Wildflowers in Watercolor Joan Heflin Rankin
This photo of Joan among the bluebonnets was taken in Brenhan ,Texas.
Joan Heflin Rankin was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia then moved with her family to Huntsville, Alabama at the age of 16 in 1959.From early childhood it was obvious that she had an inborn interest in anything creative....drawing, painting and a love for gardening.In 1962,Joan married Tom Rankin. He had moved from his home in Mississippi to Huntsville in 1960 upon graduating from college to work for NASA. While a homemaker, raising their two daughters, Joan enjoyed painting as a hobby and occasionally exhibited her oils and acrylics with local art groups.Choosing always to buy watercolor paintings for her home, she was drawn to that medium and decided to take workshops with internationally known watercolorist who taught within the region. One instructor in particular, Zoltan Szabo, became her mentor and a very dear friend over the years.
"Zoltan was a major influence in my life, giving me a passion for painting and encouraging me to pursue a career as a professional artist in 1977. His ability as an artist and his generous way of sharing all of his knowledge with students truly changed my life and my work. I will always be thankful for his friendship!”
Since 1977 and her studies with Zoltan, Joan exhibited her original watercolor paintings, signed and number limited edition prints and note cards at juried and invitational fine art shows. Her work is carried in galleries and gift shops and can also be found in many private and corporate collections throughout the United States and abroad. Although she paints different subject matter, Joan has become best known for her botanically correct studies of native wildflowers and other nature studies. Over the years Joan has won many awards and honors and exhibited in numerous one woman shows. Most recently, she was chosen as the Featured Artist for the 2005 Southern Wildlife Festival. Joan also won the National Art Competition for the 2006 Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Her painting, “Preaching to the Choir" was used on Wildflower Pilgrimage merchandise throughout the Great Smoky Mountains during 2007. She had a one woman show at the Arromont Gallery in Gatlinburg during 2007.
One of her favorite memories was being invited in the sping 2006 to exhibit her work at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas! Joan had been to Texas before but not in the spring! Being married to a very supportive and understanding husband, who doesn't enjoy extensive travel, she loaded her van and took off! She was able to enjoy two weeks of wildflowering throughout the Austin area. What a joy to have the chance to enjoy the bounty of wildflower species she had never seen before. The three day exhibit was much fun, especially meeting so many Texans, but the travel on backroads was the highlight of the trip! Miles and miles of delightful color, blooms and textures.
“My journey has been a wonderful one! Through my work, I celebrate the personal joy and excitement of God’s gift of creation. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to share my sense of reverence and wonder with my viewing public. I have had a very successful career in art, but still find that honors or recognition in competitions or from judges, simply has not compared to the happiness I felt when someone spends their hard earned money to “live” with something I have created! I sincerely feel that my gifts or any ability I have in art was simply part of God’s plan for my life and His path for me to share my faith and many blessings with others. Now, to be able to live here in this beautiful place blessed with family, wonderful friends and the abundance of nature has proven to be a very special time in my life. Thank you for your interest in my work, I hope it brings you a smile or a happy memory of your own!”
-- Joan Heflin Rankin