Joan has worked in art and art-related activities most of her life, and enjoys painting a wide varity of subjects. A graduate of Oberlin College, she majored in education and art. She is married with three children and resides in Northern Virginia.

She has taught art to many groups, ranging from public school children to senior citizens, including a 10-year period at the Hermitage, a continuing care facility for older citizens in Alexandria, Virginia, which culminated in her award-winning "Masquerade" series. The series premiered as a solo show at the Art League Gallery in 1993.

After teaching art for many years, Joan became a full-time painter. Her paintings have been in numerous juried shows and local exhibitions in the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area. She received many awards including First Place in the "Art of the Human Figure" show by the Vienna Art Society and the Springfield Art Guild in 1995.

 

Nationally, she is a Merit Award winner in Modern Maturity magazine's national "Seasoned Eye" exhibit. This traveling exhibit appeared in six cities and ended with a 2-month show at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. She received the People's Choice award at a national art exhibit sponsored by the United Church of Christ at their 1991 National Convention. Joan's paintings were also represented at the 1995 New York City show sponsored by the National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic.

Joan's 1996 solo show at Gallery West featured a variety of subjects, including portraits, wildlife and landscapes.

Her 2000 solo show, "Interpreting the Mystery," reflects Joan's interest in the commonality of world religions, stemming from her extensive travels in Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Romania, Germany, Mexico, and the United States. Her unusual views of expressions-of-faith are explored, as ancient religions down to modern faiths are depicted, showing the same impetus to worship and make life meaningful according to each culture.

Her tableaus of stuffed animals, dolls and toys have been a recurring subject, and her work in this area received notice when it was featured in the children's wing at San Francisco University.

Joan's travels in the new millennium have taken her to such places as the Gallapagos Islands, which inevitably end up as her latest painting subjects.

Solo shows:

"Antique Toys" at Fairfax Hospital; Fairfax, VA — 2002

Fairfax Unitarian/Universalist Church; Fairfax, VA — 2001

National Methodist Church gallery; Washington D.C. — 2000

"Interpreting the Mystery" at Gallery West; Alexandria, VA — 2000

"Touched by Time" at Gallery West, Alexandria, VA — 1996 (* also a group/juried show)

"Masquerade" at Art League Gallery / The Topedo Factory; Alexandria, VA — 1994 (* also a group/juried show)

Selected Group Exhibitions and Juried Shows:

National Society of Painterrs in Casein and Acrylic (National Show); New York City — 1995

Modern Maturity magazine's National Art Exhibit — 1991

Vienna Art Society; Vienna, VA

National Wildlife Federation; Vienna, VA

The Picturesque Gallery; Great Falls, VA

The Tower Club; Tysons Corner, VA

Skynear and Co. Gallery; Washington D.C.

National Art Exhibit, UCC National Convention

Awards:

Vienna Art Society, and Springfield Art Guild's "Art of the Human Figure" show — 1st Place (1995)

The Art League; Alexandria, VA — various awards in gallery show

Modern Maturity magazine's national "Seasoned Eye" art exhibit — Merit Award winner (1991) {True Love was one of 40 paintings selected from 8,000 entries}

Waterford Foundation; Waterford, VA — 3rd Place (1990)

Vienna Art Society; Vienna, VA — Honorable Mention (1989)

Art Exhibit, UCC National Convention — People's Choice award

Art Education and Experience:

BA, Education; Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH

Art teacher at The Hermitage of Northern Virginia (life care facility) — 12 years

Art teacher at The Virginian; Fairfax, VA — 2 years

Art teacher at various camps and elementary schools

Galleries:

The Art Cache; East Burke, VT

Gallery West; Alexandria, VA

White Mountain Artisans Gallery; Conway, NH

Professional Organization memberships:

National Society of Painterrs in Casein and Acrylic

The Art League Gallery at The Torpedo Factory Art Center; Alexandria, VA

Vienna Art Society; Vienna, VA

Fairfax Art League; Fairfax, VA