Joan was born in Vermont and grew up in the small town of Florence. She has a deep appreciation for the natural beauty of the state and is known for her vivid use of transparent watercolor, especially evident in her paintings of autumn leaves, flowers, and Vermont scenes.

Joan has been painting for 50 years. She studied oil painting at Fort Lewis, Washington and graphic art at The Community College of Vermont.  She worked for 5 years in graphic design at a printing company and free-lanced as a graphic artist.

Joan is passionate about watercolor. Her primary education in this medium has been through workshops and disciplined practice.  She has studied with many well-known artists; to include Tony Couch, Skip Lawrence, Tom Lynch, Eric Weigardt, Robert Burridge, Jeannie Carbonetti, Peter Huntoon, Robert J. O’Brien, and Mary Alice Braukman.

Joan is a signature member of the Vermont Watercolor Society. She currently exhibits at the Frog Hollow Vermont State Craft Center in Burlington, Vermont, and the Brandon Artists Guild in Brandon, Vermont. She was co-chairman of the Display Committee at The Brandon Artists Guild for 15 years and has been an exhibiting member there for 25 years. She participated in every fund-raising event since 2001, and was chairperson of two – The Quilt Board project, and Brandon’s Art of the Pig. She was a gallery assistant at The Frog Hollow Craft Center in Middlebury, Vermont for three years.

Joan has taught private & group lessons, adult classes at Frog Hollow, and student watercolor lessons through the “SOAR” after school arts enrichments program.