a request to become an exception to their plan. I've got my fingers crossed, and I'll keep you posted!  

Art Colony, Take a Bow daily painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

Take a Bow

8x10, Acrylic on Canvas

$225

The Last Wednesday Art Walk at the Esplanade was the place to be on Marco Island last night. People came from far and wide to join the Artist Colony artists in the Caribbean Theme event. The galleries were full, with entertainment, new paintings, refreshments, and the artists available for questions and conversation.

The artists offered a punch card, and Esplanade restaurants CJ's on the Bay and Tara's Steak and Lobster House joined in by offering special incentives to patrons who visited all three galleries. We seriously underestimated the response, and will have one for you next time.

If you were there, thanks for coming! I so much appreciate your support and attendance.
Next month the theme will be "Art in Bloom," Should be a pretty one, so put it on your calendar now Last Wednesday!

Singing the Blues, Daily painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

Singing the Blues

5x7, acrylic on canvas

Sold

Events are moving along well with the new Artist Colony at the Esplanade. The third vacant storefront will be filled with a group of artists who met earlier this week to organize. This space was originally envisioned to meet the needs of a number of Marco artists who don't have the time, work, money or commitment to fit into the larger spaces in a cooperative arrangement.

However, when the interested group met to organize, they decided that they each wanted to be able to leave their materials and to have a spot to call their own, so they will limit the number of participants to fit into the space.

I'm a little disappointed for those who can't be accommodated immediately and would have prefer ed a more inclusive arrangement, but it's a great group of artists who will work hard to work together to make the space a special art place. They'll be in operation around the first of November, after doing some preliminary work to the space to prepare.

Singing the Blues, just finished, has been traded to artist William Ward Mosley for one of his works, given to me last spring, when we agreed to trade. Bill and his wift Pat stopped by to check out the new studio space yesterday, a perfect time to pay my debt and give them their choice of a daily painting.

Meanwhile, I'm finding that moving into new studio space takes some getting used to. I've started to make it my own by putting some of my inspiration things around. I've got a few art books to inspire me when I need a boost. I've painted a couple of dailies, and will start a larger piece today. It's time to let go of the organizational stuff and get to work!

Less and More, Big Cypress Autumn painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

Big Cypress Autumn

24x36, acrylic on Canvas

Available

Today's Everglades painting is one that just came back from a gallery on Captiva Island. I've sold paintings there, but nothing so abstract. My guess is that sea and shore paintings are more popular than Everglades in that area.

Posting the dailies may be a little spotty in the next couple of weeks. Organizing the Esplanade project was more time-consuming than I had hoped, and although things are moving well there's more to be done in organizing the group gallery. It's a lot of work preparing my new space, and packing up to move the studio. I'm behind on some promised commissions, although I did finish one this weekend. There are other issues to deal with, too, and something had to give. It was today's daily!

Today we'll travel to New Port Richy and pick up the paintings that have been on exhibit at the NPR Gallery there for the last two months. Eight hours round trip. It was a nice opportunity, but nothing sold, so I'll have those paintings back in inventory. Tomorrow it's off early to begin cleaning up the new space in the Esplanade. The big move will be on Friday.

Other news is that I've become as affiliate of Alyson Stanfield of ArtBiz.com Her book, I'd Rather be in the Studio is chock full of information for a self-representing artists and the materials she produces are always worthwhile. If you are an artist and haven't read her book, order it today! She's starting a Cultivating Collectors class that sounds terrific. You can click on the link above, or there will always be one on the right side of the blog.

Hopefully the thunder rumblings outside this morning won't make the trip to New Port Richy a wet and miserable one!

Artists at the Esplanade, Early Light daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Early Light

5x7, acrylic on canvas

$15o, framed

It was quiet and still when I walked this morning, with the sky full of stars in the early light, a peaceful start to a new day. What will the day bring?

I needed that peace because I'm so very excited, but still holding my breath with fingers crossed, as the possibility of Artists at the Esplanade becomes a reality. The retail spaces at the Esplanade on Marco Island have never been full, and several spaces were vacant with the depressed economy.

By accepting a proposal to allow artists to utilize retail space, the owners are showing innovation, forward thinking and risk-taking. They'll benefit by having a tax break by leasing through the islands non-profit arts agencies , details still in progress, but it still took courage to take the leap.

Artists will bring color, excitement and action to the scene. Spaces will be shared and the requirement is to maintain a working studio, spending at least 30 hours a week on-site and selling only what you produce. One site may be held for a group gallery. Think of it--something rare today-a working artist colony!

If we can keep up the momentum, and not get bogged down with greed, minutia or spoilers, studios will be opening around the first of October. I'll keep you posted!