Joseph Weinzettle is an artist, picture framer and art instructor. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Weinzettle lived seven years in New York City before moving to Florida’s Gulf Coast in 1992. Heartwood Preserve, a conservation cemetery and nature preserve will be hosting an exhibit of his art works September 1 – October 30, 2021 in their Welcome Center.

The subject of this exhibition is Florida native habitat, as experienced, drawn and painted from direct observation – en plein air.

“My landscape subjects include pine flatwoods and cypress domes, ecosystems which once defined the West-Central Florida landscape. I’ve been fortunate to observe pinewoods and cypress through wet and dry season, before and after major storms, prescribed burns and wildfires,” Joseph said.

The exhibition features project works completed from 2018-2021. Four of the paintings in this exhibit were completed on site in Heartwood Preserve. Heartwood Preserve maintains vital wetlands and flatwoods where longleaf pines trace elegant lines against open sky.

Other works in the exhibition were completed on site in North Pinellas County and are remnants of larger ecosystems escaping development only to serve as stormwater retention. “Unlike coastal areas, Florida’s inland landscape is arguably underappreciated, to the loss of our cultural identity,” says Joseph.

“This region and climate has shaped native habitat of pine and cypress for millennia. Harmony and balance of form, space, color and tone is perhaps best appreciated when native habitat is observed over time. Immersion in natural places can be a means of shaping and guiding our creative efforts.”

Joseph Weinzettle Art Exhibit at Heartwood Preserve Welcome Center Sept. 1 – Oct. 30

Native Habitats En Plein Air received generous support from Creative Pinellas, a county arts agency which funded my work through 2020, including the beginnings of the Heartwood Preserve compositions.

Joseph Weinzettle uses traditional materials for drawing and painting en plein air. His media include oils on panel, silverpoint, bamboo brush and ink wash.

Weinzettle has sketched across Florida as well as in the countries of Haiti, Jamaica, Togo, Benin, Senegal and Ghana. In 2010, Weinzettle served as Artist-in-Residence at the Everglades National Park. He has continued to focus on pinewoods and cypress swamps in West-Central Florida.

Weinzettle has shared his experiences and techniques in lectures at community centers, elementary and high schools, and museums. He has taught classes at St. Petersburg College (2013-14), the Dunedin Fine Arts Center (2009-current) , the Safety Harbor Museum and Cultural Center (2015-current) and the Pasco Art Center (2009-2015), with an emphasis on fundamental studio and plein-air drawing techniques. 

More information about Joseph Weinzettle’s art can be found here.

About Heartwood Preserve

Heartwood Preserve is a conservation cemetery and nature preserve located at 4100 Starkey Blvd, in Trinity, FL 34655. The Welcome Center is open Monday – Thursday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm and Fridays 9:30 am – 3:30 pm. The Nature Preserve and Conservation Cemetery are open Monday – Saturday 9:30 am – 4:30 pm and Sunday 11 am – 4:30 pm.

More information is available at their website: https://heartwoodpreserve.com