Greetings!
,
Although it's not official yet, it's summer in Southwest Florida. The snowbirds have left on the great northerly migration and the rest of the population is taking a much more laid back attitude. It's a time of color, light, and drama in the Everglades, and a time for renewal for both the landscape and it's residents. I'm looking forward to taking advantage of this fabulous time of year to create some exciting new paintings. |
Everglades Summer
The Freshwater Sloughs
May through November are typically hot and humid months for the Everglades. Humidity of over 90 % and temperatures in the 90's are common. Heavy afternoon rains fill the prairies, marshes and limestone aquifers.
The higher humidity and wet conditions bring significant changes to the Everglades landscape. Plants begin a cycle of regrowth. Higher water levels allow the animals to disperse from the water holes that they had been dependent on in the dry season. Mosquitoes and other troublesome insects make walking and hiking uncomfortable.
As the rains continue to fall, vast landscape channels called sloughs fill with fresh water. Sloughs are marshy rivers dotted with tree islands that have developed over time between the higher sawgrass prairies. Some sloughs are quite deep and will retain water for much of the year. As the water accumulates in the Lake Okeechobee and Kissimmee flood plains, the water enters the sloughs and begins a slow journey of almost 100 miles to the southwest, bringing fresh water to the Gulf estuaries and to Florida Bay. The elevation difference is only a couple of inches, creating an almost 60 mile wide river that travels only about half a mile a day.
Major sloughs in the Everglades system include Lostman's River Slough bordering The Big Cypress, the Shark River Slough flowing out to Florida Bay,
and Taylor Slough in the eastern
Everglades.
|
| Many thanks to the collectors who purchased in April and May. I am grateful for and value your support!
|
 Collector Corner
Strong ethics are important to me so I'll start the new Collector Corner feature by giving you my version of the business ethics I use on a daily basis in my art business.
My pledge to you
My artwork is my own, unique and original, as interpreted by me from life or a photograph take by me.
My inspiration comes from the response of my heart to the South Florida Environment. I have studied and responded to this landscape for over 15 years.
I use only quality, archival materials in my work. I buy the best materials I can for the job and use them in ways so that I'm comfortable guaranteeing the quality of my work.
I work hard to be the best I can be. I continue to learn through classes and self study.
I value the fragile South Florida landscape and support organizations who protect the wetlands of the Everglades.
I never
mislead a client to make a sale. The best fit for the client is always
best for me. I offer a 7-day full money back guarantee. This leads to trust, and repeat sales.
I try to help other artists by being supportive, by teaching, by organizing arts events, and always being willing to share knowledge with other artists.
I work to strengthen the arts community on Marco Island. I believe that the arts help build community, so I am a founding member and past President of the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts. I support and work with community arts organizations like the Marco Island Center for the Arts, the Marco Island Chamber of Commerce, and the City's Arts Advisory Committee to help create arts events that benefit our community..
|
"Come quickly. You mustn't miss the dawn. It will never be just like
this again." Georgia O'keefe
|
Art Speak
Are you curious about how an artist begins a painting? There are as many different methods as there are artists. Some artists know exactly how their painting will turn out before they begin. They plan every step, and begin by drawing and measuring carefully before beginning to paint. Some artists project a photograph onto a wall, and work from the ensuing trace to begin the painting. The photograph should be theirs or they must credit the photographer! Some artists paint outside "en plein air" looking carefully at and responding to the landscape as they paint. Some artists start directly from imagination or memory.
Starting from the landscape itself works best for me, and I prefer to begin from a spot outside, but will also work from photographs when plein air work is not possible. I look for broad areas of light and dark, and work to get a pleasing arrangement on the canvas before getting into details. This is the initial "block out" or "block in" stage. If you'd like to see the process for the above painting in more detail you can click here and more here.
I've put the painting, above, away for a while, taking it out to work on from time to time. After the initial block out and some cutting in, I no longer looked at the photograph. Once the initial scene is captured, my respnsibility turns from the landscape to the canvas, where I must do my best to interpret the scene.
Sometimes creating art is a bit of a battle, and this scene was quite the opponent. Look quite a while before we came to terms! Hope you like it.
|
Events
You're Invited!
Please join me!
Ladies Luncheon
Marco Island Yacht Club
June 17, noon, $15.95.
I'll be featured speaker, and talk about my work, the Everglades, Marco Island Arts, and will do a brief demonstration. Door Prize and handouts!
You must pre-register so call or email me before June 15th if you'd like to attend. You do not have to be a member of the Yacht Club to attend this event.
|
On a Personal Note
I was delighted to receive the Dorothy Seligson Memorial Award for works on Canvas from the National Association of Women Artist's 120th Annual Exhibition at the Salmugundi Club in NY City. Many thanks to a dear High School friend who saw the exhibition and reported to me about it.
You can see some of my larger paintings on loan at the Morgan Stanley Office and the Poling Medical Center on Marco Island.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Featured Article
|
|
Learn more about the fragile SW Florida Everglades!
|
Quick Links
Jo-Ann Sanborn
Daily Painting Blog
Sunshine Studios
Website
Painting Marco
Student blog.
If you've been a Sanborn student you can post on this site! |
|
|
|
