Tribute to our BBEST Leaders Part 3

Today I present our final tribute to our BBEST Leaders. This post is devoted to Joan, aka Sixsisters. I will use her given name and her etsy name interchangeably, as to me those two names are inseparable.

Though our tribute to Six is the last of the three, it is in no way the least, for Joan is a special lady. When I think of Six, I think of a quiet, dignified, wise lady with a wonderful sense of humor, a tremendous heart and a true giving nature. For example, when she started her watercolor drawings of her fairies, most of the ones that she made were special fairies for BBEST team members. Joan has given in many other ways too – in her tireless service as co-leader of BBEST, as a listener and empathizer in the forum and chat, and a contributor to the art world. These are but a few examples of Joan's giving nature.

Six inspires us all in many ways. One BBEST friend said that Joan's ability to handle multiple shops inspired her and helped her to believe that it was possible to do! Because of the inspiration, this person has opened up not just one or two, but multiple shops.

Six graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with a BFA in education, and taught art for a time, but found teaching very frustrating. However, she is still a teacher at heart today, sharing with others her knowledge and love of art.

Her art reflects her love of nature and animals. Joan’s watercolors of nature are characterized by the vibrant colors she uses in her palette .

Pathway

Plumeria

Arctic Hare

Her watercolors of birds are wonderful and full of life. Each little bird looks like he or she is about to sing and fly.

Garnet Pitta

When looking at Joan’s work, the eye is drawn to the painting and is held as if the viewer is under a spell. Her work is enchanting. One of my favorite is “Dreaming Klimt,” which is her homage to the artist, Gustav Klimt.

Dreaming Klimt

Joan's fantasy art has an ethereal quality, as in the Dream series, her fairies, and Plum Princess. there is a wealth of expression in the faces, and one wonders what they are thinking.

Dreams of the Heart

Plum Princess

There is a childlike quality to a large portion of Joan's art, demonstrated in her Neighborhood Girl Series. She says of the individual paintings in the NG series, “This is one in a series of aceo’s called Neighborhood Girl. It is based on my memories of growing up in the city. The image of the little girl is a combination of all the girls in my family. There are six of us. I hope you enjoy your childhood memories too.” The paintings are charming, and have enormous appeal to the viewer, as they depict scenes from childhood that we all have experienced.

One of the NG images that comes to mind is a heart-rending one, in which NG is having her hair cut. It brings back memories of “Mother knows best, and you will have your hair cut whether you like it or not!” Her face shows the trauma that many of us felt at some time or other in our early lives.

BBEST friends may not know this, but Joan has a twin.

NG for real!

She is also mother to two beautiful daughters and has an adorable grandson.

Joan may seem quiet and reserved, but she definitely has a fun side. When you talk to Six in person, you can see that little spark in her eye, a wonderful sense humor that is just below the surface and about to bubble up. Chauncey recalls when Six invited her last year to volunteer with her at the National Fairy Convention in Philadelphia. At first she didn’t think it was something that would appeal to her, but knew that any time spent with Six is always fun, so she agreed. Chauncey said that they had a blast, a day filled with laughs, funny sights, and it was pure entertainment.

Joan writes regularly at http://sixsistersiam3.blogspot.com/ Within the blog is her “Thursday Artist Quotes” in which she highlights great artists. She writes about the background of various artists, their art and notable contributions to the art world, and she highlights interesting quotes belonging to a particular artist which provides insight into that artist’s personality. This is unique in that it normally is not part of an artist’s bio in the traditional sense. Reading her blog feels as if one is taking a special, personalized tour of an art museum. The Artist Quotes is a wonderful series of articles and paintings, beautifully presented, and thoughtfully prepared, and it reflects Joan’s deep love of art and her desire to share that love with others.

At one time, her enchanting fairies were part of her etsy shop, Fairyfrond, but Six found that they were better suited to a different venue, 1000Markets. The link to her fairies is there on her blogspot. There are an amazing number of different fairies, reflecting Six's wonderful imagination. Each fairy tells a story. Many BBEST friends have received their own fairy from Joan, based on their name, and each describes a unique personality.

Joan's shop banner reads, “Sixsisters -- Art with a fingerprint.” I am very sure that her fingerprint will endure for a very, very long time, long after we are all history.

Thank you, Joan, for your quiet leadership, your support, your friendship and your giving. We love you!

XO

Nonnie

Contributors to this blog were Chauncey, Pat and Judy Nolan.