Artist Statement
I’m inspired to create vibrant oil paintings that evoke happy memories. Whether it’s a visit to Main Beach in Laguna, a frozen banana from Balboa Island, or a ride on a Ferris Wheel, I like to capture the summertime California Dreamin’ experience. This summer, I’ve introduced a new series of Route 66 paintings. While much of the historic road is lost to time, it once offered adventure and freedom to millions of travelers. I’ve attempted to recreate the bold, colorful signs that travelers saw when driving along “America’s Main Street” during its heyday.
Artist Bio
As a kid growing up near Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY, Joan Gladstone spent every summer day either enjoying thrilling rides, hot dogs, and pink cotton candy at the famous amusement park or hanging out at the beach with friends.
“Later, as a teenager, I frequently took the subway to the Metropolitan Museum of Art,” says Joan. “Museum admission was free, so for $2, we had just enough for subway tokens, pizza, and a soda.”
Looking back, “I realize how fortunate I was to have both a beach and great art on my doorstep,” she says. “That, plus a rigorous education at Boston University’s School of Fine Arts, propelled me to paint.”
Joan’s vibrant oil paintings merge the carefree summer days of her youth in Brooklyn with the joys of living and painting in Laguna Beach. She paints the California Dreamin’ lifestyle, with an emphasis on Laguna Beach scenes. Her subjects range from Ferris Wheels, surfboards and lifeguard chairs to beach cottages, classic cafes, and iconic VW buses. She uses bold color, clean lines, and minimalist compositions to elevate the grandeur of everyday scenes and objects. She says her favorite compliment is when people say her work is “beautiful, colorful, and happy.”
In 2025, Joan will exhibit at the Sawdust Art Festival for her fifth summer. She will debut a new series of paintings of iconic Route 66 signs in advance of the historic road’s 100th birthday in 2026. Also this summer, she has a solo show at the Newport Beach Central Library and will exhibit in Coastline College’s gallery in Newport Beach.
Joan was honored to have eight paintings on exhibition at the Hilbert Museum of California Art in Orange, CA. Her work has appeared in scores of juried art shows including the City of Laguna Beach, John Wayne Airport, Crystal Cove Conservancy and Huntington Beach Art Center.
Eight of her fine art prints were selected for the permanent collection of the UCI Health-Irvine campus, now under construction. The City of Hope in Irvine and City of Hope in Huntington Beach also selected fine art prints for their permanent collections.
She enjoys interacting with hundreds of Sawdust visitors each week and teaching art classes. Joan also serves as a docent at Laguna Art Museum.