Joan Sullivan receives an award from San Luis Obispo History Center. Award presented by John Ashbaugh. Photo by Dean Sullivan
The History Center of San Luis Obispo County has named Los Osos resident Joan Sullivan as its recipient of the 2021-22 Award for Local Historic Scholarship.
Joan was recognized for her dedication as an artist, author, and documentary filmmaker, and for her many years of service to the History Center. Joan’s artwork is frequently shown throughout San Luis Obispo County and is featured throughout the world.
In addition to her art, Joan is the author and illustrator of several books on San Luis Obispo County history including “Rounding Up the Ranches,” “Castle Chronicles,” “All About Baywood Park” and Los Osos Valley/Valley of the Bears.”
“In both color paintings and pencil sketches, she has successfully interpreted the unique landscapes, buildings, people and places of our historic community,” said John Ashbaugh, History Center board member. “Not content with static pieces, she has also produced and ‘starred’ in several films about local historic sites, available on YouTube or on DVD at local libraries, for the benefit of future generations.
“Joan’s published books and her wonderful paintings, sketches, and watercolors bring to life the history of our area better than almost any other body of work that grace the bookshelves and walls of our community.
Her 1989 book ‘Rounding up the Ranchos’ is now out of print, but it remains a timeless account of the history of a disappearing landscape. She’s also written a fine history of Los Osos/Baywood.”
A frequent subject of Joan’s is the Dallidet Adobe, a historic property owned by the History Center in downtown San Luis Obispo. The gardens at the Dallidet are the feature of a Watercolor Workshop on Saturday, July 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To register, go to historycenterslo.org/paint.html.
