Whether using watercolor, oil, or acrylic, Joan Hansen paints with passion and an eye for color. The award-winning vibrant paintings of landscapes, water scenes, wildlife, florals and wine themes express her love of color and nature. Hansen moved from Superior, Wisconsin to Bonita, California, in 1979. She received an Associate of Arts Degree, with Honors, from Southwestern College, and began exhibiting her work in 1986.

Walter Foster Publishing, Inc. has contracted Hansen to write and illustrate several art instruction products: a DVD entitled Getting Started in Watercolor, which won an “Award of Excellence” for “Best Art Product” at a recent CHA show; two art instruction books, Floral Scenes, and Flowers; and Hansen is a contributing author for Florals & Botanicals, and Landscapes, watercolor art instruction books, as well as Acrylic Painting, and Watercolor, which are project books for beginners. She is also a contributing artist in Painting Great Pictures from Photographs, published by Quarto Publishing in England. Splash III, and Splash IV, published by North Light Books, included her work in their books which reviewed the work of America’s best contemporary watercolorists.

Hansen’s work has also been featured in a number of magazines. Several publishing companies have licensed Hansen’s art for a variety of products for the gift industry.

Museum exhibits include the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center.

Hansen’s work was selected as a finalist for The Directory of Illustration and Design’s 2000 competition, and she was invited to participate in RSVP’s 2001 exhibition at The Society of Illustrators’ Main Gallery in New York City. This extremely popular annual illustration competition received almost nine hundred submissions from all parts of the United States, as well as Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico and South Korea.

While working as an art consultant to elementary schools, Hansen taught students drawing and painting classes. In addition, her workshop students include art guild members, high school, junior college, and adult students throughout southern California. Hansen is a juror of art shows, and has given painting demonstrations for art product manufacturers in art stores in San Diego.

Joan Hansen

Hansen has had many one-person shows and continues to participate in juried art shows. The San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park carry many of Hansen’s wildlife posters, and have had their logo included on numerous Hansen images. Her work is collected by individuals and corporations throughout the world.

Her original paintings continue to be collected by individuals and corporations worldwide. Hansen also accepts commissioned work. To see examples of her commissioned paintings, click here .

My art career began at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. While working as an Administrative Assistant for the Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, I visited the art studios and decided to take my first art class in 1975. Those first brush strokes were inspiring to me. I couldn't believe I was actually painting and creating a unique work of art! It was so energizing. I still have my first two paintings.

After moving to California, I received an Associate Degree in Art, and continued to study with many fine artists, while raising three children with my husband.

It is my sincere hope that you will discover and enjoy my love of color, organic shapes, and the wonderful effects of light and shadow. Come and enjoy nature through my eyes!

Please note that the color of the images on the computer screen will vary slightly from the actual image. Clarity is best on the actual artwork.

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