Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tahitian Moon- My first oil painting-WILD!

"Tahitian Moon", 22x28, oil on wrapped canvas, with sides painted

This is the first original oil painting that I ever did by myself, after buying my oil paints back in January of 2006. I have never offered it for sale before for sentimental reasons. To celebrate
a New Year of painting opportunities, I have decided to offer this painting for sale. PLease contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if interested in purchasing this painting.

, , , , ,,,,

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Pansy Party

SOLD
The Pansy Party, 16x20 oil on wrapped canvas
"Purple flowers of velvet so suffering From your soft eyes the color of pansies."
John Antoine Nau


, , , , ,,,,

Sunday, November 23, 2008

"Raah"

SOLD"Raah", 8x10, oil on canvas

My friend Joyce recently told me that the Hebrew word "raah' means to see. She said it's the kind of "seeing" that God did when He made creation and He saw that it was good.. It's not just a physical seeing. It's a spiritual seeing. It's a gift from God and not from ourselves when we can see this way.

Painting this rose was a revelation for me in many ways. My sweet friend Holly had sent me the picture of the rose and had encouraged me to try to paint it. But I didn't want to. Holly knows everything there is to know about roses. That's what she does for a living. So I knew that she would look at my rose with an expert eye, and I didn't want to fall short. In the end, I forced myself to paint it in a realistic style, which does not come natural or easy for me, but which is the style most befitting a rose this lovely.

Trying to render this rose with accuracy was hard, but it forced me to see in a whole new way. I had to study that rose and every single petal it contained in order to see it with brand new eyes. I discovered that the rose is an incredibly complex thing to paint. It has multiple petals, and each and every petal has it's own set of curving planes, some parts of the petal turning towards the light, some parts facing away from the light, some catching reflected light and some catching highlights. It took me a long time to paint this rose. But in the end I was glad that I forced myself to do it, as it enabled me to see the beauty and complexity of the rose in a whole different way- much different from the typical abstract palette knife strokes I generally use to haphazardly render one of God's most gorgeous creations.

This is Thanksgiving week. I give thanks to Holly for encouraging me to do something that I didn't want to do. And I give thanks to my friend Joyce for helping me understand difficult Bible concepts. Most of all, I give thanks to God for helping me see many things in ways that I had never seen before. And in enabling me to paint this rose, God has given me a new confidence in my painting abilities.

This rose will be a Christmas gift this year, so it is not for sale. But thank-you for visiting my blog.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Painting awards!

"Simple Gifts", 16x20, oil on linen (People's Choice Award)

This was a good weekend for me paint-wise. On Saturday, I was awarded the "People's Choice Award" from The North Port Art Center for "Simple Gifts". I also received an honorable merit award for this painting.

On Sunday, I received the second place award for Fantasy Impromptu from the Englewood Art Center, which is a division of The Ringling College of Art and Design. I was also invited to do a solo exhibit there in the summer of 2009. Here are a couple pictures of me at the receptions.

People's Choice Award/honorable mention for "Simple Gifts", North Port Art Guild

Second Place Award for Fantasy Impromptu, 18x24,

The funny thing about Fantasy Impromptu is that I sold it from my blog to a lady a few months ago. The woman paid for it and I was about to ship it. The day I was supposed to ship it, I took it out onto my porch and sprayed it with what I thought was retouch varnish. The painting started turning all white and misty as I was spraying it, and that's when I looked at the can and realized that I had sprayed it with Elmer's mounting Glue!

I called an oil painting restoration expert in Sarasota and followed his instructions to remove the glue. It took almost a week and I had to touch up the painting afterwards, since some of the paint came off in the process of removing the glue. In the end it looked just fine, but I told the person who had purchased the painting what had happened with the glue and in the end she decided not to purchase it. I am glad now, since it has turned into an award winner.

This is what a friend of mine calls a "God Wink"; when God takes what looks like a bad situation and turns it out for the good.

Recently, I also won a second place ribbon for "Faces in PLaces" exhibit, for the Girl in the Red Unitard. See picture below. You can read more about it here.



Thanks to the Lord for giving a dumb person like me a little talent, and for using my talent to make people who buy my paintings feel happy!

Amen! Hope everyone had an uplifting weekend!

Friday, October 31, 2008

Bittersweet Memories

SOLD"Bittersweet Memories", 12x16, oil on Claussens linen

I named the painting "Bittersweet Memories" in keeping with the dramatic essence of the piece. The elements of an empty goblet, a lemon and peel, and blood red roses set against a midnight backdrop add romance, intrigue and a little mystery to this elegant still life. I have always been idealistic in a romantic and impractical way and so is this still life painting, if you think about it. The glass is empty, and all that remains are elements that are sour and thorny. Nevertheless, I didn't see it that way when I painted it. I saw a romantic grouping of beautifully colored and variantly shaped elements placed under a mysterious (chiaroscuro) light setting.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Summer Poppies in Umbria

SOLDSummer Poppies in Umbria, 8x10, oil on wrapped canvas

I am trying to get back into my groove. I like the way this has come out. I did something like this a while back and it sold within a few hours. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for this little gem to sell in this crummy economic environment. It was painted with only a palette knife and it has nice texture. The sides of the canvas are painted to match the scene so a frame isn't necessary.

Tomorrow is the last day of my workshop. I hope I get a successful painting out of it.

, , , , , ,, , ,,, ,.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Impressionist Pansies, 16x20

Impressionist pansies, 16x20 , oil on wrapped canvas

I finally forced myself to paint today. I've been in a real slump lately, and the only thing that helped me paint this was my Abba music. My favorite Abba song is Chiquitita, though it's a little silly that I picked that one since I've never really had any close girlfriends. Click the link and check out this gorgeous slide show, accompanied by the Chiquitita lyrics. You can also listen in Spanish, which is the version I personally prefer, but it's up to you! Thanks to whoever put this together!

Anyhow, I had to laugh when I went rummaging around in my paint box looking for dioxide purple. I almost never use that color and I had a tough time finding it! I guess it reminds me of my years in Catholic school as a young girl. Purple was the color of Lent and the connotation in my mind was of sorrow, though actually it's about atonement for one's sins. Truthfully, Easter is the best of all Christian holidays and If I remember correctly the priests switch their vestments to white from the purple on Easter morning. Go figure. At any rate, I rarely paint with purple, though I do love magenta, which is purple's warm side.

Not that any of this has anything to do with the above painting. Every now and then it's good to change your palette. These cool colors work in my present frame of mind, obviously. Hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow and have a fervent desire to paint a big red and orange landscape. We'll see...

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Bistro Bouquet, 12x16


"Bistro Bouquet" 12x16, oil on Claussens linen panel

I bought a couple bunches of sunflowers and roses the other day, so that I could paint from life. I noticed today that the flowers were drooping a bit so I decided to paint another still life with them, while they still had good energy in them. In yesterday's still life, (which I titled "Bellissima World"), I utilized the white ceramic pitcher that you see in this picture:

Today I decided to substitute the ceramic white pitcher with something blue and so "Bistro Bouquet" was the result. I painted this with just a palette knife, no brush, so I used a lot more paint. There's great impasto in both pieces, however.

I've decided not sell this one at this point in time, but rather save it for a show or gallery show.

, , , , , ,, , ,,, ,.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Red Roses for a Blue Lady, 18x24

SOLD
"Red Roses for a blue lady", 18x24, oil on linen

I've really been enjoying working on this size canvas, so I bought a few more over the weekend. I can't believe the price of oil-primed linen, though. $40 for this size. Ouch! Is this yet another way that energy inflation is creeping into everything?

I've also been having fun with this abstract floral format, but I promise that this is the last rose painting I'll be doing for a while!



Monday, September 08, 2008

Tranquility, final, 24x36

SOLD
"Tranquility", 24x36, oil on canvas

I put a few final touches on this today, and I'm going to call it done. The glazes added some subtle depth which is very pretty, but hard to see through a computer monitor.




Saturday, September 06, 2008

The Girl in the Red unitard



"The Girl in the Red Unitard", 12x16, oil on linen (Raymar panel)

I was delighted to be awarded second place in the North Port Art Guild's "Faces in Places" portrait exhibit for my painting, "The Girl in the Red Unitard". I was also told that I only missed the People's Choice Award by one vote for "The Daisy Girl" at today's opening reception.

"The Daisy Girl", 12 x16, oil on linen (Raymar panel)

What a nice way to start the new fall art season!

Monday, August 25, 2008

Tranquility revised, 24x36

Sold"Tranquility", 24x36, oil on canvas.



I added a strong focal point to the painting by putting in a clump of trees into the background, which you can see if you compare the two pictures.

I also strengthened shadows and water reflections, though it's hard to tell from the photo. I photographed it this morning out on the lanai, but unfortunately there are still tell-tale shadows running on a slant from left to right on the photo where the metal overhead grids of my lanai were casting shadows. The painting is much more dynamic in person.

I'll be adding a final glaze for depth and to unite the colors next week, when the painting is more dry. If you would like to purchase this painting , please email me.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Midnight Roses

SOLD
Midnight Roses, 4x6, oil on wrapped canvas

Here's another little miniature that came out rather nicely. I don't use cool colors as often as I should, and this was a nice break from my usual warm palette.


Monday, August 11, 2008

La Vie en Rose

SOLD

"La Vie en Rose", 6x8, oil on canvas panel

I just finished this one, and decided to name it La Vie en Rose, which means life in pink, or roughly, "Life through rose-colored glasses." There is a glare on the vase and on the right hand side of the painting that is from the light, but is not actually on the painting.

If you would like to purchase this painting, please send me an emaila t maryannejacobsen@aol.com.





Thursday, August 07, 2008

Marigolds in a Blue Vase

Sold




"Marigolds in a Blue Vase", 4x6, oil on wrapped canvas

I picked these from the garden and they looked so pretty in the blue vase that I decided to paint them!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

New painting and new gallery representation

"Path to the Beach- Siesta Key", 16x20, oil on linen


I am very pleased to announce my new affiliation with Collector's Gallery and Framery.


As an artist I feel that it is of utmost importance to find gallery representation in a world that increasingly looks to the Internet as a purchase vehicle. While internet businesses for artists are certainly thriving, and most likely will continue to do so, the value for a collector to see an original piece of artwork before making that all- important purchase that he’ll need to live with for years to come, cannot be underestimated. Over and over I have received emails from clients who have purchased my artwork online that say something to the effect of, “So much more beautiful in person, than the online photo ever indicated!”

For that reason I am truly happy and grateful that Leah Sherman, gallery owner and entrepreneur, has decided to take me on as a new artist in her gallery. Collector's Gallery and Framery has been a mainstay of island shopping and art collecting in downtown Venice, Florida for over 25 years. My new piece, “Path to the Beach- Siesta Key” depicts the area that I know best right now, as I have painted on this very beach countless times while ignoring heat and deflecting bugs and inquisitive tourists as I swished and swirled color upon my canvas to my heart's content. I certainly hope that by continuing to paint scenes of Southwest Florida, I can not only be an asset to the owners of Collectors Gallery and Framery in Venice, Florida, but I can also bring the Sunshine State's wild and incredibly beautiful landscapes into homes across America.

If you would like to purchase the above painting, please contact Leah at (941)488-3029 or send an email to islandframer@daystar.net .


, , , , ,, ,,,

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Peek-a-boo bouquet

SOLD
"Peek-a-Boo Bouquet, 8x10 inches in wrapped canvas (Note: click on the picture to see more detail.)


Here is another abstract floral that I painted yesterday- it seems like I'm finally back into my daily painting mode again! The painting has lots of fresh color notes, which are enhanced by the neutral background. It measures 8x10 inches on wrapped canvas, and the sides are painted to match, so a frame is not necessary unless desired.


Saturday, June 07, 2008

The Blissful Valley- lots of color!

SOLD The Blissful Valley, 18x24, oil on wrapped canvas


I just finished this one, and I am happy with how it came out.This was a commissioned painting, please email me if you would like to commission one of your own.

, , , , , ,, , ,,

Monday, May 19, 2008

Ballerina painting. 12x16

Chandra, 12 x16, oil on Raymar

I've been working on this for almost a week, and I decided to call it done tonight. I'm really happy with the way it came out, so I'll be saving this one for a show or gallery.

Thursday, May 01, 2008

First signs of spring in Chester Springs

Sold Miller Road Forsythia and Stream, 10x14, oil on canvas panel




Well, I finished my first painting with Holbein Duo Oils, which are water-based oils that do not require clean-up with turps or the use of mediums. It was a little weird getting used to them, because they feel a little different in terms of overall thickness and consistency and the colors are a little different from what I have been painting with for 2 years now. But overall I really liked them! They have the same gooey, buttery texture of oils, but clean-up easily with water and soap like acrylics. And no fumes! Very cool!


I painted this scene from a photo that I took before moving to Florida. I always knew it was spring in my little town of Chester Springs, Pa. when the forsythia was a-bloom on Miller Road. (see photos below). I used to walk past this little scene everyday on my morning jog- (there's a little stone spring house to the left of the meandering spring which I'll attempt to paint very soon! It was a very idyllic and calming place to walk and jog.


I intend to work this a little more tomorrow, but it's 90% finished at this point.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

La Dolce Vita, Landscape of Tuscany

SOLD La Dolce Vita, 12 x16, oil on linen panel



Here's another painting that I did before the wedding and stuffed in my closet because I didn't like it very much. I added a couple strokes of paint to it yesterday with my trusty palette knife, and now I think it is quite presentable. La Dolce Vita means the sweet life in Italian, and I painted it in my typical warm homey colors because I love anything that is reminiscent of rustic countrysides, Tuscany, red poppies and fields that are abloom with God's eye candy.




, , , , ,, ,,,, , .

Friday, April 25, 2008

Florida art-plein air landscape

SOLD Another Siesta Key Morning, 12x16, oil on gallery wrapped canvas



Here's another dismal rendition of Siesta Key. I'm sick of painting and that seems to be reflected in my recent art work, which is mediocre at best. Truth be known, I've come to hate it because painting is making me sick. I get palpitations of the heart every time I open a jar of mucky turpentine or medium . I think I've developped an allergy to something in the paints. So why do I continue painting? Not sure... but my days as a painter may be numbered. Stay tuned...


Here is a picture of my hubby and I at our oldest child's wedding 2 weeks ago. I think we are still cute, even after 37 years of being married. We celebrated our 37th anniversary yesterday by eating hot dogs for dinner and channel surfing in separate TV rooms. Gotta love romance!



Thursday, April 24, 2008

Another Siesta Key

SOLD Another Siesta Key Morning, 12x16, oil on gallery wrapped canvas



Here's another dismal rendition of Siesta Key. I'm sick of painting. Truth be known, I've come to hate it. I get palpitations of the heart every time I open a jar of mucky turpentine . So why do I continue painting? Not sure... but my days as a painter may be numbered. Stay tuned...



If you want to purchase this horrible painting go here.



If you're more interested in politics, you can join me in purchasing a T-Shirt that says everything about the present disgusting Presidential campaign. I bought 2 of them. Couldn't resist. Though I can't explain why the idea of wearing this T-shirt in my senior citizen Zumba class appealed to me....



Done.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Siesta Key- 18x20,by Maryanne Jacobsen

SOLD Siesta Key Morning, 16x20, oil on linen

The wedding was beautiful, though not without unexpected stresses that were out of the range of control, including the unexpected cancellation of my middle son's flight from San Diego to attend his brother's wedding. (Thanks American Airlines , you suck.)Read more about it here

We finally found a flight for David, (who was also in the wedding and playing the bride and groom's favorite song on his guitar as the bride came down the aisle), though I'll need to sell a heck of a lot of paintings in order to recoup the cost of that flight.

Tuesday finally found me ready to paint again, and after a couple very unsuccessful starts at still life paintings of calla lillies and orchids, I decided to go to a spot that I know very well, and paint to the tune of seagulls chatter, and gulf breezes through my dwindling hair.


I've painted many times on Siesta key, but rarely alone. This opportunity to enjoy the tranquility of nature after a month of business was a blessing from the creator. I realize that daily painting hones one's skills and after almost a month off, I felt the way I once used to feel after taking a month off from ballet classes and trying to get back into shape. It's not easy.



Here is the scene that I attempted to paint over the last 3 days. Thanks for looking.




, , , , ,, ,,,

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Island Breezes

SOLD
"Island Breezes", 17x21 FRAMED dimensions, mixed media



I began painting not long after moving to Florida in 2005. I was very impressed with the tropical beauty here, which is why so many of my early paintings were tropical scenes. The painting above is one of my very first paintings. I believe I started it in watercolor and then added acrylics on top of the watercolor. I framed it under plexiglas because of the watercolors.

Please send me an email if you are interested in this early painting.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Piton View-St. Lucia

SOLD View of the Pitons- St. Lucia, 9x12, oil on gallery-wrapped linen



I visited St. Lucia back in the early 90's and it is definitely one of the most beautiful and lush islands in the French Antilles. I used a photo from that vacation for reference here. This painting should look a little different than my usual fare. The reason is because I used a brush instead of a palette knife and toned my canvas first , instead of working from a white ground. I found that this tried and true method that 95% of oil painters use was much quicker and easier than the route I usually take to compose a painting. I also used less paint! I am curious as to the response...



As my son's wedding is just a few weeks away, my painting posts will become less and less frequent. Please bear with me! Thanks to all my collectors new and old for their support of my artwork in recent weeks. Keep it up, please!




Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Happiness, 20x24

SOLD Happiness, 20x24, oil on canvas

This painting is sold- a wedding gift for the happy couple shown above. I used a photo of the couple to paint their likeness, and then added the beach scene to it- since they are being married on the beach.

If you are interested in a commissioned portrait for a special occasion, please feel free to email me.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Monet's waterlily Pond at Giverny

SOLD

"The Waterlily Pond and Japanese Bridge at Giverny", 12x16 , oil on linen on board


The nice thing about daily painting is that you get to experiment. I've been working on this for a while, adding glazes and playing around with it.

Monday, March 03, 2008

The Other Woman, 12x16

"The Other Woman", 12x16 , oil on gallery-wrapped canvas



I know that the Daily Painters Gallery prefers that we do not post the same paintings two days in a row, but I am excited about this one! I worked on her skin color and features today, and I think that I made a significant improvement in the way this painting came out. I am definitely feeling as though I am improving as a painter, and what with the fact that I was one of the few painters who sold not one, but TWO paintings in last weeks invitational Paint-out, I am realizing that I have a future in art if I keep working hard. I look at the talent on the Daily Painters Gallery and wonder how in the world I'll ever measure up against the many talented artists there. And then I remind myself that I never had a fancy art education and only have been painting for two years, and then I realize I should not be hard on myself. I also need to thank the many collectors who have lifted me up and helped me believe in myself on the days when I wondered why I was even painting.



Today I am up, but tomorrow is another day. Stay tuned.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Venice Paint-Out in Paradise

SOLD "Basking in the sun ", 12x16, oil on canvas



Here is the third and last of the three paintings that I created last week during the paint-out. It was a pot of flowers, literally basking in the sun on the patio of Luna's Restaurant in downtown Venice. This painting was fun for me to do as it was spontaneous, and it sold immediately at the show's reception last night. I received many wonderful compliments about my work last night and sold 2 of the three paintings as well! I'm glad I participated in this event- I hope to have the chance to do many more! The gracious Swiss gentlemen who bought this painting was taking pictures at the event. I hope to upload some photos of the event to this blog when they become available.




Friday, February 22, 2008

Plein air, Terra cotta alfresco,Palette knife

SOLD

"Terra cotta Alfresco", 8x10, oil on gallery wrapped linen




I painted this little pot of vibrant flowers today in downtown Venice at Restaurant Luna, where all the alfresco diners were having a ball on what was a gorgeously warm and balmy afternoon.


The diners sipped wine and chatted under cerulean-colored umbrellas, and the stucco wall was lined with buoyant and very colorful flowers to add to the festive feel of the carefree setting. I took the easy road and decided to paint just this simple but lovely pot, instead of attempting to capture the gestures of the happy diners and the windswept umbrellas. The palm tree behind the pot is a teaser, asking the viewer to envision the rest of the swaying palm tree in that small courtyard and wonder what it would feel like to bask in the sunshine on a lazy afternoon with nothing to worry about except the quality of the food and the mood of the present company. I like the way this one came out , because the late afternoon shadows made for a very nice composition.

, , , , , ,, , ,,.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

"Front Entrance"-Impressionist/Fauvist Floral

SOLD "Front Entrance", 5x7, oil on canvas panel

This wild little impressionist painting depicts the front entrance to a home or little pied à terre, that most likely could be situated in Paris, Venice, Majorica or London. A pot of flamboyant flowers greets and seduces the guests as they approach a gray and non-descript entrance door. The pot of flowers appears to have been casually set on a pedestal, perhaps by a beautiful young woman, or a gardener, or any whimsical free spirit with a flair for romance. One can only wonder if the flowers are the only enticements on this little side street that seems most comfortable in a setting in Europe, Copenhagen, or possibly La Jolla, Ca. No this isn't an ad from a J. Peterman catalogue. I've just had too much coffee this morning!




Happy Valentine's Day!

"Art from the Heart, A historical look at love's effect on art"
by Maryanne Jacobsen

There’s no question about it.

Falling in love causes people to act quite strangely. So does drinking absinthe, I suppose.

I have been trying to take some time each day to study the art of the masters recently, and have noticed that love has played a huge role in the creation of some of the weirdest paintings I have ever seen.

Example One:
“Isabella and the Pot of Basil” by William Holman Hunt




Hunt was a famous Pre-Raphaelite Artist. At first glance his painting looks rather innocuous. A tired woman is getting ready to make pesto sauce perhaps. But look a little bit closer, please. A recent visit to an exhibit at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota assured me that that is not the woman’s hair that is cascading so profusely over the sides of a dungeons and dragons- type basil pot.

It happens to be Lorenzo’s hair- Lorenzo being the sad woman’s murdered lover. Hunt painted this picture of a distraught Isabella after reading a Keat’s poem based on a tale from Boccaccio. It’s a very sad tale indeed, about a simple maiden whose lover is murdered by her brothers because he was not wealthy. When poor Isabella discovers the body, she cuts off her lover’s head and hides it in a basil pot, where it is obviously thriving deliciously along with tomorrow’s pasta herb, as we can see from the Hunt depiction.

Did Hunt really need to be so literal in his description, I wondered? And although Keats' prose is descriptively beautiful, evoking images of a lovesick woman whose ‘lute strings echo her beloved’s name, as she spoils her embroidery with much the same…’ in the end those lousy bastards steal the Basil pot from the poor sick chick and she dies of a broken heart.

Sheesh. (And I thought it was a pain replacing my wardrobe.)

Example two:

“Orpheus” by Gustave Moreau.

Moreau was one of those late nineteenth century French painters who felt threatened by the young upshots that had come upon the scene in his day- namely the Impressionists. Prior to the Impressionist movement, the artworld was dominated by teachers and artists that stuck to a few simple, intangible rules which had to be applied zealously and submissively. Originality was despised and acceptable painters of the day were forced to limit their canvasses to acceptable subjects like the gods and goddesses of the ancient myths.
Moreau took this to a bit of an extreme when he painted his rendition of Orpheus, and his own verbal explanation of the painting had to be included in the exhibition catalogue in order to clarify his deviation from the more typical and orthodox depictions of that very same legend.

According to the legend, the inventor of music was so beautiful that he could charm man and beast, but Orpheus ultimately met a gruesome end to his talents when he was torn to pieces by the enraged women of Thrace whose love he had spurned. The poor guy’s head and lyre were thrown into a stream by these aggressive and vindictive women, and one night in an opium-induced stupor; Moreau conjured up his own romantic depiction of how the legend should end.




I suppose Moreau was a hopeless romantic, for in his painting a young girl reverently recovers Orpheus's head and lyre, (the head now permanently attached to the musical instrument), and falls madly in love with this uhh… contraption. I have to give Moreau credit. He changed an act of overt violence into one of erotic contemplation, and is credited with being one of the earliest pioneers of surrealism.

Example Three:

“Luncheon on the Grass” by Edouard Manet

Manet was the guy that is now officially designated as the spiritual leader of the Impressionist movement.

It all began when a group of very talented young French painters were rejected en masse from the 1863 exhibition at The Salon of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. These upstarts wanted to paint things their way, and the people in charge, who were all a part of France’s powerful “Pompiers” or bourgeoisie, would not allow it.

Manet was just doing his own free-spirited thing when he submitted his painting to the exhibit, but dear Lord…what in the name of sanity was he thinking?




My, my, my. Even in sexy, seductive Paris, this painting was considered a scandalous affair and Manet became an instant laughing stock among his teachers as a result.

Now I ask you this. Since nudity has always had a place in art, what’s wrong with this picture? Was there a typical lack of opposite sex communication between the parties? Should the parties have communicated beforehand regarding proper picnic attire?

Huh?

Once again, being in love and the extreme stress that Cupid’s arrows can place upon its victim’s sensibilities, rendered Manet incapable of seeing the truth. The truth was that in submitting that painting he had sealed his fate and rendered himself the object of the vilest of attacks from the Pompiers, who used the opportunity of the scandalous painting to debase at all cost the emerging master of a dissident movement. Manet’s model, the buxom Victorine Meurent, happened to be an unsophisticated streetwalker, and Manet certainly immortalized her in her merry picnic pose, don’t you think?

So what is the moral of the story?

Love inspires, love kills, love blinds and love and lutes go well together if you’re headless. But then again, so do basil pots.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Mixed gerber daisies

SOLD Mixed Gerber Daisies in a Crystal Vase, 8x 10, oil on canvas

I've been working on color and flower combinations for my oldest son's upcoming wedding. He and his fiancee asked me to help them decide on flowers and colors, but are stuck on an orange and sage green combination. I am trying to convince them to add some red to the mix since red is the compliment of green which is the color of the bridesmaid's gowns. I bought this bouquet and arranged it , and then took photos. They are talking orchids and lillies, and I, of course, am trying to be practical in choosing the less expensive daisies. After taking the photos, I decided to paint the arrangement, because it was so pretty. I don't know if I'll change their mind, but at least I enjoyed painting this floral.



Monday, February 11, 2008

Abstract floral, knife painting

SOLD "Potted Palette", 5x7, oil on canvas panel



It's been awhile since I've posted regularly and although I have a couple of large projects that I am working on, by request of some of my regular collectors I intend to try to fit in a couple of small florals this week. Here's the first.





Sunday, February 03, 2008

Opening of plein air exhibit this week...

The Little Blue House, 12x16, oil on linen on board,





This is one of the paintings that I will be offering for sale in an exhibit of 13 Southwest Florida plein air painters. The exhibit opens next week in Sarasota, Florida, at the Women's Resource Center and will run until the end of March. If you happen to be in the Sarasota area, please stop by and see this colorful exhibit! Press release below includes additional information regarding opening reception as well as the names of the other artists in the exhibit.

There will be an exciting new plein air art exhibit at the Women’s Resource Center in Sarasota from February 7th to March 27th, 2008, which will feature recent works by thirteen well-known local plein air artists including talented artist and teacher Julie Hanson, a graduate of the Ringling College of Art, whose award-winning works have been featured at Art Uptown, Art Center Sarasota, the Venice Art Center, and Art Center Manatee, among others.
The exhibit titled, “The Colors of Florida and Beyond” will feature an eclectic mix of vibrantly colored and wonderfully textured plein air landscapes that have been sensitively rendered by Julie Hanson and her circle of plein air painters, that include Betsy Bisson, John Blue, Shirley Carron, Chris Torgerson Dibble, Heidi Gaudry, Penny Hendry, Maryanne Jacobsen, Sally Birnkrandt Myers, Dorothy Nichols, Ingrid Seals, Karen Williams, and Anita Zimmerman. These thirteen plein air painters represent a wonderfully diverse national and international mix of backgrounds and artistic accomplishments, and their works portray a refreshing and jewel-like array of paintings after the tradition of the French Impressionists. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, February 7th from 5 to 7PM, which will feature music, refreshments and door prizes that include an opportunity to win an original piece of artwork. For additional information regarding exhibit times, please contact the Women’s Resource Center directly at (941)366-1700, or artist Julie Hanson for more info at (941) 923-1293.

, , , , ,, ,,,, ,, .