Summer Morning, by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Summer Morning, 2015, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5"x7

Delightful Day painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Delightful Day, 2012, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 20"x24"

Tree Islands, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Tree Island, 2012, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on gessoboard, 7"x5"

If you look at the tree islands of the Everglades from the air, you will see that most of them have an elongated, or lozenge shape.  It's believed that this is caused by the gentle flow of the water from of the wet season gently flowing around them on it's relentless journey to the gulf.

In researching for my book I discovered information that the soil underneath the tree islands may contain signs of ancient human interaction with the Everglades prairies.  Soil samples indicate that fire, pottery and bones may have added nutrients to the soil.

It hasn't been determined yet if the islands were able to flourish because of a rise or depression of the soil, or because these elements changed the nutrient levels enough to allow tree growth.  

But the fact that ancient people might have camped on the Everglades prairies and changed its character is a story waiting to be told.   

Outspoken, Studio painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Outspoken, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on Canvas, 36"x24"

Outspoken is about boldness.  The brushstrokes are heavy and defined, and the palm dominates the background.  The sawgrass is dense and barely let the palm through but it somehow got a foothold and prevailed.  The light glows softly and the result pleases me.  I'm painting again!

Finishing the book Embracing the Everglades, redoing the studio, and updating my website has really cut into my painting time.  While I've been creating, I haven't been painting as much.  The endorphins are high when I view a blank canvas, and the discipline of painting at least a little almost every day can be as addictive as a daily run for some people.  I'm anxious to get back to a regular schedule.   

Sometimes, for an artist, a break can be refreshing.  Somehow the brain is still working on painting, and when you go back you find that you've figured something out, grown in another direction, or have learned something new.  Your style may have changed a little because of the break, because you have, too. 

So I'm looking forward to the next few months.  Marco will be energized by the return of the snowbirds.  The Everglades will be more inviting to visit with fewer mosquitoes and showers.  I'll be back to painting a regular schedule. 

I'll be experimenting with some new techniques.  I want more texture, more movement and interest in the brushwork, but also want the interior glow of a luminous painting.  Can these be both obtained in the same painting? Glazing?  Transparent Color?  Substrata? Additives?   We'll see. 

Carrots Daily Painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Carrots, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 7"x5"

Paul Cezanne once said “The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed (in a painting), will set off a revolution.” He was right!  The daily painting movement has started a revolution in the way art is created and marketed today.  You can see some of the daily painted carrots here, here, and here!  There's even a carrot coloring page you can print (scroll down) for you here if you want to color your own! 

The Painting a Day movement began in the United States in early 2004 and quickly spread around the globe.  Using the public domain of the internet, artists are able to interact directly with the viewer changing the traditional way of marketing fine art through galleries.  In addition, artists who traditionally worked alone are able to interact with their contemporaries around the world and share techniques, ideas, and camaraderie through technology.

The daily paintings of many of these artists are some of the finest representational work being done today.  The work has become very collectible, being appealing in quality and subject as well as price to a wide range of art collectors who want to own original art.

Sometimes it's nice to vary a little from the Everglades!  I paint nearly every day and post new, small daily paintings on the internet three times a week.  I’m pleased to be recognized as a member of this group.  Have a great weekend! 

Disaster Plan Now Sunny Side up painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Sunny Side Up, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 12"x16"

The rainy season has come in southwest Florida, and while the parched ground of the glades will welcome the rain, the strength of some storms can be a grave threat to humans.  June 1 is the start of Hurricane Season  and now is the time to prepare for what lies ahead.

As a FEMA disaster assistance employee for many years, I know well the havoc nature can make on well-planned lives.  I urge you to make a plan that will keep you and your family safe in the months ahead.  Federal and state governments offer information and materials that can assist you in planning.    You can visit readyamerican.gov on Facebook or myflorida.com/ to get started.

Once you have a plan for you and your family's safety, you can begin to think about your art business or your art collection.  Tomorrow I'll tell you a little about how to prepare your paintings in the face of a storm.

Selfish! At the Shore daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

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At the Shore, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on panel, 5"x7"

It's easy to find articles about how we're going backwards in Everglades protection and our environment in Tallahassee right now.  There's Fred Grimm in the Miami Herald, Craig Pittman in the St Petersburg Times, an article in the News-Press, and plenty more more articles about us going backwards in environmental thought if you care to take a look

Don't our Governor and legislators know that the Everglades are needed to ensure fresh water and healthy waterways into the future and that our economy is dependent on people visiting our unique environment right now?    Don't they know that by refusing to balance out our needs with the needs of the earth our country is falling behind both in thinking and technology?

Why can't our species, smart as we are, find ways to protect the environment that nurtures all of us, and to find ways to share our space with other species who may contribute in ways we're only begining to understand. 

Kite Runner Flying High, Snail Kite, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Snail Kite, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on cradled panel, 5"x5"

sold

It was wonderful to see not one, but two Snail Kites flying low over the open prairie on a recent visit to the Everglades.  The small, dark blue-grey hawks with red talons flashed patches of white as they flew searching for apple snails.

The snail kite was so endangered in the mid-sixties that it was estimated that only 100 pair remained in Florida.  Now, in recovery as a species, there are over 3500.  Still, rare enough to delight when seen.   

The Apple snail, practically the only source of food for snail kites, is a brownish colored snail that lives both on land and water.  It’s the largest North American snail, and is also struggling for survival as a species.  It is hoped that as Everglades restoration continues, both the snails and the kites will flourish. 

Preservation and Restoration, Dancing in the Sky painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Dancing in the Sky, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 12x16

As an artist the Everglades landscape continues to interest me.  I've come to know much of it, especially the areas closest to Marco Island, the Ten Thousand Islands, the Fakahatchee, and the Big Cypress. The light on the prairies, the marching palms and the dancing clouds have become dear to me. 

I worry about the threats to Everglades survival, and wonder if we're doing enough to save it.  It's a unique wetland, and the only one of its kind in the world.  In the last century, natural resources were exploited for their usefulness to humans.  As we mature as a species, we are beginning to recognize that there are limits to our resources, and that for our own health and survival we must preserve and protect  our worlds natural systems. 

As we begin to undo a hundred years of damage from forced controls of water flows, the world watches to see just how far we will go and how much we will spend to protect and preserve both our environment and our economy, and  is looking to see how we resolve the balance of needs.

There's been an ongoing legislative dance between stakeholders, public perception, and funds available for restoration. It's a dance for control, regulation, funding, and needs.  The line between restricting regulation and restoration regulation is still being defined. 

Florida is once again at a crossroads.  Please make sure that your legislators know where you stand.

Everglades Spring, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Everglades Spring, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5x7

Oops!  Sorry if you've seen this painting before--technical difficulties! 

Longer days, warmer temperatures, and gorgeous skies are the hallmarks of our springtime.  It's the driest time of year in the two-season Everglades, with the wet season still a few months off. 

On Marco Island signs of regrowth abound, triggered by the longer days.  The scent of my glorious blooming Gardenia perfumes the air and powder puff clouds pepper the deep blue skies. 

Rock Star, Inside or Out? Daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Rock Star, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5x7

One of the questions I’m most often asked is “did you paint this outside, or in the studio?” My answer more often now than in the past is that I painted inside. Years of time were spent painting outside a couple of times a week. I still visit the Everglades every chance I get, and usually take a number of photos to work from.

These photos are not carefully composed to ensure I get every detail, but casually taken to remind me of what I saw. It could be the way the light hit a particular feature of the landscape or perhaps the way a palm frond thrusts up into the sky. In any case, a glace will transport me back to the time and place and I’m ready to begin.

You can’t learn to paint landscapes inside. I harp on this theme often, since I teach a landscape class inside. You must get outside in order to see the relationships of time, space and color for yourself. All of the lessons I give inside can prime you, and help you, but you must study the natural world from observation to learn to paint the landscape well.

When I’m outside, my paintings are more responsive and immediate as I react to the reality of the wind, sun, light, and foliage. More choices are in my face, and I must work quickly and loosely to capture the scene. 

As a more mature artist, I find that studio time allows me to be more reflective and thoughtful. My paintings delve deeper into the well of knowledge I’m still acquiring. I can make and change choices of features, color, light and time of day.

Is one better than the other? I don’t think so. I’ve come to believe that working both inside and outside helps me to see better, think better, and develop more deeply as an artist.

Signing and dating paintings

Pond with Bald Cypress, Jo-Ann Sanborn, 2011

acrylic on canvas, 5"x7"

I sign and date my paintings with charcoal pencil on the back. This practice probably comes from owning a small painting of an uncle dated 1942. It’s a painting of some pink roses in a basket, darkish background, light on the flowers, with a couple of bees flying around. I wonder if the flowers were real and the basket of roses sat on a porch scenting the warm summer air drawing bees while my aunt sipped lemonade and chatted with my uncle as he painted. I wonder why he wasn’t at war, and how he had time to paint during that difficult year. I like knowing the year.

So I sign and date and name my paintings on the back with a charcoal pencil, knowing there’s a risk that someone may refuse to purchase because the painting might not be my newest work. Usually paintings sell within a year or two, but sometimes one hangs about the studio for a while, just waiting for a collector who will immediately identify with the work, love and understand it where no one else has felt that connection.

Occasionally, however, familiarity breeds a desire to improve, and I’ll take up my brush and alter the painting in some way. Curving a line a little more, or adding a spot of light might enhance the value or the composition and doesn’t really change things and the painting is better because of it.

Sometimes, however, a painting just hasn’t reached the point of being all it can be, and major redevelopment occurs. What do I do with the date when this happens? Usually nothing, if the adjustments are minor, but if it’s a major revision, I’ll note that on the back. Why not? To call yourself an artist is to grown and learn, and when that happens, there’s no shame to admitting it!

Everglades Safari,

Banana Wind, Jo-Ann Sanborn 1995

acrylic on canvas, 20"x30"

You will NOT find me at the Naples National Art Show this weekend, as you have for the past six years.  This year I've decided to do something different, and will participate in the Friends of the Fakahatchee Everglades Safari.

Anyone who has read this blog for more than a day knows of my love for the Everglades and my concern for it's future.  This group does a great job of both interpreting and maintaining the Fakahatchee, one of my most beloved painting spots.  The Safari is a fund raiser for them, and several artists have been asked to participate by showing their work.  I'm delighted to be among them! 

The Safari was a sell-out last year, and even though it rained, the participants all agreed it was a fabulous day.  This year should be even better.  You can chose the activities you'd like to participate in, from taking a birding walk with an expert to a swamp buggy ride, and end up around a campfire eating barbecue.  Come along!  You'll be glad you did!

If you're visiting the Naples National Art Show and missing my work, you can visit Aura Fine Art Gallery just up the street at 837 Fifth Avenue, just above Chops.  They'll be showing a number of my paintings through Monday. 

Seeing my work, February Walk painting by Everglades painter Jo-Ann Sanborn

February Walk, Jo-Ann Sanborn, 2011

acrylic on canvas, 30x30

February Walk was done from impressions and photos after a walk with visiting family in the Everglades on the Marsh Trail.  It brings me great pleasure to have others share my love for our fragile environment. 

People often tell me that they have been following my work and know it when they see it anywhere. I love to hear it, since it is every artists dream to have their work recognized. I don’t do anything special, just apply the paint with passion and guts as best I can, but do seem to have developed a style that people recognize and respond to.

The best place to see my work and to talk with me is my studio/gallery at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade. There’s a wide selection of work to show you, and I’ll have the paintings from the paintings from the show at Aura, too. I’m always happy to talk with you about your dream painting. The galleries are open Wed-Sat from 11-7, and I’m usually there Wed and Thurs till 3. If you can’t get there during those hours just give a call and I’ll be happy to meet you at a convenient time

Right now there are paintings out all around the County, so here are some other places you might see a piece or two. There are large pieces in the offices of the Drs Poling and at the Morgan Stanley office. These are pieces it’s hard to display in the space that I have, so they are on loan. If you’re interested in trying one out in your own home, just let me know and I can switch them out. 

There are three pieces at Iberia Bank along with a wonderful selection of local art, worth stopping by. These painting, too, can be changed out as necessary. There’s a piece at the Marco Public Library and three more paintings at Naples Bay Resort that can be retrieved to be sold at any time.
It may sound like a lot of paintings, maybe even too many. But if you are serious about your art you need to be ready to produce paintings for any request at short notice. Perhaps someone has cancelled out of a show and you are asked to fill the space. Can you do it? If you are trying to build a reputation as an artist, it won’t do to just give someone your leftover work, work that didn’t sell, or work you don’t really like. You will have to have a number of pieces of high quality artwork ready to go to take advantage of any last minute situation.

As an artist, I’m ready to meet most needs. If you are a buyer or an art collector, I’ve got a nice selection of pieces for you to consider. Hope to see you at Last Wednesday Art Walk tonight!

Summer Symphony painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Summer Sumphony, Jo-Ann Sanborn, 2011

acrylic on canvas, 60"x48"

Why are the Everglades the subject of so many of my paintings, and why are they also important to you?  Natural areas provide for recreation and wildlife observation as well as protect the vital ecosystems of our planet

The Everglades fuel our economy with commercial and recreational fishing and tourism.  The slow-moving river of grass filters our water, providing fresh water to the region.  Fish breed and shelter in the mangrove fringes along the coast.  Migratory birds rest and nest on the sandy beach of Marco Island, and use the mangrove fringes to shelter from storms and for feeding grounds.  A rich mix of plant and animal communities thrive in the estuaries.

With continued development pressure on our landscape the need to preserve, protect, and set aside natural areas also grows.  It is my hope that when you love one of my paintings, you'll also begin to find a new appreciation for the threatened landscape I portray. 

Palette and Painting Knives, One for All daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

One for All, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5"x7"

Having just finished up working hard for the solo show at Aura Gallery, I've been taking a little time to contemplate what's next.  Just for variety I did today's daily painting mostly with a painting knife. 

A painting knife has a blunted point, no sharp edge, not always symmetrical, and with a handle more like a trowel to keep your fingers are somewhat protected from smearing in the paint.  A wide variety of marks can be made, from fine lines to pressing, lifting, smearing and spreading the paint.  

It's also possible to paint with a palette knife, which has a rounder tip and  less jog to the handle.  Palette knives are usually symmetrical and easy to use to mix paint on the palette or to scrape paint off either palette or canvas.  Neither has a sharpened edge, although it's possible to develop a sharper edge with use, especially using the earth pigments. 

Both are used interchangeably by most artists.  Using a painting or palette knife instead of a brush tends to  leave more texture and little bits of color to excite the eye.  In this case I used a brush at the finish, a combination which gives the best of both worlds. 

Gallery Show, Earth, Water, Sky painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

Earth, Wind, Sky, by Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 16x20

Earth, Wind, Sky is one of the Everglades paintings sold at the gallery reception last evening.  A relatively simple painting, it has a nice quality of moisture to the air that gives it a softness and distinction not always achieved. 

Thank you, Aura Fine Art Gallery, for a wonderful show and a fun reception.

The gallery was beautifully hung with my paintings, with a lovely "goodies" table and plenty of wine.  A woman was hired to stand outside downstairs and make sure people knew about the opening and could find their way up to the gallery, and Barbara and Tim were welcoming and helpful.  Being helpful at one point meant moving paintings here and there at my request as collectors wanted to see two paintings together or in different light.  Thank you! 

Several painting were sold to some of my very dearest collectors.  I was surprised and delighted by very special collector friends who came straight from the airport to attend the show!  Others I hadn't seen for a while warmed me with their greetings.  Thank you! 

Some of my favorite artists came, too, like John Bartolus of Historic Cottages of Naples Calendar fame, and Shannon White, an artist friend now turned jeweler.  (they'll have to get online!) Richard Rosen, fabulous ceramic artist stopped by, too.  Thank you!

Students came.  I love teaching, and to have students come out to one of my shows is an honor.  Thank you! 

Walking into a gallery filled with your work and having people tell you that they respond to this piece or that is just about the best thing that can happen to an artist.  I'll float on this one for a long time!  Thank you! 

The show will hang through February 24th, so if you missed the reception you are still welcome to stop by Aura Gallery and visit the show. It's on 5th Avenue South, just above Chops in downtown Naples. In the meantime, maybe I'll see you at the Left Bank Art Fest at the Esplanade on Saturday.

Icebergs, almost a whine, and a recovery

Monday, pleased with myself, I delivered 23 fine paintings, a little over six months work, to Aura Fine Art Gallery in Naples.  I also washed my windows and spoke for Arts Afire at the Marco City council meeting. Today we'll host a group from the Woman's Cultural Alliance at the Artist Colony at the Esplanade.  I'll supply tea sandwiches for 40 people, homemade, of course. That's what I did yesterday, Arts Afire meeting, groceries, tea sandwiches, computer training.  Tomorrow is the opening reception of my show Corner of the Glades at Aura Gallery and I'm hoping to see you there. Saturday is a Left Bank Art Fest at the Esplanade.  My sister and her husband will come from New England for a few days.  Phew! 
The iceberg?  I need a day to chill out!

It's mid-February, only half way through Marco's busy season, and I'm looking at a real killer week in March.  Still, it's a great time with exciting stuff happening, clients stopping by, a positive and energetic time.  I'm not whining, just hoping I have the energy to keep up!

But it's the painting that drives me, and I've got plans for a nice walk in the Everglades with family.  I know it will spark some ideas that are brewing in my brain for some new work!

By the way, if you are on the island and haven't yet nominated someone for one of the coveted Arts Afire Flame awards, you can do it here.  Deadline is Feb 15.

Reception Invitation, Last Stand painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Last Stand, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on Canvas, 9 12x12 pieces

You're Invited!

Corner of the Glades

New Work, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Reception February 10th, 6-9 pm.m

Aura Fine Art Gallery

837 Fifth Avenue South

Naples, FL  34145

upstairs over Chops!

I’ve been asked to hold a solo show at Aura Fine Art Gallery in Naples, and I've been working on new paintings since early summer when the show was first offered.  The gallery is showing three pieces of my work in anticipation of the show, and I'll deliver another 22 paintings next week. 

Most of the scenes are from the Fakahatchee.  It's been difficult for me to get further afield this year, and some great new access has come available close to Marco Island. Some of the new paintings have been previewed on this blog, and other pieces haven’t been shown anywhere yet.

The painting above, Last Stand, is a new, colorful, nine-piece painting that will be sold as one piece.  I painted something quite similar but different quite a few years ago that's hanging in a dentist office, and wanted to explore the idea further.  It can be hung as shown, or the pieces can be configure to fit your space needs or your aesthetic.  There's been quite a bit of interest as I've worked on the piece in the studio, and you can see it in person at the reception. 

You are invited to the reception, Thursday, February 10th, from 6-9. If you haven’t received a post card about the show from me, it’s because you are not on my mailing list, you have moved and didn’t tell me, or I don’t have your complete address as in the case of some condos. 

In addition, he Post Office is returning the cards to me with a “not deliverable as addressed” label. Yet when I check the address, it is exactly as it appears on my list, delivered previously, or if I check the phone book or online, the address is correct. Almost 10% of the cards have been returned for unknown reasons.  It’s an infuriating waste of money to put stamps on mail that is not delivered even though the address seems correct.

If you have not received a card from me you are still invited! You're welcome to bring friends, too.  Put it on your calendar right now, come along and join the fun. We’ll have a good time, you’ll see my latest work, and if things go well some paintings will be going to new homes.

If you are not able to attend the reception, the paintings will be on display at Aura Gallery from Feb. 10 to Feb. 24. Thanks, Barb and Tim for this opportunity! 

Oh, if you’d like to be added to my snail mail list (at your own peril) you can email me here.

Ground Hog Day, Autumn Silhouette, painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Happy Ground Hog Day!  Wishing you in the frozen northlands an early spring!  No shadow, Spring is near.

Autumn Silhouette

Acrylic on Canvas, 20"x24"

I’ve been working on Autumn Silhouette since I posted about improving it here. As I feared, once you change something in a painting all the relationships change.  There was much more work to do than just changing the direction of the clouds, but when you compare the pieces you see that the extra work was most necessary. Luckily, this is fairly easy to do in acrylic paint. 

The clouds have been lightened and are now floating through the sky in a much lighter manner. The direction is better, too.  The values in the whole piece were strengthened and sometimes corrected. The weeds at the base of the palm are much more interesting and believable, and the color of the distant brush line has been softened.

Sometimes we don’t notice when a painting isn’t quite right. Sometimes the painting doesn’t sell, and we recognize the problem when taking a second look. No matter how we discover something isn’t quite right, once we notice it, it’s always worth the extra work to correct it.