Here's the second of the pair of paintings that I sent to the Coral Springs Museum of Art for a National Association of Women Artists, Florida Chapter show. I've just learned that I was given a Judge's Preference award for the pair! Painting scenes like this is what I love to do, but it's validated by an award or a purchase. Should we need awards? No. Do we love it? Yes! Helps us to know that we are on the right track. It's sort of like getting a good performance evaluation at a regular job! The colors on the painting aren't quite as green as this photo, but I can't redo the photo until the painting comes back!

Did you see the rich warm beauty of the Hunter's moon the last few nights? The moon comes over the house and it's light wakes me early in the morning just like dawn always does. I couldn't resist a painting!

We spent the weekend at the Naples Art Association's Renaissance Art Festival. The new directors provided good management and there was good attendance by a crowd preferring the art show over the weekend mall scene. I was delighted to be the recipient of a Judge's Choice Award. It was also fun to see and meet a number of good friends, and to talk with other artists from near and far about the art world. I go home tired by inspired! Congratulations to an anonymous new collector for the purchase of "Happy Dance"

On the Nile daily painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

We loved the outdoor Deland, Fl. Art Festival last weekend. It was a nice show with lots of community response, from the large number of kind and helpful volunteers to the crowd who came out to see the work. Many carried treasures home. Congratulations to several new collectors. "On the Nile" went to B. Parker, and O West purchased "Spring Breeze." We met a pair of young art collectors who looked, thought, and bought. We had a nice conversation about starting an art collections. I told them that they were among the one percent of the American public who buy original art and and to always follow your heart! Glad to have M. Handley, who purchased "Evening Shadows" and J. Beck who purchased "Magic Moon" among my collectors!
Hope that you are all having a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Our will start soon, and we'll take a minute to be thankful for so much in our lives.

Quiet Evening

Quiet evening is a time for relaxation and contemplation. I love to sit on the dock as the sun goes down and just enjoy the moment. I've been too busy lately to enjoy quiet moments and have to be satisfied with getting things done and crossed off my list! This painting will go as one of a pair to a National Association of Women Artist's show along with another of the same spot painted in the early morning.
Last week was ArtQuest 2008 unveiling week. I'm chairman of this event, sponsored by the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts. Visit to see more of the ArtQuest sculptures. There are links to the sculptors, too. It was a great week, and we knew we had done it right when sculptor Fred Caravetta, unveiled his "Dancing Terns at the the Marco Island Civic Association's Residence Beach. He loved the placement so much that he said "This sculpture has found a permanent home!" What a great gift to our community! What an inspiring week! Thanks, Fred!

Sold

I've been painting the Everglades and South Florida for almost 15 years now, and still never tire of an interesting clump of palms! I love their shapes against the background, against the sky and their interaction with each other. The light moves through palms in ways that just doesn't happen with northern trees-there the light tends to sit on top rather than pervade the shape. Oh, and a breeze can change everything. I'm a regional painter still excited by the landscape that is my muse. When this landscape becomes dull and routine I'll change to another subject! This is the painting that was changed dramatically with just a few clicks of the mouse!

It's ArtQuest week on Marco Island, and the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts had put a lot of effort into bringing you some very interesting sculptures. Unveilings are planned for Thursday night, and on Friday there will be a luncheon to meet the artists. Hope if you're in the area you'll come along. More information at http://www.marcoarts.org/

It took just three clicks of the mouse to completely change style and color of my original painting. This image was created by taking a picture of one of my paintings and using the photo program to just "play" with the image. Because I don't use a sophisticated program, I was bound by the structure of the original. The values didn't hold, as they did in some formats, but this was the most interesting version. I printed this revision on my ink jet printer on canvas paper. It looks pretty good, but has no archival quality at all. The colors will soon fade. This "revision" would last longer if I had printed it with giclee inks, but the quality and longevity could still be questionable. A giclee in a reproduction, or copy, usually of an original painting, but refers to the printing process rather than the creative process, whereas a "print" is a work of art hand printed by the artist, as in a woodcut or engraving. The image I'm showing you today is neither a print or a reproduction--just a computer-altered image made by an artist just to see what happens when a few buttons are pushed. I'll show you the original next!

The first outdoor show of the season took place on Saturday. We have a new tent, so set up was not as easy as usual but will get easier as we become more familiar with the slightly different style. It's great to have a higher ceiling and more light. This time we were lucky as my brother is visiting and was happy to lend a hand. I enjoyed seeing old friends and met some new ones, and was delighted that some of my collectors came by to say hello and see what's new. Two people who have admired my work in past bought paintings. Thanks!
This small painting was done for the Art League of Marco Island's Mini-Master Fundraiser. I used the acrylics as watercolor on paper here. If you are on Marco, or close by, the show will be a great way to pick up a small piece of local art at a good price. The pieces will all be 5x7, done in a variety of styles, and look wonderful framed and hung or used as table paintings. Click here for more information

Afternoon Breeze

In the last few days I've taken down the Everglades show, delivered three sold paintings, cleaned out my studio, worked on two paintings for a National Association of Women Artists upcoming show, spent a day volunteering at the Naples Art Association, finished two mini paintings for the Art League of Marco Island, and am getting ready for the first Art in the Park show this Saturday. If you're in the Naples area, Art in the Park is a juried show held the first Saturday of every month, right beside the Von Liebig Art Center on Park Street. I'm also the chairman of ArtQuest, a public exhibition of national and international sculpture on Marco Island presented by the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts. The unveilings will be later this month, so there's a lot to do! Phew!

Afternoon breeze is a painting that I've had for a while. I took it out and did some last minute enhancements so I'll have it at the show on Saturday. It's rich, saturated color and I love the way the sunlight moves in the breeze!

Sold