Joan Smyly Durden 
                                                            I am a retired professor of art from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina where I                                                                     taught painting, drawing and design for twenty years. My studio education began with a BA in                                                                          Painting and Drawing from Georgia State University in Atlanta and continued with a BS in Art                                                                           Education and an MFA in Painting from Old Dominion University in Norfolk.

                                                            ... I now make my home permanently in Fernandina Beach, Florida. The mild winters and rich natural                                                               ecology of the sea, the marshes and hammocks all invoke strong feelings and inspire my                                                                                imagination.

                                                            Of special interest to me are the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, Big and Little Talbot Islands and Fort                                                                  Clinch. These natural environments provide inspiration for my work: the light reflections on water, the                                                                patterns of foliage and the interplay of visual elements, always changing and yet relating to one            another. My interpretation of nature is facilitated by the fluidity of the painting medium, the application  of the principles of composition and using color as a vehicle of emotion. Although the resulting paintings may be abstracted, they generally allude to landscape and the forces of nature.

... I am also influenced by our cultural heritage, including the narratives and myths that explain our values and aspirations. The writings of psychologist Carl Jung and of Joseph Campbell, one of his followers, address both the psychology of imagery and the energy of the archetypes that transverse many cultures and timeframes. The theme of water has fueled several series of my artworks, such as “Narcissus and Echo”, and another series “the Appalachian Clean Water Initiative” that was exhibited in the Department of Interior in Washington, D.C.

... My artworks have been shown in numerous juried and invitational venues such as the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, the Center of Contemporary Art in Richmond, the Bryan Center of Duke University, the Asheville Museum and Women Artists of North Carolina. Earlier in my career I was a studio artist exhibiting in Atlanta for twenty years. My work is included in many corporate and private collections.


Lunar Reflection by Joan Smyly DurdenFontana Lake by Joan Smyly DurdenPool of Lights I by Joan Smyly DurdenPool of Lights II by Joan Smyly DurdenPool of Lights III by Joan Smyly DurdenNight Swim by Joan Smyly DurdenOcean Islands by Joan Smyly DurdenTwo Islands by Joan Smyly DurdenNarcissus by Joan Smyly DurdenEcho by Joan Smyly Durden 48 x 66 $ 3000.00Moon Glow by Joan Smyly DurdenArches by Joan Smyly DurdenThrough Frosted Glass by Joan Smyly DurdenOchre Glenn by Joan Smyly DurdenBirds in Flight by Joan Smyly DurdenSudden Storm by Joan Smyly DurdenEgans Creek by Joan Smyly DurdenReeds and Leaves by Joan Smyly DurdenBlue Ridge by Joan Smyly DurdenGeothermal by Joan Smyly DurdenRepressed Energy by Joan Smyly DurdenAmelia River by Joan Smyly DurdenTransitions By Joan Smyly DurdenVapors by Joan Smyly DurdenUntitled Abstraction by Joan Smyly DurdenNarcissus by Joan Smyly DurdenPassage by Joan Smyly DurdenShaman by Joan Smyly DurdenRock Jetty by Joan Smyly DurdenNarcissus by Joan Smyly DurdenCupin in the Garden by Joan Smyly DurdenNatures Offering by Joan Smyly DurdenBackyard Patio by Joan Smyly DurdenNight Cruise by Joan Smyly DurdenEstuary by Joan Smyly DurdenCumberland Island by Joan Smyly DurdenMoon on Ogeechee by Joan Smyly DurdenOcean View by Joan Smyly Durden 32 x 36 $ 2200.00Mars Marsh by Joan Smyly Durden 30 x 36 $ 3400.00Okefenokee Reflection by Joan Smyly Durden 50 x 50 $ 4000.00Okefenokee Pool of Light by Joan Smyly Durden 38 x 32 $ 2400.00Pool of Light by Joan Smyly Durden 24 x 102 $ 4000.00St. Francis of Assisi by Joan Smyly Durden 55 x 60 $4000.00Lobster Cove by Joan Smyly Durden 40 x 52 $3000.00Mountain Pass by Joan Smyly Durden 60 x 40 $4000.00Martyred Landscape by Joan Smyly Durden 48 x 36 $2600.00Light Beam by Joan Smyly Durden 40 x 30 $1800.00Sunset Marsh by Joan Smyly Durden 36 x 36 $2000.00River to the Sea by Joan Smyly Durden 36 x 36 $2000.00Cumberland Island by Joan Smyly Durden 24 x 20 $1600.00Red Poppy by Joan Smyly Durden 30 x 36 $1600.00 Ellipses in Water by Joan Smyly Durden 30 x 42 $2000.00
(904) 261-2535                5047 First Coast Hwy, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034         e-mail: info@waterwheelgallery.com