Growing up in the lush forests of East Texas, Joe Anna Arnett
knew that she would spend her life as an artist. There was never
a doubt, only a detour, and even that was in commercial art.
She graduated from the University of Texas, earning a
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, then moved to New York and
became a Senior Art Director for Young and Rubicam
Advertising, working on such accounts a Merrill Lynch
and People magazine. In New York, she continued her studies
in fine arts at the Art Student's League. In 1984 Arnett moved 
to Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1985, She married artist James
Asher and they began their adventure of traveling and painting throughout the world.
She has exhibited at the Albuquerque Museum of Fine Arts, the Colorado Historical Society, the Tucson Museum of Fine Arts, The Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Alabama, the Cincinnati Museum Center in Ohio, The National Cowgirl Museum,and Art Asia in Hong Kong. She has participated in the Prix de West Invitational Exhibition at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum since 1996. In 2006 she was a featured artist at the Gilcrease Museum's Rendezvous Exhibition and continues to exhibit in this show.
Arnett has been featured in The International Herald Tribune, Southwest Art, Western Art Digest, The Artist's Magazine, Australian Artist's Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, and the North Light books: Painting with Passion, The best of Flower Painting and The best of Flower Painting II. She has written articles for American Arts Quarterly, ART Ideas and The Artist's Sketchbook, as well as numerous articles for The Artist's Magazine, including their Art Clinic Column. In 1999 and 2005, she judged The Artist's Magazine National Still Life competition and was the cover artist for their May 2002 issue on flower painting.
She authored the North Light book, Painting Sumptuous Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers in Oil, which was published in 1998. The book went into a second printing as well as a Chinese language edition in 1999.
For the past 16 years, Arnett has enjoyed sharing her love of painting and the techniques she has acquired with students in workshops around the United States as well as Canada, Italy, France, England, Ireland and the island of Martinique. One of her favorite quotes about her teaching experience is, "Nothing is truly yours until you give it away."
Working from life, either plein air on location or from flowers in her garden, Arnett presents her subjects with a passion and reverence for the Creator of the original.
Born Jacksonville, Texas
1972BFA, University of Texas at Austin
1979-1984 Continuing studies, Art Student’s League, New York , NY,
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2007"Fresh Paint" Zaplin Lampert Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2005"Small Wonders, Plein Air Paintings of France" Zaplin Lampert Gallery
2001Arcadia Gallery, Recent Paintings, New York , NY
1997Zaplin -Lampert Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
1995From The Artist’s Garden , Zaplin-Lampert Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1993Flowers: A Celebration of Life, Zaplin-Lampert Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2003 Zaplin - Lampert Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “Without Limits”
1998Zaplin - Lampert Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1991Zaplin-Lampert Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1989O’Brien’s Art Emporium, Scottsdale, Arizona
1989The Catto Gallery, London, England
1987O’Brien’s Art Emporium, Scottsdale, Arizona
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2009Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City,OK
Gilcrease Museum, Rendezvois 2008, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Whistle Pik Gallery, Studies show, Fredericksgurg, TX
2008"He Said, She Said" Gallery B, Lexington, Kentucky
Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City,OK
Gilcrease Museum, Rendezvois 2008, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Heart of the West, National Cowgirl Museum, Ft. Worth, Texas
International Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio , Texas
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2007, Fredericksgurg, TX
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Small Works, Great Wonders"
2007Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, OK
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Small Works, Great Wonders"
Heart of the West, National Cowgirl Museum, Ft. Worth, Texas
International Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio , Texas
Miniatures, 2007 The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2007, Fredericksgurg, TX
American Artists Abroad, The Bennington Center for the Arts, Vermont
Mountain Oysters Club, Tucson, AZ
American Art in Miniature, Gilcrease Museum
2006Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, OK
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Small Works, Great Wonders"
Mountain Oysters Club, Tucson, AZ
Gilcrease Museum, Rendezvous 2006, Featured Artist
Heart of the West, National Cowgirl Museum, Ft. Worth, Texas
International Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio , Texas
Miniatures, 2006 The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2006, Fredericksgurg, TX
American Artists Abroad, The Bennington Center for the Arts, Vermont
2005Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Great American Artists, Cincinnati, OH
International Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio , Texas
Miniatures, 2005 The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
American Miniatures, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Dodson Galleries, Oklahoma City, OK
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2005, Fredericksgurg, TX
2004 Heart of the West, National Cowgirl Museum, Ft. Worth, Texas
Great American Artists,, Cincinnati, OH
International Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio , Texas
Gallery B, Lexington, KY
Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Miniatures, 2004 The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
American Miniatures, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Dodson Galleries, Oklahoma City, OK
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2004, Fredericksgurg, TX
Lesly Levi Gallery, Introductions, Scottsdale, AZ
2003 Great American Artists, Cincinnati, OH
Still life, Kneeland Gallery, Ketchum, Idaho
International Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse gallery, San Antonio , Texas
Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Miniatures, 2003 The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
American Miniatures, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Dodson Galleries, Oklahoma City, OK
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2003, Fredericksgurg, TX
2002International Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse gallery, San Antonio , Texas
Prix de West, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Dodson Galleries, Oklahoma City, OK
Miniatures, 2002 The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Kneeland Gallery, Ketchum, Idaho
American Miniatures, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2002, Fredericksgurg, TX
Leslie Levy Fine Art, small works, Scottsdale, AZ
2001Art USA, Philadelphia, PA
Great American Artists,, Cincinnati, OH
Prix de West, National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Dodson Galleries, Oklahoma City, OK
Miniatures, 2001 The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
American Miniatures, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Kneeland Gallery, Ketchum, Idaho
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2001, Fredericksgurg, TX
2000Prix de West, National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, OK
Artists of America, Tribute to the Masters, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver CO.
Dodson Galleries, Oklahoma City, OK
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama
American Miniatures, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Miniatures, 2000 The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Dec. 2000, Fredericksgurg, TX
Great American Artists,, Cincinnati, OH
Ann Hughes Fine Arts , Dallas Texas,Invitational Exhibition, October 2000
1999Prix de West, National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, OK
American Miniatures, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Whistle Pik Gallery, Miniature show, Fredericksberg, TX
American Art in Miniature, The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Great American Artists,, Cincinnati, OH
Miniatures, 1999, The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
1998Prix de West, Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, OK
Artists of America, AOA Master Artist, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver
American Art in Miniature, The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Miniatures, 1998, The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Great American Artists, The Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati, OH
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama
1997Prix de West, Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, OK
Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver
10 th year, AOA Master Artist
American Art in Miniature, The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Miniatures, 1997, The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Great American Artists, The Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati, OH
The Legacy Lives, , Sage Art Center, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale Michigan
1996Prix de West, Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City , OK
Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver
The Legacy Lives , New York, New York
Great American Artists, The Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati, OH
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama
American Art in Miniature . The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Miniatures, 1996 , The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
1995Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver
Miniatures, 1995, , The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
American Art in Miniature . The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Nymeyer Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
1994Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver
Miniatures, 1994, The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
American Art in Miniature, The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama
Art Asia, Elinore Ettinger Gallery, Hong Kong
1993American Women Artists and the West, Tucson Museum of Art, Arizona
Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver
Miniatures, 1993, The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
American Art in Miniature, The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
1992Romantic Realism, Visions of Values, Grand Central Gallery, New York
Romantic Realism, Visions of Values, Sage Art Center, Hillsdale College, Michigan
The Catto Gallery, London, England
Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver
Miniatures, 1992, The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
1991Art and Artists of Santa Fe,, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama
American Art in Miniature, The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club, Colorado Historical Society Museum, Denver
Miniatures’91, The Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Amarillo Rotary Club, Art MCMXCI, Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, Amarillo, Texas
1990Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club
Amarillo Rotary Club, Art MCMXC
American Art in Miniature, The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Gladney Center Benefit, Alterman and Morris Fine Art, Houston, Texas
1989The Rio Grande Exhibition, Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club
Amarillo Rotary Club, Art LXXXIX, Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, Amarillo, Texas
1988 Artists of America, The Denver Rotary Club
O’Brien’s Art Emporium, Scottsdale, Arizona
1987The New Mexico Tapestry Show, Albuquerque Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Art LXXXVII, Amarillo Rotary Club Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, Amarillo, Texas
1986Audubon Artists National, New York, New York
1985O’Brien’s Art Emporium, Scottsdale, Arizona
Salmagundi Club National, New York, New York
1984Katherine Lorillard Wolfe Club National, New York, New York
Salmagundi Club National, New York, New York
1983American Artists Professional League, New York, New York
SELECTED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
The Gilcrease Museum of American Art
Suzane Somers
Senator John W. Warner
Mr. & Mrs. Don Sherman
Mr. and Mrs. Ron Dubin
The Franklin Mint
Mr. and Mrs. Don Meredith
Blount, Inc. Montgomery, Alabama
Mr. and Mrs. Winton M. Blount
Mr. and Mrs. Berry Cash
Mr. and Mrs. James Robinson
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Dennehy
Mr. Roger Ebert
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Biszantz
Cobra Farms, Inc
Mr. and Mrs. John Dobbs
Mr. and Mrs. Luther Hodges
Dr. and Mrs. Nader Kayal
RPM Inc.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fine Art Connoisseur, March 2006,Welcome, Spring, Capturing The Glory Of A Garden, Jennifer King
The Artist’s Magazine, March 2006,, Teachers’ Confessions, Steve Smith
Out in the Open, Joe Anna Arnett, Dottie Indyke, Albuquerque Journal North, November 25, 2005
Masterpiece, Lessons from the World’s best Artists, “Deeper Still Lifes”, Joe Anna Arnett, F& W Publications, November 2005
Great Artists of Today, Calendar 2005 “October”, Right Copy Publishing, Inc, Powell , OHIO
Art of the West, March 2005, ”Pure Dedication” Myrna Zanetell
The Artist’s Magazine, February 2005, “Behind the Scenes” Michelle Taute
Prix de West News, 2004,”Wildlife”, M. J. Van Deventer
Artist’s Sketchbook, June 2004, “Destination: Inspiration”, Beth Derringer-Keith
Artist’s Sketchbook, April 2004, “Celebrating Spring”, Joanne Moore
The Artist’s Magazine, 20th Anniversary special issue, January 2004, “How to do it better guide”
Oil Painting Basics, Sandra Carpenter, “Best Brushes” F & W Publications (The Artist’s Magazine)
The Artist’s Magazine, August 2003, Art clinic column, “Capturing a Dream” Joe Anna Arnett
Prix de West News, May 2003, Joe Anna Arnett, Painting From Life in Her Santa Fe Garden, M. J. Van Deventer
Artist’s Sketchbook, May 2003, “Painting with Monet”, Joe Anna Arnett
Santa Fe Living, Volume 6, Issue 1 , “Santa Fe’s Artistic Heartbeat” Manya Winsted
The Artist’s Magazine, May 2002, “A Flowering of Talent”, “Fresh Challenges”, Joe Anna Arnett
The Artist’s Magazine, , June, 2001, Art Critic column,”When Less is More”, Joe Anna Arnett
Prix de West Preview, National Cowboy Hall of Fame, M.J. Van Deventer
Australian Artist Magazine, May 2000, “ Wherever I hang my Brush”, Joe Anna Arnett
The Artist’s Magazine, April 2000, “Brush Know How” Joe Anna Arnett and James Asher
The Artist’s Magazine, March 2000, “Art Clinic, Strength in Simplicity” Joe Anna Arnett
Santa Fean Magazine, , May 1999, “ Art Pairs “, Raquel Escamilla
Pasa Tiempo, The New Mexican, Sept. 10, 1998, “A Shared Passion”, Lynn Cline
The Artist’s Magazine, August, 1998, “ Brushes of the Masters:, Sandra Carpenter
The Artist’s Magazine , April , 1998, “ 7 Steps to Deeper Still Lifes”, Joe Anna Arnett
Art Talk Magazine, April / May, 1997, “Flowers, the Perennial Favorite” ,Bill Macomber
Pasa Tiempo, The New Mexican, Dec. 15, 1995 , “Arnett’s a Painter with a Twice Green Thumb” ,
Richard Tobin
Art of the West, September/October 1995, “ Life is Lovely”, Vicki Stavig
ART IDEAS, Spring, 1995, “The Painted Flower”, Joe Anna Arnett
The Humanist, Jan., Feb., 1995,”Toward an American Renaissance in Art and Ideas”,Alexandra York
The Atlantean Press Review, Summer 1994,”Flowers: A Celebration of Life”, Alexandra York
American Arts Quarterly, Winter 1993, “Painting with Passion”, Joe Anna Arnett
House & Garden, British Edition, April 1993, “Spring Blooms” ,Henrietta Howard
Chronicles, March 1993, “Romantic Realism, Visions of Values”, Alexandra York
Reality, April 1993,”The State of the Culture Approaching the year 2000”, Alexandra York
The Artist’s Magazine, September, 1992, “Painting Lush Oil Florals” ,Joe Anna Arnett
The Santa Fean Magazine, May, 1991, “Still Life Painters Create Their Own Realities”, Sally Eauclair
The International Herald Tribune, February, 1989, Claire Frankel
Focus, April, 1988, “Perennial Spring” ,Denise Kuzel
Western Art Digest, Jan/Feb 1987, “Joe Anna Arnett/James Asher”, Melinda Elliot
Southwest Art Magazine, October, 1987, “Joe Anna Arnett”, Joy Walden Murphy
BOOKS AND CATALOGS
The Artist’s Bible, Helen Douglas-Cooper, Barnes & Noble books by arrangement with Quarto Publishing, 2004
How did you paint that?, 100 ways to paint Still life & Florals, International Artist Publishing, 2003
The Complete Oil Painter, Brian Gorst, Quarto Publications, Inc, Watson Guptil, New York, 2003
Painting Sumptuous Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers in Oil, North Light Publications Inc. 1997,
Joe Anna Arnett
Second edition printed 1999 and Chinese language edition printed 1999
Who’s Who in American Art 23, 23 Editions
The Best of Flower Painting II, North Light Publications, Inc. 1998 Rachael Wolf
The Best of Flower Painting, , North Light Publications, Inc., Katherine Kipp 1996
Painting with Passion, North Light Publications, Inc. 1994, Carole Katchen
Romantic Realism, Visions of Values, 1992 Promethena, New York, New York
American Artists, “ An Illustrated Survey of Leading Contemporaries,” American References Pub. Corp.
The New York Review, American References Publishing Corp.
The Dictionary of International Biography, Melrose Press, Ltd
Who’s Who in Art (23rd British Edition), Art Trade Press, Ltd
The Legacy Lives, 1996, Promethena, New York, New York
AWARDS
Paint America Mini 2009, Finalist
Nomades del Arte 2008, Third place prize, plein air, Sage Creek Gallery, Santa Fe
International Artist Magazine, Finalist in Art Challenge 17, Still Life & Florals, 2003
The Artist’s Magazine 1998 Art Competition, Finalist
The Artist’s Magazine, Finalist 1993 Art Competition
Amarillo Rotary Club, Art Exhibition, Patron’s Choice
Katherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, Katherine A Lovell Memorial Award, 1984
Shreveport Art Society, Antoinette G. Stierwalt Memorail Award, 1984
TEACHING POSITIONS:
Art in the Cotswolds, Adventures in Art, June 2006
Chateau des Arts , France, En Plein Air Masters, May - June 2005, September2006
Hilton Head Art League, Hilton Head SC, February 2006
Art in Ireland, Adventures in Art, May 2004
Pat Walker Fields’s Turning Leaf Lodge, March 2004, October 2005
Houston Civic Arts Association, Houston, TX Nov. 2004
Pat Wayman Fine Art Studio Workshop, Denison, TX , Nov. 2004, October 2005, November 2006
Art in Provence, The Drome Valley, France, September 2003
The Mississippi Art Guild, Jackson Mississippi, May 2003
Lecturer for the Ultimate Artist’s Conference, The Artist’s Magazine, Sept., 2002, Palm Springs, CA
Expo 2002, Artisan’s, Santa Fe, August 2002, demonstration, Flower painting in oil
Art in Martinique, Martinique, French West Indies, March 2002
Mount Pleasant Art Society, May 2001, May 2003, April 2005
Expo 2000, Artisan’s, Santa Fe, August 2000, demonstration, Flower painting in oil
Art in Provence, France, July 2000
Montreal , Canada, Carole Segal Workshops, August, 1998, November, 1999
Scottsdale Artists’ School 1991 through 2006
La Villa Arrigo Renaissance Atelier, Florence , Italy , October 1996
Fredericksburg Artists’ School, March 1998 , August 1999, January 2000, October 2000, 2002
JURIES:
Finalist judge for Ray Mar Art 2005 National Competition
Judge for National Finalists in The Artist’s Magazine,2005 Still Life Competition
Ray Mar National Competition, Finalist Judge, 2005, 2006
Judge for National Finalists in The Artist’s Magazine,1999 Still Life Competition
New Mexico State Fair Art Competition
New Mexico State Fair Art Competition
GALLERY REPRESENTATION:
Zaplin - Lampert, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Whistle Pik Gallery, Fredericksburg, Texas
Gallery B, Lexington, KY
Kneeland Art, Ketchum, Idaho
POSTERS PUBLISHED BY:
Posters International, Quebec, Canada
New York Graphic Society
Modern Art Editions, New York
Jason Products, Ltd. New Zealand
LIMITED EDITION GICLEE PRINTS
JLI Imaging, Aroyo Seco, NM
