♪ ♫ “Sitting on the dock by the bay,
Painting the tide as it rolls away
About ¾ of a mile from home,
I’ll be back to paint another day.” ♪ ♫
That’s where you might find JoAnn, sitting on the dock by the Sandspit Marina, painting. It is one of her favorite places to be, she’s been painting there for almost 20 years. Her artwork reflects the changes that have taken place over the years from the old jetty to the new lighthouse; she preferred the old jetty because it had much more character.
JoAnn is a native Long Islander, born in Rockville Center and raised in Huntington. She attended Walt Whitman High School in Huntington Station. Following that, she studied Art Therapy and Performing Arts at LIU at the C.W. Post campus where she received her Bachelor of Science. She also studied Art Education at Dowling College in Oakdale. A Master’s degree is in her future.
Her interest in art began in childhood with drawing and painting with her favorite subject being Disney characters. While she won’t give away her age, she has been creating art for at least 55 years!
Artistic mediums that JoAnn enjoys are watercolor, acrylic painting, sculpting with common objects, and photography – that is quite a range! Her favorite medium is Plein Air using watercolors or acrylics which she has been doing since her 20’s. During the colder months, she spends a lot of time using pastels in a Life Study group. They meet at the Islip Art Museum two times a month.
Plein Air, for anyone not totally familiar with the term (such as myself), is defined by the dictionary as follows:
- pertaining to a manner or style of painting developed chiefly in France in the mid-19th century, characterized by the representation of the luminous effects of natural light and atmosphere as contrasted with the artificial light and absence of the sense of air or atmosphere associated with paintings produced in the studio.
- designating a painting executed out of doors and representing a direct response to the scene or subject in front of the artist.
- (of a painting) having the qualities of air and natural light.
So, there you have it. Now you know as much about Plein Air as I do!
JoAnn has sold many of her creations in galleries, art shows, and even while painting on the dock! She currently belongs to South Bay Art Association, Patchogue Arts Council, and the Montauk Art Association.
I asked her what artists have influenced her, her response was that there were none really, but some have told her that she paints like the French artist Paul Cezanne. JoAnn enjoys the outdoors and outdoor activities where she feels happiest when creating her artwork, re-creating nature the way she sees it.
JoAnn currently has her artwork on display at The Cheese Patch, 20 E. Main St., Patchogue, where it will be on display for the months of August and September.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, an artist’s reception is pending.
