The Acrylic Book, Face of the Storm daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Face of the Storm

acrylic on board, 5'x7"

I'm an acrylic painter.  Painting thinly, I use the medium almost like a sculptor, carving and building a painting out of the dark space I start with.  I paint directly, and don't use most of the mediums and additives available. 

I tone each canvas with a warm dark, which can lean towards purple, brown or deep burgundy.  The idea of working towards the light interests me, and I really happy with my work when I can get the canvas to glow from within.  I like to paint directly, without a lot of medium or aides. 

Acrylic is an extremely versatile medium, and can be used with a variety of techniques.  If you'd like to learn more techniques for painting with acrylic and about the wide range of products available to use with them, Liquitex offers The Acrylic Book as a free download that would be a great addition to any acrylic artist's library. 

 

Back Country, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on Canvas, 20"x24"

Another Everglades painting done some time ago.  Like yesterday's painting, has found a home, where I hope it is still being enjoyed. 

Today we'll talk about color value.  Every color has a value, and you should know the value of the tube colors you use regularly.  Value makes form have volume, and without it your forms are flat and poster-like.  You can also build form with color, since warm colors come forward and cool colors recede.  When you use the two together, using warm and cool colors with correct values, your painting will take on a look of wholeness and completeness. 

Light and value create form no matter what the color.  Here's a simple way to remember color value.

• Establish the value of the home color of the object you are painting
• The side of the object away from the light will be a darker (the darkest) value
• The point where the light hits most directly will be the lightest value
• Light and reflected light will bathe the object facing the light making them light mid tones.
• The shadow cast by the object will be dark mid-tone.

Some other helpful things to know when painting the landscape.

• Color is least distorted where light is strong, to a point
• Really strong sunlight with wash out the color, sometimes almost completely
• In weaker light, colors become darker, duller, and more muted. 

January Palms, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 24"x36"

Today's Everglades painting is one you might have seen before, not because I havent' done anything new, but because I'm having house guests, six dear friends and family in our small home, and not much is normal this week!  I have little access to the office, and the photos I took of my new daily was such a poor quality that I just couldn't subject you to it!  Every artist has painted a few favorites, and this is one of mine.  I love the rich colors and the abundant palms, found in several places in the Fakahatchee.  But today, I'm writing about Color Mixing. 

When I have a class, the first thing I do is ask everyone to introduce themselves, and tell a little about what they'd like to get from the class.  Very often the answer is color mixing. While I can teach them about color wheels, color theory, color value and color temperature, I can't give them hard and fast reliable methods for color mixing.  Here's why:

Color sense is very individual, and you and I are most likely even seeing slightly different colors when we try to match.

• Color itself is affected by many different factors.  What color is the light on the object?  Is it warm or cool?  What angle is it coming from?  Is it a strong color in tinting strength, or a weak color?  In addition, an atmosphere filled with dust, water or pollution will have an effect of the color of an object.
• Although great strides have been made in recent years, we're still discovering how luminosity, color vibration, and chromatic light affect our perception of color.  

In addition, when we squeeze colors out of the tube, we cannot reliably predict the results despite all our color knowledge.  That's because when we mix two paints together we don't really know what we're working with.  Stapleton Kearns  calls it substance uncertainty.  Here's why:

• What's in the box?  Each tube of paint produced by the manufacturer varies by dye lot,  sometimes more than just a little
• Sometimes manufacturers change the formula without telling us
• Colors with the same name vary between manufacturers
• Colors have different tinting strength and often one color will dominate the mix.
• Mixed pigment colors and hues are especially unpredictable because they can contain all three primaries

So here are some hints for getting your color mixing it under control:

• start with a limited palette of primary colors, a strong red, blue, and yellow of about the same strength, plus white, and use them until you are comfortable mixing them into colors you need for your painting.  Note that you will not have a full value or color range, but should be able to make a convincing painting.  Some artists use this palette for years.  I did!  
• After getting comfortable with the above, use a warm and cool of each of the three primaries plus white.  You'll have a much greater range, but still manageable. 
• Do a value scale with every one of the colors on your palette, and every time you add a new color.  This will show the tinting strength of the color, and how it works as a tone and shade.
• Make a color chart by making a sheet of paper into square with artist tape.  Place your three primaries plus white across the top of a sheet of paper and down the side in the same order as across.  Follow each color to the box and fill in the obvious mix. 
• Make a color chart for each new palette you chose.  You will learn the full range of colors available from your choices. 

Improve this Painting, by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Because someone recently told me that critiques of my own work were very helpful to them, here's a painting I'm working on that could use improvement.  I thought I had finished this painting, and put it aside to frame, but when I looked at my photo of it, I realized that the balance is off and it will need to be reworked.  Balance is one of the most difficult things to teach, but is critical to making a good painting.

The colors are lovely and the single palm fine.  The problem is with the clouds.  All of the forms in the painting are pointing to the single palm.  If the sloping direction of the clouds was in the other direction, the painting would come into a better balance.

In addition, the grasses at the bottom of the palm look too tight and heavy on one side.  They were forced together because of the small amount of higher earth so close to the waterl.  This happens in the Everglades, where the some plants need to keep their feet just a few inches higher than the surrounding wetlands, and where there's not much soil they clump up tightly.  For the paintings sake the grasses would look better on the canvas if they were spread out a little and lightened.  Their shape could be made more interesting, too. 

Luckily, in acrylic paint this is easy to do.  I work very thinly. so there won't be a big buildup of paint to deal with.  It may just be a matter of working a little more blue into the clouds on the right and dancing some light into the grasses. 

On the other hand, sometimes when you make one correction all the relationships in the painting all change, and it can be hours to get it right. OK, get to work!

Three Pines by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Three Pines by Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 24"x36"

This painting is deceptively simple in it's composition.  It's a series of verticals and horozontals that work together.  You enter this painting at the bottom, where a strong, diagonal light drags you in.  You follow that up the edge of the painting, with the trunks of the pines reinforcing your eye movement upward.  The diagonal of the brush in the backgroud supports this movement. 

Once you get to the top, your eye enjoys a delightful dance among the branches. Unlike much of the country, where the light from the sky sits on top of objects, many trees in Florida are more open and with just a little breeze the light can dance deep into their centers. 

Then your eye will slowly follow the branches with a slight downward slope back down the trunks, and you can start all over again.    Work for you?

Color Confidence Class, Party in the Glades daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Party in the Glades, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5"x7

I've been teaching a Color Confidence class, and have decided to share more information about making a painting, and my experiences with acrylic paints.  Teaching helps me to organize what I know, and to put it into sequences that will make sense to a student.  I feel strongly about giving students a practical foundation for making a painting.

There are "rules," and you need to know and understand them to make paintings that people will identify with and want to own.  There's just no way around this.  You can break the rules, sometimes gloriously, but you should know what the rules are to get you out of trouble when you need them. 

It may be one reason my classes are popular--I teach the rules!  In Color Confidence, the first thing we needed was a vocabulary for talking about color.  Students come from all walks of life and with varied art experiences.  I want to be sure we're talking the same language, so my first handout is a Color Vocabulary.  You can see mine and download one here if you'd like.  You may find you want to add your own words, too!

It's a four week class, and we'll cover color value, color temperature, color harmonies, and color mixing.  We'll do exercises in each of these subjects to reinforce the lesson, and students will go home with handouts about what we've learned.  It's a sharing class, and some of the students have years of experience as a painter.  I learn, too. 

Art Collectors, Outgoing personality by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Outgoing Personality, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on Canvas, 24"x36"

Without collectors, there would be very little reason for me to make art.  I would, because I always have, but it is the connection to others who see my work, feel what I feel, and participate by purchase that make me love what I do.  

When a collector chooses a painting, is willing to pay for it and to live with it, a connection has been established between the collector and the artist whether it is openly recognized or not, and a valued partnership has been established.  As an artist the purchase of my work is the highest complement someone can give me. 

Many of you love the land, and speak with enthusiasm about your love for the Everglades landscape I portray. Others find enjoyment in the colors I use or the bold forms. This year I'd like to do a better job of honoring this connection, offer opportunities for collector participation, do a better job of keeping in touch, and reach out to new collectors.

Here's how I'll start:

Better recognition for multiple purchases
     Communications special to people who own two or more paintings, 2x this year
     Develop testimonial page on website or blog?
     Continue to offer discount for second purchase and beyond.

Better gift and appreciation recognition
     Purchasers of Daily Paintings - send post card or book mark
     Purchasers of Studio Paintings - send a card or watercolor thank you

Mail 2 x yearly
     Send post card for solo show – early January (almost ready!)
     Mail yearly schedule in October

Reach out to Everglades community
     Participate in Friends of the Fakahatchee Safari – scheduled Feb 26th

I'm expecting that it will only take me two hours a week to fulfill these goals, little enough time for the lifeblood of my business.  To those of you who have purchased and are reading this THANK YOU!  I'm very appreciative of your part in my continued success!

Performance, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on board, 5"x7"

As promised, here’s my first post on my intentions for 2011. I'll start with the studio, since what happens there should be every painter's priority, right after family and friends.  It's all about performance. 

Everyone needs a little tune-up now and then, and for me this list is a tool that I'll review quarterly to help me evaluate where I am and how I'm doing to complete my priorities.  As the year progresses I'll review my list quarterly to ensure my priorities have stayed the same and add or delete as circumstances change.

The Studio is already clean and orderly, my favorite way to start the new year.  Any paintings that have become a burden (artists will know exactly what I mean here) have been chucked out, and any that may have a future have been put in a "finish me" pile. 

 "Think about" or a question mark means I’m not quite ready to move ahead, the subject may require further thought or some research before making a decision. By keeping it on the list, I'll either do it or eventually drop it.  So here's my years start!


In the Studio

• Work to complete two studio or plein air and three daily paintings each week. This can be modified by family
• Complete 25 new paintings for upcoming show at Aura Gallery delivery Feb. 8th. (3/4ths complete)
• Continue to improve technical skills by taking at least one workshop – scheduled
• Look for the “wow” factor in each painting BEFORE framing
• Read a how-to book quarterly
• Improve drawing through small studies by accepting commission work that forces drawing – scheduled
• Finish inventory of sold paintings or hire someone to do (leftover from last year!) Catalogue at least 1 letter group per month – if not started soon, look for assistant!
• Spruce up Studio
• New Year clean-out – do before Jan 1 – done!
• Purchase two new chairs when funds allow
• Think about adding a single serving coffee pot 

That's my list!  What's on yours? 

Three words for 2011, First of the Year Everglades painting by Jo-Ann Sanborn

First of the Year, 2010, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on canvas, 16"x20"

Starting off the New Year and prompted by Chris Brogan's post, I've chosen three words to help guide me in 2011.  It's a great exercise if you haven't tried it.  I'll put my words above my desk, and in the studio, too, as a reminder of what's important to me in 2011.

After some thought (and putting off patience, also needing much work) my first word is LOVE.  Not everyone gets enough, and it's a good thing to spread more around.  Sometimes I get so caught up in all the things that have to be done, important and not, it may seem I come up little short in the love department.  It will be a good reminder for me to love first, and to be reminded that everything else comes second.  Everything!

The second word to help guide me this year will be FOCUS.  It's been a busy year with some unexpected and sometimes difficult demands on my time.  It's easy to lose focus and not follow through in the way I have come to expect of myself.  Focus is especially important to an artist, and focus needs to be recognized as important to me.  If I don't have the time or interest to really focus, it's probably something I don't need to be doing. 

GROWTH is my third word. Sometimes I get myself into a holding pattern, or box myself in with commitments.  This leaves no room for growth.  If I leave enough room to breath perhaps there will be room for growth, as an artist, as a person, and in my garden, too.

Just a reminder that my Color Confidence class starts tomorrow at the Art League of Marco Island!  We'll cover color mixing, color values, color temperature and color harmony.  Come along! 

Across the Field, Jo-Ann Sanborn, 2010

acrylic on canvas, 20x24

Happy New Year! 

While I love the fresh start of a new year, the idea of making resolutions doesn’t really work for me. I have a history of letting them go—easily. Now I prefer to be less rigid, with more of a plan and not bound by something I resolved on a bleary morning the first day of the year. Things happen, and some of them need to be made a priority immediately. For me, focus is important, but so is flexibility.

At the end of 2009, I followed Alyson Stanfield’s suggestion to look back on the year and write down accomplishments. She has a check–sheet that prompts you helpfully. It was rewarding to see that I had, in fact, completed a number of things that without the prompt would be lost or unrecognized. I’ve done that again for 2010, and found that I had accomplished quite a bit. I was pleased to remember that I:

• Continued to paint regularly, first and most important!
• Developed a better newsletter format
• Wrote and submitted publicity for the Artist Colony
• Donated generously to the Friends of the Fakahatchee during the Artist Colony’s April “Give Back” month. Thank you for strong purchases that month!
• Donated a painting to Marco Island’s Micky’s sailing program, and gift certificates to other charities I support.
• Hosted the Montessori school visit to the Artist Colony
• Developed and taught two new full and successful classes
• Developed a website for the Artist Colony at Fine Art Studios Online, where I have my own website
• Transferred my mailing list and learned to use Constant Contact, a professional email service, and grew that list.
• Read several books learning about art and the art world
• Helped conceive and create Arts Afire!, a city-wide celebration of arts and culture to be presented by the City of Marco Island in 2011, and developed an awards program and a website for this program.
• Continued guiding the Artist Colony at the Esplanade into its second year
• Blogged regularly
• Developed a Face Book fan page
• Tweeted regularly

But I didn’t do so well on my “intentions” for the coming year. Here’s a look at my “intended” list:

My intentions for 2010 – and how I did

• Paint least one larger painting a month - did about six
• Improve technical skills with study and classes - did mostly through books and Internet learning, need to do more hands-on
• Meet some influential people - (need to identify why this is important!) -did a bit on Internet and City - need to try harder
• Finish cataloging sold paintings – incomplete, only half done, may need help
• Improve newsletter – done, now sent quarterly, but may re-think
• Visit more shows-galleries - did some, could do better
• Work better with decorators - didn’t initiate anything new, but did work effectively with current

So while I was pleased with the some of the things I had accomplished, I didn’t necessarily move forward in ways I had planned. So I’ll try a little differently in 2011. First, I’ve broken my painting list into the parts that are important to me, including In the Studio, Collector Relations, Teaching, Traditional Marketing, Internet Marketing, and the Arts Community. I’ll share my goals in each of these subjects as we go into the New Year.

Wishing you a year filled with hope and joy!

Jo-Ann Sanborn, Sunshine Studios

Last Wednesday Art Walk

I'm dreamin' of....

December 29, 2010, 5-8 p.m

Art, Refreshments, Live Music, FUN!

Hope you can come!

Please excuse me if you get this twice.  I'm testing after the trouble last month, and it won't happen again!  Thanks, J

Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas, Everglades painting by Jo-Ann Sanborn

Today's Everglades painting is a make-over, or "new life" paining, done from one that's been around the studio for a while and never quite satisfied me.  As I began to reassess the problems and work on it, the painting developed a life of it's own.  Now it's cheery and inviting, with some great reflections.  All this happening while my mind was elsewhere.  Go figure!

This year late on December 21 the earth's axis will stop moving away from the sun and stop, and a second later will start back in the other direction towards the sun.  This marks a change from growing long dark nights to shorter nights and longer days.  The Winter Solstice is the time of year that marks the earth's farthest point from the sun.

Various cultures around the world celebrate this event.  The Winter Solstice starts the Celtic calendar, and Bronze age sites such as Stonehenge and Newgrange are set up to mark sunset and sunrise (respectively) of the Winter Solstice at their sites. 

Although there will still be much cold, January's growing light and warming earth will start a new cycle of growth in the Northern hemisphere.  In  the Everglades, it's the height of the dry season.  Animals will concentrate where there's a little water, and the only plants to survive will be those adapted to dry conditions. 

The Winter Solstice is close to the Christian Christmas, a time of joy and celebration of family and friends, and soon after the New Year will prompt us to look ahead, make positive changes, and to renew our commitments to ourselves and to others.

Between Christmas and New Years  I usually take a little time off, and I'll be starting a little early this year.  I wish you and your family a perfect mix of the sparkle of Christmas, the joy of giving and a big dose of unexpected love.   Merry Christmas and if you celebrate another Holiday this time of year, Merry that, too.

In the New Year I'll share my intentions for 2010, tell you how I did, and set up some new intentions for 2011.

Please join me

for 

Holiday Cheer

(spiced wine, punch, and cookies)

prior to the Marco Island Boat Parade

Artist Colony at the Esplanade

Rightside Studio

Saturday, December 18

5-7 pm

Exclusive Offer for newsletter/blog customers only!  25% off  purchase of current inventory December 18th only. Maybe used in person or for online purchase from http://sunshinestudios.net. (Phone me at 239-404-9179) New purchases only, no cash value, one per customer. Offer good Dec. 18th only. 

Snake in the House, Back Fence daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Back Fence
acrylic on board, 5x7

These flowers have are hanging on an old fence just outside my window and seem to be braving the extreme cold.  The container was a gift from a friend, a pretty, basket bringing me much pleasure. While I'm not always the best gardener, I love having fresh flowers in the house, and I love puttering around with the fabulous tropicals we have here. 

I've collected a few orchids, and they were looking good and starting to put out new growth after the extreme cold last year.  This year the cold is already giving them stress, and in order to save them I've had to relent on my "no outside pots in the house" rule to keep them from damage.

Why such a rule?  As some of you know, I used to do outdoor art shows almost every weekend in season.  Getting ready to go early one cold morning several years ago I was groggily making morning coffee when I noticed that one of the orchids I had brought in from the cold didn't quite look the same.  In the dim light, I put on my glasses for a closer look and came face to face with a rather large garden snake half in and half out of the pot. 

I might enjoy seeing a snake outside, and know their value in our environment, but seeing one unexpectedly and IN THE HOUSE was a whole different matter!  Screaming, went for husband,  just as groggy and not at all delighted to be dragged from the warmth of the shower. 

Luckily for us, the house was cold and the snake not yet in full panic mode, dear husband calmly picked up the pot from the hanging hook and put it outside in the garden.  Yes, I was just a little embarrassed at my reaction, but eternally grateful to him!

Since that time I've never taken the orchids in from the cold.   I examined this group carefully before bringing them in and look every morning for signs of some unexpected denizen, but so far, it's a quiet group .  Let's hope it will pay off when Spring comes! 

On another matter, it seems that I've fixed the link and have my google group back.  Welcome!  Thank you so much for your patience, and for the supportive comments as I struggled once again with technology advancements.  I'm so glad to have you with me again.  If you have missed some entries and would like to view them, you can click on this link, and at the end of each post click on "newer post" until you're back here.

Lubbers! Palm painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Today's painting is one that I've been working on over the weekend. This palm has personality plus, and caught my attention just begging to be painted.  It's a 36x24" size, nice for a palm portrait.  

The painting is about 3/4 complete, but since I work from a dark background to the light, it's not quite where it needs to be yet.  You can see that the dark, shadow values are in place, as are the mid-tones, but there's  no spark of sunlight.  I'll work on that today!

This little guy caught my attention, too, out on an Everglades trip last week.  It's an Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, and being from the north I didn't see my first one until a trip to the Everglades soon after arriving in Florida many years ago.  It was just one of the things that enchanted me, and still delights. 

The lubbers don't fly, can hop short distances, and mostly crawl.  If they are chewing on your best landscaping you might think them a pest  They're unappealing to birds because the emit a toxic substance and will also foam unpleasantly at the mouth when disturbed. 

But when you come upon a single fellow out in the Everglades with gorgeous coloring and spectaular size, they are a delight to enjoy. 

End of the Day, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

End of the Day, Jo-Ann Sanborn
acrylic on board, 5"x7"

When you visit the Artist Colony at the Esplanade on Marco, you’ll see the work of 11 different artists. For the most part each artist has a separate area where their work is distinct and separate from the other artists work. As you browse, you’ll see that each artist has their own style and subjects.

Just as you respond to the people you meet differently, you’ll respond to the work of each artist in a different way. Some, you’ll feel very positive about, looking closer and finding a connection. There’s something the artist has created that touches your heart, or moves you to take a closer look.  Others may not interest you as much, and that's just fine. 

At the End of the Day, I'm hoping that when you look at my paintings, you'll see beyond my struggling efforts to portray this special landscape, and into the heart of the Everglades themselves.  I hope you'll think about the value of the land--its beauty, its value to our state and our world, it's value to our economy.   If it doesn't move you, my efforts fall short. 

Limited Palette, Winter Prairie painting by Everglades Artist JoAnn Sanborn

Winter Prairie, Jo-Ann Sanborn
acrylic on canvas, 11x14

Colors all have value, and it's important to know where the colors you use fall on a value scale.  Every now and then I'll use a limited palette, and find that it helps sharpen my value observation. 

Winter Prairie, today's Everglades painting, was done with a limited palette of Liquitex acrylic colors Indanthrene Blue, Quinacridone Crimson, Naples Yellow, and Transparent Burnt Sienna and Titanimum White.  And to tell all, in the end I used a there's a touch of Pyrole Orange in the trunks of the palms. The blues needed that little punch of orange for contrast, and the Naples Yellow was too grey to do it. 

With only a few color choices, it's less easy to get distracted or seduced by the color, and easier to make the right value choices.   It's always a surprise that the paintings end up as colorful as ever but the values seem to fall into place more easily. 

I'll be teaching a class in Color Confidence at the Art League of Marco Island and you can sign up online now.  We'll have a good time! 

Shameless Promotion, Winter Prairie daily painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

Winter Prairie, Jo-Ann Sanborn
Acrylic on Board, 5"x7"

Christmas is coming.  Some of the people you will gift deserve something very special.  I'm going to be shamelessly self-promotional today and urge you to purchase a Sanborn painting for some special person on your holiday list. 

There's a nice selection in the studio to meet most every need.  Perhaps a neighbor has taken care of your home or a pet while you're away. Perhaps it's time to start a son or daughter collecting original artwork, or you have a good friend that you'd like to get something special for.  One of my daily paintings, framed and shipped for $150 might be just right. 

Perhaps you'd like a larger painting for  a loved one who's mentioned enjoying my work.  You can come in or call to discuss your needs and see what is available in your price range.  The current price range for a painting is $300-$4500, mostly by size.  We can talk if you'd like something larger.

Don't worry about making the perfect choice.  If the painting you chose is not perfect for the recipient, you are welcome to visit the studio and exchange the painting for another.  The choice of art is quite personal, and I want you or your loved one to have a painting that speaks to your heart!

You may be among the more than 50 people who own more than two of my paintings. Thank you! You're a collector, and it's a great time to add to your collection. I may not recognize your face, but I when we talk, I know your name and your paintings! You already know the pleasure a Sanborn painting can bring.

Original art work never goes out of style and has lasting value.  Read about the value of original art in the Collector Corner of my holiday newsletter.  Give a gift the recipient will thank you for and enjoy for years.  A Sanborn painting will bring much pleasure.   So much, that a number of people have become collectors.  I'd love to have you join them.

Art League back! Prairie daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Prairie, Jo-Ann Sanborn
acrylic on board, 5"x7"

You may have heard about the Art League of Marco's financial difficulties in the past year.  Somehow the organization was caught short by the financial downturn, but the community, businessman David Rice, and a terrific board worked very hard to ensure that this forty-year-old Marco Island institution was able to survive.

While the Art League is in the black, it will still take a lot of work to get the organization back on solid ground.  D, yes, "D" Michael, brought in from Colorado, is the new director, and by all accounts is a breath of fresh air for our community.  She's tiny, but very effective.  She's proving to be both smart and street smart, and is slowing pulling the Art League out of deep water while proving herself a real asset to the arts community here on the island.  We've got a friend!

There are a number of things that you can do to help.  You can rejoin if you've let your membership lapse.  Do that right away!  You can sign up for a class.  This helps both the teacher and the League! There's some terrific gift ideas for you to choose from in the Gift Shop, so you can stop in and make a choice.  Best of all, you can make a donation and see your name as one of the leaves on the new tree in the lobby.

Let's give a helping hand.  You'll feel good and ensure that the Art League remains an island asset.  Visit the newly revised and user friendly website at http://marcoislandart.org/ today!

J'accuse! Quite a Storm painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Quite a Storm, JoAnn Sanborn, 2010
Acrylic on Canvas, "24x30"

A women came into my studio recently and spent some time looking at the paintings.  "I've been looking at your work a long time," she told me, "I think you're getting repetitive."

Oh, the horror!  While nearly ill with inner turmoil, I thanked her for her interest in my work.  I told her that I painted almost every day and that I've been painting the Everglades landscape for seventeen years.  There's not much out there besides water, sky, and palms.  It's the shapes and their relationship to the sky and the changing light that interests me. 

Yes, I told her, I occasionally revisit a spot.  Still, each time there's a a fresh approach as I address my canvas.  The light is different, or a view from a different angle to explore.  Some palms clumps were old favorites, and I loved visiting to see how they were growing or had changed, or perhaps some little ones had come along. 

I suggested that my compositions had improved, that my color palette had changed, and that my brushwork was maturing.  She agreed this was true.  I was glad for the discussion, because we each learned from it. 

We went on to discuss how some artists have always painted in series, like Monet's haystack or lily pond series, (forgive the comparison, please!) and that I've done different subjects in my past and might again. 

Yes, it's all Everglades.  But for now each time I face the landscape and begin to paint it still feels new and exciting and challenging. When that ends, it's time to move on.