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Wild Scenes Of Local Artist's Youth Win Him Honors

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By B.C. MANION The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 23, 2008

LUTZ - His studio isn't spacious, but his imagination has no bounds.

When Hernie Vann gazes at a felled tree in the woods, a bird perched on a car or sunlight filtering through the trees, he sees elements of a painting.

The 76-year-old has lots of experience in creating works of art.

It began when he was a little boy, growing up in an old section of Tampa called Gary.

"In grammar school, I was always the kid the teacher would call on for different occasions to decorate the room," said Vann, who was named the August artist of the month by North Tampa Arts League.

"Most of the time, it was in colored chalk. I'd do a Santa Claus scene or a winter scene, or for Thanksgiving it would be a turkey. Just the traditional kind of stuff."

Vann earned a bachelor's degree in art education from the University of Tampa, and years later a master's degree from the University of South Florida.

His education at the University of Tampa was interrupted by a four-year stint in the U.S. Coast Guard during the Korean War.

When he finished his undergraduate degree, Vann went to work for Hillsborough County public schools, where he taught for 35 years.

His taught at the former Sulphur Springs Junior High, filling in half a year for an ill teacher. He worked at Madison and Greco when they were junior high schools, before going to Leto High, where he was when he retired in 1995.

He also taught drawing and painting in the school system's adult education program for 25 years, taught part-time at Florida College in Temple Terrace and taught children's art classes at the recreation center in Temple Terrace.

After wrapping up his teaching career, he began spending more time creating art in the small studio he set up in a back bedroom of his house.

"I think probably my favorite subjects to paint would be Florida scenes of the old, typical Florida - Sabal palms, oaks, moss - just the typical Florida things that I remember as a kid," Vann said.

"This particular scene here is the Hillsborough River," he said, pointing to a painting on his living room wall featuring the river, lush foliage and birds in flight. "I saw the reflection in the water, and I said, 'I like that.'"

A felled tree in the woods near Tampa Palms appealed to him and became part of a painting featuring turkeys. Another painting was inspired by early morning light he saw near his wife's former apartment complex.

To help create realistic works, Vann and his wife, Sandy, armed with cameras, take frequent day trips and scout out sunsets, birds, trees and other subjects that may be featured in paintings.

Vann especially enjoys going to Ozello, near the Gulf Coast in Citrus County, a little northwest of Homosassa.

"It's just a whole different landscape there. It's just beautiful."

Impressions from those trips are woven into his work.

When he's out and about, Vann mentally files away whatever might be useful.

"I'm always analyzing the light, the color, how it's hitting the trees, especially in the morning or in the afternoon," he said.

Some works incorporate elements from four or five photographs; others may use a cloud or tree from a single photo. Sometimes, Vann simply imagines a scene and creates it.

Although he has explored various styles and techniques, Vann said his primary painting styles are realism and impressionism.

He enjoys creating detailed scenes, but when he wants a change of pace, he enjoys doing an impressionistic piece.

"What I like about working impressionistic is that it's a looser approach. You're really just moving paint around, just slapping the paint on, and you bring it out - boom! There it is."

Despite years of experience, Vann is perhaps his own toughest critic.

"I'm not ever really completely satisfied with a painting. You always see something - maybe I should have done this, or I should have changed that - to make it better."

His original paintings range in price from $700 to $2,500, and his unframed, signed and numbered prints go from $25 to $116, depending on the size. He also does commissioned work. His work can be seen at www.vannart.com.

"Doing Florida art is meaningful for me," he said. "I can remember as a kid, going up and down the Hillsborough River with an old cane pole, going into the bay and fishing. Anything that's nostalgic, stuff that I remember, I try and show it - minus the condos; minus the people."

HERNIE VANN'S ART

An exhibit of Hernie Vann's work is on display through the end of August at the New Tampa Regional Library, 10001 Cross Creek Blvd.

To see more of his art or to make a purchase, go to his Web site at www.vannart.com

For information call (813) 949-8832 or e-mail hvann@vannart.com

For information about the North Tampa Arts League go to www.northtampaartsleague.com or write to NTAL, P.O. Box 49034, Tampa, FL 33647.

Reporter B.C. Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or bmanion@tampatrib.com.

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