11 Dec Joanna Mersereau: Dec. 15, 2012 – Jan. 4, 2013
Those of you who have been members of RAA for 30 or more years will remember my many changes of subject matter: from plein aire to Maya to structural narrative to “mouse people”. This exhibit will feature a four-painting group whose edges coincide (with one exception) to make an 80-inch wide continuum.
My long art history: Industrial Design major in college, a 31-year-long career in being staff artist, first for the Riverside Press-Enterprise newspaper (10 years) and then the Riverside County Schools (21 years).
I had the good fortune to be a founding member of Watercolor West and to be a juried signature member of the American Watercolor Society. The requirements for A.W.S. were to be juried into three exhibits within ten years. I finally made it in 2007. Whew!
Most of my subject matter over those years was the result of 30 years of travel to Mexico and Guatemala (the Patterns of the Maya series), the Mediterranean countries, California (the California Mission series), Arizona and New Mexico.
Living in Riverside for 57 years, I painted lots of local scenes: orange groves, the Mission Inn and historical homes and buildings. During that time I also painted Redlands historical features such as the Library, the Chapel at the University of Redlands, the Post Office and so forth.
Now that I am a Mentone resident, I am adding the major buildings of the University of Redlands, the scenic mountains, and of course, more orange groves.
What a wonderful life, to be an artist!
www.joannamersereau.com for more information
