Three Watercolor Postcards

 

 

A little work today yielded three post cards. I'll use them for thank you notes here, or send them to collectors who may have purchased while I'm away.

Watercolor is a delicate and lovely medium in the right hands. I know that I have far to go before becoming competent in this difficult medium. I have, however, enjoyed varying from my usual acrylic, and being still able to work while traveling with very few materials.

I'm looking forward to my next visit to the Everglades, and to being back in my studio in familiar surroundings. I'm ready to have a big canvas in front of me and a big brush in my hand, and the space to stretch out a bit and work large again.

Travel expands our minds in many ways. Seeing the art and lifestyles of other cultures, past and present enriches our lives. In time, assimilation of the things I've seen and the experiences I've had will surely translate into growth in my artwork, but at this point I'm not able to predict what those changes will be.

I'll be back in the studio on Friday and look forward to seeing you! Come at 4 and you can join me for afternoon tea!

 

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Tea Time

After an almost 30-year hiatus, tea has come back into my life. Green tea for breakfast, and a lovely black tea with milk in the afternoon. In the past I always drank tea with milk and sugar, but switiched to black coffee many years ago while working for FEMA on the island of Samoa following a storm. No tea, no milk until the supply boats came almost two weeks later. Black coffee was what was available, and that has been my choice ever since.

Now, however, I've been reminded of the advantages of having a nice cup of tea. Its a good pick-me-up, and good things to eat invariably accompany an afternoon tea. My personal favorite is a scone with cream and jam.

Several of the French impressionists made tea time a subject of their paintings. The Monet painting below is a beautiful example of afternoon tea in the garden.

Monet was serious enough about his afternoon tea time to have a beautiful Limoges set made for use at his home on Giverney. Afternoon tea was often served to visiting artists and guests, and was served in the lovely gardens when weather permitted. The recipe for Monet's Madeline's, a sweet, lozenged-shaped cookie, can be found in the cookbook Monet's Table, which describes how food was grown and prepared at Giverney.

Other impressionist artists like Renoir also painted tea time. The idea of afternoon tea is seeing s revival in our community on Marco Island. If you'd like to try a traditional cup of tea, please join me on Friday, May 5, at 4 p.m for tea and scones. I'm looking forward to seeing you.

 

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The Gambia

There had been no formal welcome in our previous ports, but as the ship drew near the dock into Banjul, The Gambia, we were drawn to the rail by the beat of native drums. A trio of vividly costumed African dance groups accompaniedy by a bevy of drummers put on a terrific competition made us feel most welcome.

Also on the dock were stalls of quite a few local merchants, showing a wide variety of handmade arts and crafts. Much of the two-dimensional paintings were sand painting, seemingly made for the tourist trade, somewhat flat and not reflective of the lively community. The quality of the three-dimensional work was much better, with some fine examples of hand carved animals and figures of native wood.

I was particularly interested in fabrics, because this part of Africa is know for batiks, but on the dock I found a lot of tie-dye, but only one batik dealer. I am not good at bargaining, uncomfortable asking to pay less when these people seem to have so little, but eventually purchased the piece above. My batik depicts the life of the Gambians dying cloth, and I will hand stitch the edges and make a wall hanging of it.

The Albert Marketplace was a short shuttle bus ride away. Leaving the sunny street we went deep into a dank warren of vendor stalls, and found where the locals buy their goods, including native food and grains, shoes, a fish market, and exotic spice smells from small charcoal braziers in a restaurant area.

Of particular interest was an area dedicated to the tailoring of colorful local clothing. Men sat at a variety of pedal driven sewing machines while their assistants measured people for their hand tailored vividly colored garments. In comparison, it seems as though our lives are cellophane wrapped and sterile.

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Ghana

I used my watercolors to capture some quick impressions of Ghana on bookmarks I had prepared ahead and brought with me for the purpose. These were all done in about 40 minutes, first drawing with an India ink pen and then color added with my watercolor brush pen. My interest in the trees is apparent, but I hope to do more sketches of the wonderfully colorful women carrying fruit and other goods on their heads and babies on their backs.

Arriving in Ghana, we docked in Takoradi, a bustling and important deepwater seaport city. Together with its sister city Sekondi it is the capital of western Ghana. The discovery of oil in the area has lead to a massive migration of people from all over the world. There is much poverty, and living conditions are quite different from what we are used to in the US, however the people seemed active and engaged in their daily activities with markets for fresh food and goods on every corner.

The sea is an integral part of life here, and we passed an active fish market with fish drying at the edges of the road. The beaches are beautiful, and there is a growing tourist industry.

The saddest part of human history is man's inhumanity to his fellow man. Among these is the exploitation of the Africa races. On the coast near Takoradi is Cape Coast Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by the Swedes in 1652, later occupied by the British. Slaves were held here, sometimes for months in unspeakable condition while awaiting transport to new worlds in need of cheap manpower to support growing economies. Below is the doorway of no Return, where slaves held in dungeons for months would catch a view of the sea before being herded in the holds of waiting ships.

The slave trade was a multinational business. Not only did the Swedes build the castle, which was occupied by the Portuguese and the British, but the slaves were prisoners of war from the tribal wars in Africa, were supplied by fellow Africans and Arabs, and shipped in French, British, Dutch and Portuguese ships to work in their colonies in the new world.

 

It was encouraging to see the bustling waterfront today, with the selling of fish and the mending of nets, children playing soccer, and families enjoying a swim in the sea in an area that had once held such heartbreak.

 

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Cameroon

Cameroon is lush and green, with the sea peppered with small fishing boats in the early morning.

My watercolor kit is shown above, with a few of the postcards I've painted from Cameroon. It's easy to use and I have everything I need, although I must admit that I enjoying the recharging time as much as working. Notice the small bookmark down in the left hand corner of me enjoying the sea.

The Cameroonian woman who came on aboard to answer questions said there are few native handcrafts on shore, but the traditional white costume she was wearing is still handmade. I was particularly interested in the beautiful headscarves worn by both men and women, and was told they are imported from Nigeria

I visited a botanical garden and was particularly interested in the medicinal plants, many of which have not been introduced in America. There was also a couple of artisans selling their work, but we were advised by the guide not to purchase from them. We later found out that the reason was that the guide managed the official shop, which unfortunately contained little of quality or interest.

We also stopped at the Wildlife Center, a refuge for orphaned and injured lowland gorillas, gibbons and drills. The confines were somewhat small, but the thought that these magnificent animals would be releases into the wild was reassuring since all are severely endangered.

 

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San Tome

After three days at sea, the islands of São Tomé and Principe appeared soon after sunrise. The islands are located in the Gulf of Guinea off the northwestern coast of Gabon, West Africa. San Tome was named by Portuguese explorers who arrived on St Thomas's feast day, and Portuguese is the language here spoken today.

The islands are part of an extinct volcanic range with rich soil. They are covered in lush tropical greenery surrounded by the dark blue and azure of the the sea. In the early morning, fisherman in colorful small boats seek a living from the abundant waters surrounding the islands. These are the colors of some Caribbean islands, Hawaii, and Marco Island, bold colors you will see later on my palette.

I did not find a painter to speak with, but learned there is a vibrant community of handcrafters who use local materials of shell and fish bone to make jewelry. The white skirt and blouse of traditional clothing is also handmade, but the beautifully patterned headscarves worn by most everyone are not made on the islands but on the African mainland.

The atmosphere is rich with color, abundant vegetation, humid sea air and sunlight, in strong contrast with the dry, brown, dessert regions of Namibia, visited earlier.

 

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Namibia

Two days at sea brings us to Namibia, a vast desert nation with a population of only 1.9 million. We dock in Walvis Bay, passing working ships from many nations. Flocks of flamingos and pelicans feed in the Bay's nutrient-rich lagoon.

Namibia is also home to the Wel-witschia plant, one of the longest living plants on earth. The Wel-witschia can live up to 1000 years and survive without any rain for years.

Last night we drove miles into the desert for dinner, and were treated to African song and dance under the stars. Some guests walked up the highest dune to view of the undulating sand, (as depicted in the travel brochure) but I preferred the entertainment amid candle glow under a canopy of stars.

Dinner followed in draped tents. It was lovely, but the food reflected the need to please universal tastes. Wouldn't it have been delightful to have experienced the authenticity and variety of delicious African food?

 

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Rome!

Rome! Fat pigeons and cappachino in a rooftop garden for breakfast and the Spanish steps out my window. Rome is full of people for the Easter holiday.

Walking the streets, the colors of the buildings are rich with the patina of age, and art and sculpture is everywhere. My art supplies remain in the suitcase as I experience visual artistic overload.

Enjoyed a visit to the Sistine Chapel yesterday. By 9 am the lines of people waiting already stretched many blocks. I was very glad to have pre-ordered the no-line tour which was well-organized and efficient. While it was delightful to see the Chapel, the beautiful Raphael paintings and the Pieta, after a while it was a relief to get away from the jostling crowds. Today is much quieter as the holiday visitors thin out.

 

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Off to Africa! Palm by a Slough, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Palm by a Slough, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 7"x5"

 

 

 
You know me as an Everglade artist.  Often out in the glades or on the beach, painting the palms and landscape of South Florida.  (notice me peeking out from under the cloud)  But I'll bet you didn't know that I have an African side.  Yes, it's me again, peeking out from under an African sky. 

The above two-sided gem was made by a friend, and we are still giggling over the silliness of it all, however I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to accompany a dear friend on a trip to Africa's western coast this April.  

Thanks to another dear friend my studio will remain open Wed-Sat, and my affairs here on the island are in good hands.  I'll keep you posted if at all possible.   

 



800th Post! Palm by a Beach, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Palm by a Beach, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5"x7"

 

 

I can't believe that this is my 800th post!  This blog had become a true artist's journal as I look back over the years.  I haven't always been the most faithful, but make every effort to post three times a week.  My daily paintings have become quite popular in the studio/gallery, and I love doing them! 

 

In April I will do some traveling. and have decided to take several simple projects with me. Here's one below.  I've cut some archers water color paper into bookmarks,

 

 

 

 added a ribbon and put contact information on the back,

 

 

and will paint on the front using a travel pan of water colors. I'm not very accomplished with water color, so it will be a chance to explore the medium.  The whole thing fits in a baggie, and it will be nice to hand a bookmark to someone I meet along the way. 

 

 

Bookmarks will soon become a relic of the past as more and more people read books on their mobile devices!  

 

 

Favorite things, Palms on a Prairie, daily painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Palm on a Prairie, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on board, 5"x'7"

 

Do you have a group of things that you just love? Things that you have collected through life, or things that have a personal meaning just for you? Things that bring a smile to your face or satisfaction to the soul? Favorite things, that you like to have around, on, near, or close by?

 

Although I'm a coffee drinker, I love a really good cup of tea.  I love a pastel layered dawn, hearing from my children, and having a day with nothing at all to do. I love my art books, with Wolf Kahn's Pastel book, Edgar Payne's Composition for Outdoor Painting and Gruppe on Painting at the top of the list.

 

I love the little dish sitting on my kitchen counter with the little clay pieces that represent each of my grandchildren, much of the handmade pottery pieces I use every day, and a few choice works of art by others.

 

I love the piece of coral that my late husband handed me on Puff the Magic Dragon's beach in Hana lei, and the photo of my sister and I as young mothers sharing a laugh.

 

These are just some of the first things that come to mind.  What are some of your favorite things? 

 



 

Original Art, and By a Slough, daily painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

By a Slough, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 5"x7"

 

 

When an artists looks at a subject with the idea of painting it, the goal should almost never to be to duplicate or replicate what is seen.  A camera can do that.  The artist should, because of skill, training, and practice be able to do it, but copying should never be the goal of making a good painting.

 

Selective principals of design should be combined with the ideas of the artist, and the skill and tools of the artist, to portray the subject in a way that incorporates the  artist's unique way of seeing.  Somehow, during the process of creation, there should be an arc of transformation during which the subject looses it's former identity and becomes something new, with the final result distinctive and identifiable to the creator. This is original work. 

 

I believe that this is true of the creative process in all artistic disciplines.   Make sense to you? 

Open House, and Edge of a Woodland, painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Edge of a Woodland, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 20"x24"

 

 

Come Along!

Four Stake Prairie Paintings

An Evening of Art

 

Sunshine Studios Open House

at the Esplanade, Marco Island

in conjunction with The Artist Gallery

 

Thursday, March 21, 5-7 p.m. 

Refreshments! 

 

 

This is the sixth of the Four Stake Prairie Paintings.  Edge of a Woodland features the intriguing Everglades bald cypress during their relatively short leafless period.  When the light is just right, my painting genes quiver and I want to express their unique character with paint on canvas. 

 

I was hoping to get back to the Prairie after the spring rain we had, and see the Bald Cypress sprouting their first little bits of green, but it was not to be.  My first miserable cold in years made it impossible for me to inflict my germs on others.  Now the trees are in almost full green, and you won't see anything like the above painting until a lucky day next winter! 

 

You will be able to see all seven of the Four Stake paintings together  at my studio gallery for an open house event in conjunction with the new Artist's Gallery right around the corner, An Evening of Art.  Three of the paintings have already sold, but the owners have graciously allowed me to borrow them, so it will be the only time to see them all together. Hope you can come! 



Who's your customer? Alone by the Water, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Alone by the Water, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 7"x5"

 

 

Common wisdom is that you must know your customers and make a connection to them in order to sell to them.  I'm not sure this applies directly to art, since I believe that the connection must be between the viewer and the painting, but here's my effort at defining YOU!

 

The basis for this idea for a post came from someone else, and although I changed it quite a bit, I'd really like to give credit to the source.  If you know it, please let me know.  Thanks! 

 

Are you my customer?

 

What do you already believe in?

     In the value of original, unique, and handmade things in your life.

 

What are you afraid of?

     Not getting good value for your money.

 

What do you think you want?

     Something to fill a space on your wall.

 

What do you actually want?

     To own something that will enrich your life.

 

What stories have resonated with you in the past?

     Stories that make you feel something deep inside, a connection.

 

What is really important to you?

     Family, Community, Nature, Color, Sharing, Giving, Enjoying life, Work you love.

 

What is your relationship to money?

     It's a tool for living life your way.

 

After you have purchased a painting, what will you tell your friends?

     Now it's your turn.  You tell me! 

 

 

In the Glades, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5"x7"

 

 

This scene is typical of the Everglades, perhaps the most typical that I see.  There is an upright layer of trees forming a hammock in the background, and some water flowing over the prairie.  I painting it again and again, and yet each time is a little different because of the time of day or the way the light hits the components. 

 

This time of year the water is contained in the deepest parts of the prairie, and some have no water at all.  But when the summer rains come the entire grass area will have a few inches of water, all moving slowly along the long downhill to the gulf.  There, it will mix with the salt water in the estuaries and provide brackish water where  some species flourish.

Palms with Red Background, daily painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Palms with Red Background, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5"x7"

 

 

What's Red to you?

 

Energy.  Passion, and strength.  Rubies and rasberries.  Heat and warmth.  Bold, dynamic.  Love.  Assertive.  Confident. 

 

Anger and violence. Blood. Lust. Danger and sacrifice. Agression.

 

Red is strong, but needs to be kept in check or things might get out of hand. 

Palms, 2013, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 16x20

 

 

Abstract art may require using different brain cells than the ones we use for something more representational.  To abstract means "to take away"  Here, I've taken away the essence of some palms blowing in the wind.  I've abstracted them to be less defined, and more colorful than they are in real life. 

 

Abstract art lets me as an artist break away from reality, from the need to have something look exactly as it does in real life.  For you, it allows you to enjoy the color and the shapes, to let your eye move around the piece in any way that suits you, and to add or subtract in your own imagination exactly what a piece is about. 

 

You can look for form, color, line, texture, pattern, composition and process.  These are the accepted principals of art, and you should be able to find evidence of them in a piece of abstract art as well. 

I try to keep a piece of abstract art in the studio at all times.  I believe that creating them makes me a better artist, and that you as the viewer will find something to admire and enjoy.