©, Jeanette L Drake,. All Rights Reserved
Biography
Biography

Jeanette Drake was born and raised in Miami, Florida.  Even as a child and teenager, she was keenly interested in sketching and painting.  In her spare time, she visited as many art festivals as possible.  It was clear to Jeanette that upon retirement from her first career as a human resources administrator at Miami Dade College, she would devote more time to sketching and painting.  Jeanette was drawn to the beauty of watercolor and she  enrolled in classes in Botanical Illustration at Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami.  It was in this class that she  discovered a real talent for detailed painting.  Now retired in Melbourne, Florida, she pursues her passion of sketching and painting, enjoying her second career as an artist. 

Jeanette gathers inspiration and subject matter from her photographs of the local wildlife and tropical flowers. Jeanette uses many washes and layers in her paintings to create the delicate and subtle translucency that can only be portrayed in watercolor.  But it is the detail that appeals to Jeanette and that which makes her paintings come to life.  Jeanette is a member of the Brevard Zoo and spends many hours there hanging out with the residents and taking pictures for future  paintings.

Jeanette is an active member of the Florida Watercolor Society, the Strawbridge Art League Inc., the North Brevard Art League, the Brevard Watercolor Society and the Florida Gourd Society.  Jeanette also participates in the “art in public places” program courtesy of The Brevard Cultural Alliance.  

Jeanette was one of the previous owners of the Art Gallery of Viera.  After 10 years as an owner, Jeanette and Helen Wheatley decided to close the gallery’s doors on December, 2019 to get back to spending more time on their art.  Shortly after closing, the gallery was purchased by Jill Blue and re-opened October 2, 2019.  Jeanette will now be a member of the new Art Gallery of Viera.

Major Awards

- 2005 "Mayors Award" for one of her paintings of Florida Pelicans.  The city of Cape - - Canaveral purchased the painting and it is on display at the Cape Canaveral City Hall
- 2007 Best of Fauna award -  Brevard Watercolor Society and the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge the annual Images From the Refuge show 
- 2008 Merit Island National Wildlife Refuge Artist Recognition Award: painting - Great Horned Owl
- Third Place and Merit Award - Central Brevard Art Association’s 2008 Annual Fall Show
- First Place -“Attitude in Red” in the watercolor category at the 2009 Titusville Art League’s Spring Show
- Third Place in the 2009 Cocoa Village Art and Craft Show
- Best in Show - “Snowy Egret” - 2009 Watercolor Images From The Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Show.
- First Place - “Attitude in Green”; watercolor category at the 2010 Titusville Art League’s Spring Show
-Third Place in the 2010 art competition for the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival.
- Merit Award at the Brevard Watercolor Society’s 2010 annual show “Splash”
- First Place - “First Flight” at the 2011 Watercolor Images From The Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Show.
- First Place for “Phil” in the watercolor category at the 2012 Titusville Art League’s Annual Spring Show.
- First Place for “Reflections”  in the 2012 Cocoa Village Art and Craft Show
- Third Place at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Art competition 2015
- First Place in the Titusville Spring Show 2015
- Merit Award at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Art competition 2017
- Merit Award for Mixed Media at Titusville Spring show 2017
- Merit Award - Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Show 2017
- Third Place Award- Watercolor - North Brevard Art League Inc. Spring Show 2018
- Third Place Award - Brevard Watercolor Society - SPLASH 2018
- Best in Show Award – Kaleidosccope (2018) - Art and Antique Studio

Permanent Collections

- Cape Canaveral City Hall – Purchased “Cape Canaveral Pelican”
- Viera Hospital - Purchased 24 Giclee’s as part of their permanent art collection
- Patrick Air Force Base Medical Center - Purchased four Giclee’s as part of their
Permanent art collection

For information, email Jeanette at jdrakeartist@gmail.com or phone 321-431-5599

Member of the Following Organizations

email me
Reflections of Blue: Won best in show at the Kaleidoscope show at Zeus Gallie art and antique gallery
January 2015: third place for my Barred Owl painting at the 2015 18th Annual Space Coast Birding Festival in Titusville, FL. CLICK PHOTO TO SEE LARGER VIEW
Art By Jeanette Drake
Aspen Kaleidoscope: Won the Merit Award at the 2019 VISION show at the Foosaner Art Museum.