Honorable Mention: “Some Half-Caught Sound” Colored Pencil; 21" x 23-1/2", framed; $400; From the “inSIGHTful” Exhibit, at the Norris Gallery in St. Charles, IL; January 22, 2022 to February 26, 2022 (Scroll down for more of Joan's work...)
Name: Joan Bredendick
Town: DeKalb, IL
Medium: Watercolor; Colored Pencil
Words of Wisdom: “Always do your art, no matter what else is going on in your life – don’t let it get away from you. And, don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s all about practicing. The gift is not so much innate talent, but the motivation to do it over and over again.”
When it comes to encouraging artists, including herself, Joan is a great resource. After 25 years of teaching college art students, 17 as an adjunct professor at North Central College in Naperville, IL, she knows how to nurture and encourage creative expression.
Joan describes herself as a narrative painter where story and fantasy play evolving themes in her work. She especially enjoys including the unexpected visual element, something that challenges the viewer’s sense of observation. Over the past year, she has enjoyed "dabbling" in colored pencil, but with clearly proficient results.
Her favorite subjects include the female figure which she draws expressively and in a non-traditional way. She cites being influenced by art history which she taught for many years. Other favorite drawing subjects include animals like koi fish, sea turtles and cats.
“I especially love cats,” Joan says. “They are so beautiful – almost like a living work of art. I especially like to draw how a cat might feel – their nature -- and not a portrait. Anyone who has ever been owned by a cat knows what I mean!”
Joan misses her long-time studio cat who regularly checked out her work with its distinctly feline critique.
As Joan reflects on her many years as an artist, she acknowledges how wonderful it was to have a mentor in one of her professors.
“He challenged me, and could even make me cry, but most of all he encouraged me along my own watercolor path,” Joan says. “Such mentoring can change your life.”
Today, Joan finds contentment in her studio relishing the internal joy of being creative, producing art that resonates not only with herself, but inspires others as well.
Email Joan at: jbredendick@comcast.net
Instagram: cat_who_went_to_heaven
THE CAT IS THE HAT; Watercolor; 21" x 16-1/2", $300
THE CAT WHO WENT TO HEAVEN" Colored Pencil; 23-1/2" X 17"; $300
KOI DANCE, Colored Pencil; 12" x 8" $300; ARTIST'S COMMENT: "By drawing this in a vertical format, it gives a different feel to the scene, pulling the viewer in faster."
EWE TALKIN' TO ME? Watercolor, 40" x 32", $1,000