Florida Artists Group

What art critics have said about his work.

"He has an affinity for dappled sunlight, and he uses colors such as red and purple to create visual interest in the range of greens that make up the flora of Florida. With a quick glance his scenes appear realistic; however upon further inspection, we see the work is about the paint and his brushstrokes." Mark Ormond

"Serene or flamboyant, broadly perceived or in minuscule small-brush detail, his color is frequently "enhanced reality" and his painterly craftsmanship is peerless." Thryza Jacocks - Pelican Press

Artists Bio:

Joseph Melançon is a versatile artist whose range of work includes watercolor, acrylic and oil painting as well as collage and sculpture. In his work he interprets lifelong interests such as antique toys, the American Indian, landscape and the figure using abstraction as well as expressive realism. Joseph's works are very personal with a passion for process, composition and the painterly surface. In painting he dissects, simplifies and freely interprets what he sees and feels through the use of composition, shapes, line and color.
Much of Joseph's youth was spent happily drawing, painting and building things. His time spent in later years hunting and exploring in the swamps and bayous of his native Louisiana proved to be a harbinger of his lifelong interest in the design and nature of the world.
While majoring in Fine Arts at Louisiana State University Joseph's diverse interests and coursework also included music, stage craft, stage makeup, metal craft, welding and landscape architecture. At the Natural History Museum on campus Joseph was involved with planning and building native habitat dioramas. He competed with other colleges on the R.O.T.C. rifle team and the school archery team.
Upon graduation from LSU Joseph left Louisiana and entered the museum field for six years designing science and history exhibits as Curator of Exhibits first for the Charlotte Children's Nature Museum and then the Fort Worth Children's Museum. Subsequently he was was recruited to be a designer for Peter Wolf Associates in Dallas. After nine years with Wolf, Melançon opened his own studio in Dallas and for 21 years created props, sets, models and special effects for Ad agencies, industry, museums, zoos, film and television.
After a creative and commercial career of more than 30 years, Joseph's education continued at Texas Woman’s University where in 2000 he received an M.F.A. in painting and drawing and was awarded membership in the National Honor society of Phi Kappa Phi for academic excellence.
Joseph has additionally studied with many notable teachers including Ed Whitney, Frank Webb, Katherine Chang Liu, Tom Lunch, Marbury Hill Brown and Leo Smith. He has taught painting, drawing and design at Texas Woman's University in Denton, TX, Eastfield College in Dallas, TX and State College of FL in Bradenton, FL.
Currently residing in Sarasota, FL, Joseph continues to paint, teach workshops and private lessons, and marvel at the wonders of our world. He’s included in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Who’s Who in the World, and the 1998 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records. He is a Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society, Southwest Watercolor Society, Western Federation of Watercolor Societies and the Florida Watercolor Society. Joseph has membership in the International Society of Acrylic Painters-FL and Oil Painters of America.
Melançon's paintings have been widely exhibited in the United States and won many awards including in the National and American Watercolor Societies annual shows and Best of Show in the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies. He was featured in American Artist Magazine, Splash 3 and 5, 200 Great Painting Ideas, and The Creative Edge. He is represented by State of the Arts Gallery in Sarasota, FL and Rue Cou Cou Gallery in Baton Rouge, LA.

Education:

2000 M.F.A., Painting and Drawing, minor Art History, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX
1962 B.A., Fine Arts Major, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA


Artist Statement:
Coming Soon


Exhibitions:

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2012 Joseph Melancon / TWU Alumnus Exhibition, Texas Woman's University Department of Visual
          arts, Denton, TX
2012 Creators & Collectors Suncoast Art Tour, Joseph Melançon Studio, Sarasota, FL
2011 Lyrical Landscapes, The Gallery at Plymouth Harbor, Sarasota, FL
2009 Landscape Impressions, The Players Theatre, Sarasota, FL
2006 Phillippi Creek, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL
2005 Mixed Mania, Manatee Arts Council Gallery, Bradenton, FL
2000 Graduate Thesis Exhibition, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX
2000 Toys, Indians and Texture, Dallas Art Institute, Dallas, TX
1994. Paintings of White Rock, Bath House Cultural Center Gallery, Dallas, TX

Selected Juried and Curated Exhibitions and Awards:

2012 Artists Who Made Sarasota Famous II, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL
2012 6th Annual Louisiana Fine Arts Showcase, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA
2012 Retrospective Color-Open Juried all Media Exhibition, Art Center Manatee, Bradenton, FL,
          Second Place
2012 Wild 3: Artists and the Animals of Myakka, Longboat Key Center for the Arts, LBK, FL
2011 Florida Watercolor Society 40th Annual Exhibition, The Societies Award
2011 20"x20"x20":A National Compact Competition & Exhibit, LSU Student Union Art Gallery,
          Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
2011 Cutting Edge, Open Juried Exhibition, Art Center Manatee, Bradenton, FL, Second Place
2010 Outside Looking In, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL, First Place
2010 Florida Biennial V, Museum of Florida Art, DeLand, FL
2009 Green The Primary Color, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL, First Place
2009 Plein Air Avon Park, Avon Park, FL, Best of Show
2009 38th Annual Exhibition Florida Watercolor Society, Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, FL,
          CJAS Award Creations Gallery Award
2004 Spring Show, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL First Place
2002 All Media Open Juried Art Show, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL, Second Place
1998 California Watercolor Association 30th Annual Open, San Francisco, CA, Georgia Award
1997 Visual Art Center of Northwest Florida 23rd Annual National Exhibition, Panama City, FL,
          Best Of Show and Grumbacher Medal
1996 2nd Annual Lana Paper International, Kismet Gallery, San Jose, CA, Wayne Thibaud juror
1996 Lafayette Art Association National, Lafayette, LA, Ruby P. Meade Memorial Purchase award
          and CJAS Award
1996 Arts For The Parks Top 100, Jackson, WY
1995 San Diego Watercolor Society International Show, San Diego, CA, Purchase award
1995 Western Federation of Watercolor Societies 18th Annual, Dallas, TX, Best of Show
1992 American Watercolor Society, 125th Annual Show, Salmagundi Club, NY, NY, CFS Medal

Selected Visiting Artist Lectures and Workshops:

2010 Gainesville Fine Arts Association, Gainesville, FL
2006 International Society of Experimental Artists, Marquette, MI
2000 East Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI
1997 Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI
1995 Nevada Watercolor Society, Las Vegas, NV

Teaching:

2011-Current Painting, Art Center Manatee, Bradenton, FL
2002-Current Painting, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL
2006-2007 2-D Design, Manatee Community College, Bradenton, FL
2003-2005 Painting and Sculpture, Longboat Key Art Center, FL
1999-2000 Water media painting, TA teacher of record, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX
1972-1990 Basic and life drawing, painting and taxidermy, Eastfield Community College
                    Continuing Education, Dallas, TX
1963-1968 Drawing, sculpture, photography and taxidermy, Children’s Museum school, Fort Worth, TX

Professional Experience:

2001-Current Joseph Melançon Studio, Fine Art, Sarasota, FL
1977-2000 Owner, Joseph Melançon Studios, Dallas, TX, producing design, 3-D illustration,
                    props, models, sculpture, sets and special effects for print, TV, film, museums and corporations
1985-Current Exhibited in national and regional art competitions
1968-1977 Designer/Photographer, Peter Wolf Associates, Dallas, TX, Designed trade shows,
                   for major US corporations
1963-1968 Curator of Exhibits, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth, TX
                   Designed and constructed history and science exhibits, Supervised staff artists
1962-1963 Curator of Exhibits, Charlotte Children's Nature Museum, Charlotte, NC.
                   Researched, wrote, designed and constructed exhibits

Selected Jurying Events:

2006 International Society of Experimental Artists, Marquette, MI
2005 Winter Members’ Juried Exhibition, Women Contemporary Artists, Sarasota, FL
1996 Martha Robbins NTAAL Exhibition, North Texas Area Art League, Denton, TX
1996 RCAS Over 50 Art Exhibition, Richardson Civic Art Society, Richardson, TX
1996 On Your Own Time, Corporate Exhibitions, Dallas, TX
1994 Fourth Annual Members Juried Exhibit, Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, TX

Publications:

2009 The Creative Edge, North Light Publishers, p.44 “Red Tide ”30x40, p.79 “Dragon Flies” 17.4x24
1998 Two Hundred Great Painting Ideas, North Light Publishers, p.115 “Bonnet & Flag” 30x22,
          p.131 “Top & A Hard Place, p.134, “El Roi Tan, Flag & Drum”
1998 Splash Five: America’s Best Contemporary Watercolorists, North Light Publishers, p.95
          “Top Maneuvers” 22x30
1998 Guinness Book of World Records, Bantam Books 1998. Listed as building the world's largest
          mousetrap, p.7-8 with B&W photo
1995 Creative Watercolor; Step-by-step guide and showcase, Rockport Publishers, p.89,
          ”Flag& Trumpet” 30x22, p.123 “El Roi Tan” 40x30
1994 Splash Three; Ideas and Inspirations, North Light Publishers, p.67, “Kindred Spirits I” 22x26
1994 North Light Magazine, Oct. 1994 Vol. 26 #202 p. 4, “Mine a museum display for Ideas”

Selected Articles and Reviews:

2011 Pelican Press, May 26, 2011, Sarasota, FL, p.23, Thryza Jacocks, “Landscapes grand and
          sweeping, small and personal,” “Tall Grasses” 9x12 in color
2006 Sarasota Weekly Planet, June 7, 2006, Sarasota, FL, p. 19, Mark Sanders,
          “Joseph Melançon’s exhibits are a window to his past”
2006 Pelican Press, June 8, 2006, Sarasota, FL. p.3B, Mark Ormond, “Enjoy Melançon’s paintings
          at Art Center Sarasota”
2006 Herald Tribune, Jan. 2006, Staff report, p.4B “Gallery features circus art”

Selected Published Articles:

1997 “How do I learn to paint?”, Scene: Southwestern Watercolor Society, Oct. 1997
1995 “Becoming A Master Of Illusion”, American Artist, Feb. l995, pages 34-39, 73,
           includes 12 color reproductions of the artist’s paintings with step by step color photos
           of work by the artist
1990 “The Art of Illusion-Three Dimensional Illustration”, Proofsheet, Publication of
           American Society of Magazine Photographers, p.11, with B&W photo of work

Selected Honors and Awards:

2012 Establishment of Joseph Melancon Excellence in Visual Arts Scholarship,
           Texas Woman's University Department of Visual arts, Denton, TX
2000 Marie Delleney Scholarship Award, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX
2000 Scholarship Award, Southwest Watercolor Society, Dallas, TX
1999 Phi Kappa Phi, National Honor Society, elected member
1999 Who’s Who, Among Students in American Universities and Colleges

Selected Memberships in Professional Organizations:

National Watercolor Society
Southwestern Watercolor Society President: 1997-98
Florida Watercolor Society
International Acrylic Painters-Florida
Oil Painters of America

Selected Collections:

State College of Florida collection, Bradenton, FL
Lafayette Art Association collection, Lafayette, LA
Bosque County Conservatory collection, Clifton, TX
Dr. Peggy Smythe March collection, Sarasota, FL
Jon and Susan Grass collection, Tucson, AZ
Mary and George Wendel collection, Clayton, MO
Warren Adler collection, Jackson, WY
Tanya Trinkhous Glass collection, East Greenwich, CT
Cheryl S. Taub collection, Longboat Key, FL

Foreign Travel For Study:

1998 Rome, Italy
1999 Greece and Crete
2000 England, Wales and Scotland

Current Galleries Represented:

State Of The Arts Gallery, Sarasota, FL www.sarasotafineart.com
Rue Cou Cou Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA www.ruecoucou.com