June 2015 | 107

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Art

Artist JoAnne Von Zwehl is happiest when she’s standing in the light. It’s a Wednesday afternoon in Brookville, New York, and JoAnne is locked away in her art studio on the second floor of her home, standing in a perfect sunray that’s beaming through

the French doors overlooking the view of her lush green North Shore lawn. It’s that perfect time of day on Long Island, that time of day that illuminates us, and highlights the beauty we all possess. JoAnne captures that perfect light in everything and everyone she paints, and her subjects are always shown in their best moments, in their best light.

“You see how the canvas illuminates here?” JoAnne asks with an enthusiastic sparkle in her blue eyes as she points to the area of the face on the canvas she’s currently creating. “This is the magic. This is the light.” JoAnne

smiles as she speaks, and her voice is melodic with a subtle hint of laughter in the undertone and it is immediately apparent that JoAnne is in love with making her art.

JoAnne Von Zwehl has been commissioned by many prominent families, on Long Island and across the country, creating beautiful, timeless family portraits for the estate home. It’s often a portrait of the entire family, or perhaps a moment between a mother and child, a father and his son, or even a portrait of children at play. Working from a photograph, Joanne creates a beautiful rendition of life in paint.

In her work, JoAnne goes beyond the canvas. With each commission, she gets to know her subject prior to the paint. She spends time with her clients, listening intently, getting a feel for the lifestyle, combining what she learns with her own very strong creative vision. She may visit the client’s home and consider the space before she puts a brush in the paint. She makes recommendations and considers interior design factors. JoAnne wants her work to live perfectly in the home, as if the painting is an extension of the room.

“Nothing is more rewarding than the reaction of the viewer,” says JoAnne in talking about her work, “I love seeing reactions. It warms my heart.”

The path of an artist is often difficult and there is no guaranteed formula for success in the pursuit of creativity. Even though JoAnne knew early on that she had a tremendous desire to paint and create, her father, philanthropist Joseph Von Zwehl, insisted that she pursue an education in finance because he thought a degree in finance would guarantee a happy, prosperous life for his daughter. Prosperous, yes, but happy was a stretch as JoAnne struggled with her inner desire to make art.

JoAnne Von Zwehl

In the midst of her financial success as a consultant in her own real estate business, JoAnne signed up for art classes as a way of decompressing from the stress of her fast paced, hectic career. She attended classes in Great Neck and the class was made up of mainly of children learning to paint. This did not deter JoAnne and she immediately began unfolding her talent for painting. Her teacher in Great Neck, Vivian Christopoulos, now 84, says that JoAnne quickly learned the skills and techniques required and more importantly, JoAnne had a strong burning desire to paint. Her work soon flourished and came alive. Today, JoAnne’s work lives not only on the canvas, but also in lithograph prints, on book and CD covers, and on prayer cards. One of her prints “Our Lady, Queen of America,” hangs in the office of Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano.

Making art is not JoAnne’s only focus these days. A single mom with three children, JoAnne also runs a faith-based organization, M.A.N. Foundation, with her mother, Noreen Von Zwehl, providing water, food and supplies to third world

countries as well as building Catholic churches, religious schoolhouses and convents. She is also president of Rosa Mystica, a beautiful, spiritual 160-acre campus in Edmeston, New York, where retreats and conferences are held.

JoAnne Von Zwehl has a strong faith and works diligently to bring light and happiness into this world. In everything she does, there is a smile and a prayer. She loves to laugh and have fun, and enjoys the Long Island lifestyle and nightlife with her circle of friends. JoAnne believes in finding balance in life. When life gets hectic and seems out of sync, JoAnne relies on her faith and her art. Her art studio is her happy place. In her studio, JoAnne can focus her creative energy and play in the colors that tell the story of that special moment in time she is capturing on the canvas. JoAnne is thrilled when it all comes together as she imagined it would. Just as when JoAnne imagined those years ago, that she could take that step into the unknown and become an artist. JoAnne Von Zwehl is happy standing in the light, and it is beautiful.

By Carla Hall D’Ambra

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