Born and raised in Miami, Florida I spent many enjoyable weekends at art festivals. I knew then that I loved art and would some day create paintings. Drawn to the beauty of watercolor, once retired from my career as a Human Resources Administrator in 2003, I began my journey to becoming an artist. Mostly self taught in the beginning, I eventually began taking art classes and discovered that I had a real talent for detailed painting. Once I moved to Melbourne FL, I took classes from a local wild life painter and fell in love with painting wildlife and tropical flowers. Most of my paintings are inspired by my photographs as I visit many of the local wild life sanctuaries and gardens for inspiration. Exploring other subject matter in my paintings has been a recent challenge, but it is the local wildlife and tropical flowers that inspire me the most.

Awards, etc:

* 2005 "Mayors Award" for one of my paintings of Florida Pelicans. The city of Cape Canaveral purchased the painting and it is on display at the Cape Canaveral City Hall
* Award of Honor in the Art category at the 2006 Cocoa Village Summer Art & Craft Fair
* Second place at the 2006 Central Brevard Art Association's fall show
* 2007 Best of Fauna award at the Brevard Watercolor Society and the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge 5th annual Images From the Refuge show
* 2008 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Artist Recognition Award for my painting of a Great Horned Owl
* Third Place and Merit Award - Central Brevard Art Association’s 2008 Annual Fall Show
* First Place for “Attitude in Red” in the watercolor category at the 2009 Titusville Art League’s Annual Spring Show
* Third Place in the 2009 Cocoa Village Art and Craft Show.
* Best in Show for “Snowy Egret” at the 2009 Watercolor Images From The Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Show.
* First Place for “Attitude in Green” in the watercolor category at the 2010 Titusville Art League’s Annual Spring Show
* Third Place in the 2010 art competition for the Space Coast Birding& Wildlife Festival.
* Merit Award at the Brevard Watercolor Society’s 2010 annual show “Splash”.
* Cover Artist for June 2010 Senior Scene magazine.

Exhibitions:

* The Museum in Cocoa Village, FL 2005
* Art and Antique Studio, Eau Gallie Fl – featured artist for one month show 2008
* Palm Beach Community College - 3 foot by 4 foot canvas project using my painting “Caladium Leaves” 2007 (currently on display in the Administration Building)
* Sand and Sea Gift and Gallery in Cocoa Village, FL 2007-2009
* Cocoa Village Art and Craft Shows 2006-2010
* Central Brevard Art Association; Brevard Watercolor Society; Titusville Art League and Strawbridge Art League shows. 2005-2010
* 2010 Artworks Eau Gallie Arts Festival
* The Maxwell C. King Center of Performing Arts 2009
* Art Gallery of Viera, Viera FL June, 2009 to present - one of 6 founders
* Florida Watercolor Society 'Non-Signature Members On-line juried show', 2009
* Mt. Dora Fine Art Juried Show 2009
* Art in Public Places program through the Brevard Cultural Alliance 2009-2010
* Robot Love – 321 Agency, Melbourne, FL Juried Show January, 2010

www.sevenartists.com/jeanette.htm

www.artbyjdrake.com

jdrake18@cfl.rr.com