Chapel Hill Artist to Show Maine Paintings

PRLog (Press Release) - Mar. 21, 2012 - Since returning from Maine in mid-August, Joan Meade has been creating landscapes and seascapes inspired by the beautiful Maine coast in Acadia National Park. As Artist in Residence for the month of July, 2011, she taught sketching classes in exchange for the use of a beautiful studio and an apartment  within walking distance of dramatic shoreline at Schoodic Point. The main part of the park, Mt Desert Island, was about an hour away. Joan and her husband were given a generous amount of time to explore the area to look for painting subjects. One of the resulting paintings will be donated to the park, where it will go on display in Park Headquarters or another venue within the park.

Joan's painting technique, sculptural acrylics, is particulary suited to conveying the rocky shores, the dramatically changing waters, and the vegetation that is unique to Maine. Using modeling paste, gels and other acrylic media, she first creates the texture of each of these elements on the surface, choosing what best suits the composition. She then applies the color to add richness of detail and the play of light and shadow. The painting takes on a  three dimensional quality that is both realistic and magical.

Joan  has been a painter for most of her life, starting in oils, and discovering acrylics in the 1970's. She studied art while pursuing an architecture degree at Cornell University in upstate New York, and continued her art education at Colorado College. Her first exhibitions were in Tunis, Tunisia and Washington, DC when she was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the 1960's. She later exhibited in Ohio and West Virginia, prior to settling in the Chapel Hill area of North Carolina in 1978. After retiring from her architectural career in 2001, she fulfilled her dream to become a full time professional artist. She has exhibited widely in the Southeast US, including Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC. Her works are in private collections throughout the US and abroad.

The upcoming exhibition, Mainely about Maine, will showcase Joan's new paintings at the Shared Visions Retreat Center. The opening reception is from 2 – 5 pm on Saturday March 31, and will continue on Saturdays and Sundays through April 22, also from 2 – 5 pm, or by appointment by contacting the artist. The Shared Visions Retreat Center, 3717 Murphy School Rd, Durham, NC,  is in the restored Murphey School. The mission of the Shared Visions Retreat Center, a program of the Shared Visions Foundation, is to assist non-profit service agencies in Orange and Durham Counties and to host a variety of programs and activities that will enrich the vibrant and growing service community in the area. 15% of the proceeds of the show will be donated to the Center.

Joan creates her works in her studio in Chapel Hill, NC. You may contact her through her website www.joanmeade.com or email her directly using joan@joanmeade.com

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/11830622/1