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Joan McCracken Thomas

My passion for creating art started on long, lazy, summer afternoons during my childhood, as I roamed the family farm searching for a scene worthy of my sketchpad & pencil.  It later provided a “great escape” during a demanding corporate career. Currently, I am either working on a painting or planning out the next one on most weekdays.

I work in a variety of media & am best known for my vibrant pastel still lifes, although more recently I’ve been absorbed with creating oil landscapes & also experimenting with mixed media. I also work in colored pencil & charcoal & the subject dictates the media. My subject choices are varied, sometimes inspired by travels abroad, but often inspired by local scenes, like the glow of snow on our garden after a Nor’easter, or the reflections on the water during a day at the beach.

I display & sell my works at exhibitions in NJ & NY & take pride in the awards I’ve earned!  Besides the sale of original pieces, signed reproductions/giclees are also available.

I am honored when customers want to hang my art in their home or office & I look forward to creating new works for you!

Art Memberships:

  • NJ Art Association
  • Art Association of Roxbury
  • Morris County Art Association

Recent awards and shows:

  • Earned 1st place in oils & 3rd place in pastels at the Wallisch Homestead 7th Annual Art Show, Milford, NJ.
  • Two of my paintings were selected by Town & Country for their 2020 & 2021 calendars.
  • I’ve earned awards at the NJ State Fair during each of the last 4 years.
  • I earned 3rd prize in the Art Assoc. of Roxbury show, Sept. 2019, 1st prize in their 2020 show, & 2nd prize in their 2021 show.
  • Earned Honorable Mention in the NJ Art Assoc., July 2019 show.
  • Accepted into the prestigious Catherine Lorillard show for colored pencil /National Art Club in NYC
  • Earned 1st prize in pastels, Art Association of Roxbury show, June 2018, and 2nd prize September 2019.
  • Have earned various awards at the NJ State Fair art show across several years.
  • One of my paintings was selected for a 2020 calendar distributed throughout New Jersey.
  • Earned honorable mention, NJ Art Association show August 2019, Caldwell, New Jersey.