Pat Spano
Being born in Connecticut, but growing up in the South left me with
one regret, missingthe beauty of the seasons. I got a taste of the
seasons as we went North for vacations. It's beauty stimulated my
desire to observe nature and different terrain. I feel I've been a
student of art since I was a child. A fascination with color, form
and the effects that light has on objects has always drawn me.
Initially I studied art at the community college in Daytona, and
during my final two years at Florida State, I majored in education and
minored in art. Upon returning home I married my life-long love, Charles.
We raised three children and many pets.
We loved to travel with our children over the summer months, It
allowed us to see many of the National Parks in the U.S. As we traveled,
our love for nature and capturing God's beauty, inspired our interest
in photography. Always investing in the best equipment for pictures,
our love for "saving treasured scenes and moments" grew. To this day,
we continue to find great pleasure in capturing impressive sites and
intricacies of life surrounding us every day. Many of these photos bring
back such intense feelings of "aw!", that I feel driven to reflect on
these impressions in my art. I have loved being with those that feel the
desire to share this creative language through every form of art, whether
it be music, dance, photography. or paintings, etc. We have been blessed
with a family of friends that brings great enjoyment to life. It's the
joy of creativity that inspires me and a desire to give back in that
respect.
In all the 37 years I taught elementary school in Volusia County, art was
always a part of the curriculum in my classroom; from designing bulletin
boards, drawing, clay, watercolor, and silk painting, artist studies, etc.
with my students. These enrichment activities instilled a love and
appreciation for art and different mediums in my students. Now, upon
retirement, I find myself focused primarily in my love for art. Throughout
the years that I taught school, I took many classes and workshops such as.
digital photography, pottery, drawing, oil painting, watercolor, and pastel.
Some of the local workshops were at the Art League and local Community
College in Daytona Beach. I also studied photography, silk painting,
and batiking at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. I've always enjoyed
independent study also. Some of the artists that have inspired me most
through workshops are:
- Margaret Dyer' "Figure in Pastel"
- Fred Samuelson's "Watercolor Painting"
- Barbara Coulter Baldwin "Water Media & Pastel"
- Linda Barnett Thale "Pastel & Drawing"
- Elaine Vice "Watercolor"
- Karlene McConnell "Watercolor"
- Janet Rogers "Portraits & Flowers in Watercolor"
- Janet King "Watercolor"
- Toelle-Hovan "Acrylics"
- Susan Bloom "Digital Collage & Painting"
The two mediums that I am most inspired by are pastels and
watercolor .I chose pastels for their immediacy, directness and
their endless collection of colors! It's like seeing every color
in the rainbow, just waiting for you to make your world the
way you want to see it. Pastel is the most permanent of all
media, for it never cracks, darkens or yellows. I appreciate
the fact that pastel has the same status of oil and watercolor
as a major fine art medium.
I love watercolors for their transparency and impressionistic
qualities. I'm fascinated with the free movement of color
intermingled with water and their transparent quality. The
application and combining colors allows me to paint my impression
which lets one grasp a rich, multi colored prism effect on
objects, instead of isolated details.
Due to extensive traveling and the love for photography my
husband and I continue to do, I must admit that
I am drawn primarily to landscapes. My goal is to portray
landscapes in an impressionistic style. Color and the beauty
of nature is my inspiration!
I have been commissioned to paint pets and have enjoyed it greatly.
I am interested in continuing this aspect also.
I have been a member of the Daytona Beach Art League, and
Palette & Brush Club of Daytona Beach, FL. Presently I'm teaching
pastel and watercolor at the Gallery of Local Artists in
Flagler Beach, FL
I have exhibited in Gallery of Local Artist in Flagler Beach, FL ,
the First Friday Extravaganza in Daytona Beach, FL and in the
Ormond Library in Ormond Beach, FL .
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