Artist Statement
Art has always played a major role in my life.The major theme in my art is to honor the beauty I see in Nature. A 25-year native of South Florida, I have an innate passion for tropical flora & fauna. This passion has been fueled by my privilege to live twice on the island of Maui. Island culture, & particularly Hawaii, ignite a flame to honor these unique beauties of Nature. In my florals, the leaves are as important to me as the flowers themselves. And, right behind the florals, come beautiful, exotic birds. These are my first & biggest inspirations. At the age of 8, I had my first gallery show experience when my charcoal drawing of a Brown Pelican was chosen for a special exhibit to hang in the Women's Museum of Miami Beach.
My understanding of the basic design elements, such as composition & color (I love color!!) fuel my appreciation for quality work; I dismiss pieces that appear "washed-out" or unfinished.
Biography
Biography
Joan's art experience began when she was very young & continued through high school with various classes & projects. Her formal education came, first, with an AA degree in Fine Arts from Palm Beach Jr. College in Lake Worth (1970) & then, with a BA degree in Design (Interior Design through the College of Architecture) from University of Florida, Gainesville (1973). Photography became a major love & influence! She works from her own photographs.
She began working in watercolors, a medium she loves & introduced her work publicly in 2007; in the first 4 years, she won 2 "Best of Show" awards. Wanting to gradually transition to oils & plein air, she began painting landscapes with acrylics in 2018 & loves the more impressionistic flow, her watercolors being much tighter.
Joani moved to Calaveras County in 1975 & joined Arts of Bear Valley in 2006. After living near Bear Valley for 23 years, where she married & raised a family, she now lives in Murphys with her husband, Tim Lyons. She's, also, been a member of the Art on Main Gallery in Murphys since it's inception in 2012.
Joan's art experience began when she was very young & continued through high school with various classes & projects. Her formal education came, first, with an AA degree in Fine Arts from Palm Beach Jr. College in Lake Worth (1970) & then, with a BA degree in Design (Interior Design through the College of Architecture) from University of Florida, Gainesville (1973). Photography became a major love & influence! She works from her own photographs.
She began working in watercolors, a medium she loves & introduced her work publicly in 2007; in the first 4 years, she won 2 "Best of Show" awards. Wanting to gradually transition to oils & plein air, she began painting landscapes with acrylics in 2018 & loves the more impressionistic flow, her watercolors being much tighter.
Joani moved to Calaveras County in 1975 & joined Arts of Bear Valley in 2006. After living near Bear Valley for 23 years, where she married & raised a family, she now lives in Murphys with her husband, Tim Lyons. She's, also, been a member of the Art on Main Gallery in Murphys since it's inception in 2012.