Biography

JoAnn Peralta, as a very young girl, was inspired by paintings that sparked her creative inner spirit. "My kindergarten teacher told my mom that I was going to be an artist." Peralta found Vincent Van Gogh paintings affected her in such a deeply aesthetic way that she began to pursue oil painting and drawing on her own. "There was never anyone really encouraging me to do this. I just knew I had to do it." Peralta adds, "As a teenager I would hang out at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and take in the beautiful fine art while studying the color, design, and strokes of the masters". Peralta didn't receive artistic training until her early 20's when she received a full-scholarship to Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, California, which she attended for four years as an illustration/fine arts major.

Thereafter, Peralta worked as an illustrator for eight years, working for book publishing companies as well as doing video covers and magazine cover/illustrations. She garnered technical training from painter/husband, Morgan Weistling, whom was already an illustrator at the time, doing mostly movie posters.

Peralta's path led to a desire to pursue fine art and ultimately representation at Trailside Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ and Jacksonhole, WY.

In 2010 Peralta was invited to exhibit at the Master's of the American West Exhibition and Sale held annually at the Autry Museum, in Glendale, CA. In 2011 she enjoyed a sold out show and looks forward to exhibiting next year. She is also working on a showcase of works for Trailside Galleries to be announced sometime next year.

Artistic influences include (but are not limited to) Joaquin Sorolla, Vincent Van Gogh, Clark Hulings, and Anders Zorn. However, her master teacher and the person she credits with pushing her to a higher level of excellence is her ever-patient and loving husband, Morgan Weistling. She also credits her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ with giving her this talent and for making the direction she should take with her art obvious to her.

"There were always signs along the way and I allowed them to lead me to this divine appointment with destiny". Among other "divine appointments" was her marriage to Morgan Weistling as well as daughters, Brittany and Sienna. "My family is my top priority, which is why I haven't been able to teach just yet.  As my five year old progresses and matures, I'm seeing many more opportunities take shape. I plan on taking advantage of those opportunities.  I feel my work just keeps getting stronger and I don't plan on resting but ever learning and striving for excellence!"

Publications include Art Business News Magazine, International Artist, Southwest Art, and Western Art & Architecture magazines.

Her work also appears in How Did You Paint That? 100 Ways to Paint Your Favorite Subjects, by International Artist magazine, and is in the private collections of Michael Chang, tennis player; Raymond Cruz, actor, and Beth Maitland, actress.

 

 

Homage: "My Grandmother's Story"

JoAnn Peralta's inspiration for her artwork springs from her admiration and deep bond she had with her grandmother, Anita Peralta. She paints under her surname to pay homage to her. Both sides of Peralta's parents' lineage come directly from Spain, the northern and southern areas, as well as from Italy. The families eventually migrated to Mexico and then to the U.S.  Anita arrived in California along with her husband, Ramon, in the early 20's. They established a meager living from itinerant farm work, picking seasonal crops and traveling via bus to those sites. When their family grew they endured this life until it became too difficult for Anita to continue. "My mother has memories as a little girl of being in the fields while her mom picked walnuts. It is my belief that my grandmother's work ethic deeply influenced my mother and in turn each of her children because we've all strived to become the best at what we do. My father is no different. I'm still on that pursuit."

Early on, Anita also decided to become an American citizen, being grateful for her new country that accepted her and afforded her a better way of life than the one she had left. She studied hard and passed her test.  She also became politically active in her community as well as involved in her church. She was a deeply, devout religious woman whom exhibited her faith through works.  "She would seek out her neighbors to vote on election day telling them they should thank this country they live in by participating in the election process and then she'd turn around and clean the church facilities and make meals for the poor.  I carry a lot of my grandmother's gratitude for my birth country as I believe the United States is founded on principals I can believe in and love to uphold.  I also have a deep faith that allots me the sanity to continue to pursue my dreams while carrying a full plate of many responsibilities", Peralta adds.

"Many of my paintings of field workers try to exhibit their hard work ethic and I am inspired by my grandmother's sacrifice that allows me to be where I am today.  My family investment doesn't pay tribute only to the field work experience however, but to the culture that helped shape my grandmother.  Both sides of her parents were Spaniards, one being full Italian, and they migrated to Mexico and became a melting pot of cultures . I'm capturing moments of cultural experiences as well as the beauty of what helped shape my families, namely my grandmother, and ultimately me. After all, I am my grandmother’s granddaughter !, " Peralta states with a smile.

"Even though my grandmother passed away some years ago, her influence made a strong impression on me, even to this day, as you can tell. Grandparents play a pivotal role in the lives of their grandchildren and though many pass away before ever fully getting to see how their presence and love influenced their grandchildren, they can rest assured it will", ends Peralta.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PERSONAL-

I believe as a mother of two, one eleven years older than her sister, that I give a unique perspective to being a fine artist in today's world. If what I've gone through can in any way encourage or help another mom desiring the pursuit of her artistic talent, then I'm happy to break from my usual, private persona and reveal some insights that shaped me along the way.  --- Email me and let's talk, sincerely, JoAnn Peralta

 

 

Final Thoughts:

To those whom allude, "There is No Truth" -   you've already self-imploded because by the mere fact you state this, you've invented a "truth".
It's like those whom state, "I hate myself".....However, If you hated yourself then you would be happy when bad things happen to you and no one is happy about that! 

We all let emotions/feelings dictate our truth as we see it in our humanity, and are as a boat tossed to and fro with every wind of belief, not sure of what indeed is truly fact, if we're truly honest with ourselves. For those "truths" we hold dear, are they truths that we perceived in ourselves? What dictated those thoughts that became doctrine to us? Was it not our humanity with all it's shortcomings and erroneous judgments/perceptions of life? Your spouse/significant other knows you're not perfect, so realize this yourself if you haven't come to grips with it , and acknowledge YOU in and of yourself may not have YOUR truth correct :)  Humble yourselves….

 

Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?"  

 

Truth can only be defined by an entity greater than ourselves for we are but mere humans, for we are all faulted and are therefore incapable of defining "truth". Therefore we must seek a source outside of our human inconsistencies, if there is indeed one out there.  

Jesus boldly stated, "I AM the way, the TRUTH, and the life"…. No one has ever made that statement of being THE TRUTH. Many have said they possess truths, but no one claimed to be the embodiment of TRUTH, except Jesus…. 
He had to be either insane, a liar, or what He claimed to be,  "THE TRUTH". 
You decide, but remember, His followers all went to their death for saying what He said was true. IF He was insane would all of them have gone to their deaths as a martyr for a madman's beliefs? If He was a liar, wouldn't they have known him to be that, since they lived with him?  It would've been exposed to them eventually. The ultimate lie being that He foretold his disciples He would rise from the dead. If He didn't prove this to them,  wouldn't He be a liar in their eyes? Yet they each died a martyrs death because they wouldn't denounce their faith in Jesus; this Jesus, whom said, He was indeed THE Way, THE Truth, and THE Life, and they put faith in Him.  The followers were shown He rose because Jesus presented Himself to them and they believed. Their deaths came after they witnessed Him as a risen, Savior.

"I believe in Christianity, as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else" -- C.S. Lewis