Meet The Artist Reception - Members' Showcase: Then And Now - A Retrospect OF 50+ Years by Joanne Destefano

Members' Showcase: Then And Now - A Retrospect OF 50+ Years by Joanne Destefano explores 50 plus years of talent and experience working in watercolor. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artist and learn more about her work and process.

A special "Meet The Artist" reception celebrating Joanne Destefano and "Then And Now - A Retrospect OF 50+ Years" will take place on Sunday, August 16th, from 1-3 PM. The reception is open to the public and will include Utica Coffee and pastries. 

Joanne will present an artist talk at 2 PM.

Don't miss out! Before the event, ANEAW Juror of Awards, Sarah Yeoman, will present a Painting Demonstration on her artistic practice, sharing insight into her creative process and work from 12 PM to 1 PM, on August 16, 2026.

Bio:

Trying to encompass fifty + years of art in a brief bio will have to exclude accolades and awards. Instead, Joanne emphasizes the many opportunities she had in her classes at M.V.C.C, M.V.L.I.R, @ Suny, Rome Art and Community Center, and in her own art studio, to instruct her Students to be free by expressing emotion with color.

She has been very blessed to have been under the tutelage of many of the best instructors throughout the many years of classes at Munson Williams School of Art. Willard Sauter, Fran Fiorentino, Easton Pribble, John Loy, Edward Christiana , and Ralph Murray, just to name a few. With a most gracious heart, Joanne honors those that have all passed.

Joanne is a public speaker on anxiety recovery and continues to conduct watercolor workshops and has classes in watercolors, paper-making, and ‘ journaling with watercolor’ in her ‘ she-shed studio’ in the sanctuary of her yard. Her new Landmark Series of postcards continue to be popular including the ‘ Old Forge Series’ currently displayed in the giftshop at ‘View’.

Art has and always will play an important role in healing of her mind and spirit and for this ‘Gift’ she will be eternally grateful.

Statement:

Joanne believes we need to ‘ tell our story’ to heal ourselves and others. She tells hers by using the gift of creativity from the Giver of Life through her writings and by expressing emotion through color.

The ‘ cobwebs’ that were once entangled have become free to prove that adversity gives us a choice. Life and art can create many ‘ messes’ and we become so focused on the ‘ ugly’ stuff, that we don’t see the beautiful happening in the midst of it.

As I fill each white page of watercolor paper with the ‘freedom of color,’ I strive to effectively proclaim that our Great God is in the business of changing lives.

Trying to duplicate the Master’s creation is a challenging task, but when one appreciates the talent He has given me, then I am truly blessed.