Mangroves, and Shell, a daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Shell, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

oil on board, 5"x7"

 

 

Marco Island has one of the best shelling beaches in the nation.  You can walk along our beautiful beach any low tide and find something special to pick up and bring home.  If you are fortunate enough to have a boat or a friend with a boat, there are a number of deserted island--approximately 10,000 of them available for you to explore.   

 

A number of these little islands have a nice sandy beach for you to walk as you look for shells, but some of them have mangrove plants right down to the waterline.  The mangrove fringes are critical  for protecting the land masses by mitigating the force of hurricanes and storms. 

 

Because most mangroves grow in tidal areas, their many roots trap detritus and debris, providing nutrients for a wide variety of organisms, so the areas around them are usually teeming with life.  If you'd like to know more about mangroves and our environment, there's a good article with some photos here.

 

And please remember, it's illegal to take live shells.  Let 'em live! 

 

 

Shell, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Shell, Jo-Ann Sanborn,

Acrylic on board, 5"x5"



I’ve painted the Everglades for 19 years now.  I and find constant renewal in the light which changes and inspires regularly.  The Everglades are favorite subject and my muse.  

Today this shell on my easel caught my attention.  New techniques, materials, and subject matter are always on the horizon and I enjoy trying them out.  Abstract paintings always revitalize my brain and my painting.  Writing the blog and my recent book are  other challenges I enjoy.  It all adds up to who I am as a painter and a person.  

Changing things around spurs the creative process.  I firmly believe an artist must always be a student. Just like the plants in my garden, if you're not growing, then you're dying.