"My strength as an artist," Joan Gibbons says, "lies in my ability to capture the unique feeling of light and shadow indigenous to the Southwest. Not only does this light glow from my surface exaggeration of color and values, but because I incorporate my under painting color in the finished work. By allowing little areas of this 'show-through' color to remain throughout the canvas, I achieve a feeling of glow and unity."
"Shadows are what initially draw me to a subject. Into these transparent shadow forms I manipulate subtle color variations. The juxtaposition of color sets up a vibration that enhances my impressionistic approach. Strong abstract design is the foundation of my painting. Capturing the color nuances of what I see before me further develops my style and goal. Painting directly on the canvas allows for my spontaneous approach to the subject. I am equally comfortable painting on location or in my studio."
A third generation artist, Joan spent her formative years surrounded by the fine arts of her mother and both grandfathers, all professional artists. Joan earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Studies with Lau Chun, Ted Goerschner, Jerome Grimmer and Sergei Bongart further enhanced her creativity.
Her original oils and prints were featured in the Fall 1989 Spiegel catalog. Arizona Highways magazine reproduced "Tlaquepaque Morning" on the back cover of the March 1988 issue. Both Artist's Magazine and The Santa Fean Magazine published feature articles with her paintings on their covers. In September 1998, Focus/Santa Fe magazine did a feature article on her works.
