Sun-kissed, paintings of tropical islands, Hawaii, Maui, palm trees, seascape

SOLD"Sun-kissed", 10x8, oil on canvas panel

This is one of the favorites that I have done recently, and is still available! If you would like to purchase this painting, please contact Leah at Collector's Gallery and Framery. The number is 941-488-3029.

Happy New Year to all of my friends and collectors!

Winter Wonderland, 8x10, oil on panel

SOLD
"Winter wonderland" , 8x10, oil on archival panel

This impressionist snowscape was fun to do. It's loose and was done with palette knife only so the painting has nice texture and beautiful soft cool colors. Hope it warms you up a bit!

impressionist snowscape painting, Daily painters, original wall art , tropical art, wild crazy paintings,portraits of sunsets,winter landscape art,colorist art>,

Hopelessly in Love with my Apples

SOLD

"Hopelessly in love with my apples", 9x12, oil on Raymar panel

I've had the flu for the past few days and haven't felt like doing much of anything. This evening I finally pulled enough strength together to put up my easel in my studio-which happens to be my kitchen. Having accomplished that much, I started rummaging around for something to paint. I clipped a flower out of the garden and poured some maple syrup into a glass to make it look like I had some good cognac on hand. The only thing missing was the apples and i have plenty of them in my frig since I love apples and peanut butter for a snack. In spite of a decent set-up, the painting got off to a slow start.

Here's my set-up:


For those artists with a studio, aren't you lucky?

Anyhow, the painting is finished and it looks great. The flower looks like as though it has a little face that is staring down at the apples with a sort of wistful expression, hence the title, "Hopelessly in love with my Apples." a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable art, impressionist paintings,paintings of apples, romantic still life paintings,impressionist oil still life,colorist art, impastopaintings, art for people who like color

Castle of Ringgenberg-Switzerland, paintings of castles, landscpaes of Switzerland, Swiss Alps, boats, maountains, famous castles

SOLD
"Castle of Ringgenberg-Switzerland", 14x11 , oil on Raymar linen panel-$450

A friend of mine told me a wonderful story recently about childhood trips to Switzerland and The Ringgenberg Castle. With that in mind I painted this scene. It was fun to add the ferry to the scene, as it gives a sense of the height and distance of the viewer to the horizon line.

Thanks so much to Kathy Schmocker, who gave me permission to use her photos for the painting.



This painting is sold, however please feel free to contact me if you wish to commission a painting of a special scene.


a Painting a day, Daily painters, original Maryanne Jacobsen art , affordable art, impressionist European landscape paintings,paintings of castles, paintings of Switzerland,impressionist oil paintings of Swiss Castles,colorist art, Ringgenberg CAstle paintings, art for people who like color

"Window with a view"-palette knife painting, 8x10, roses, fruit , lemon, windows with a water view

SOLD
"Window with a View", 10x8, oil on wrapped canvas

This is another one of those quick, fun study's that I did with left over paint. Ususally, when I have paint left over from a day of painting, I'll wrap up my palette with Saran Wrap and put it in the freezer so that the paint won't dry up. Since my freezer is currently full of fish bait, (don't ask), I felt compelled to use up the paint with a quick palette knife study. "Window with a View" was the result.

My inspiration came as a result of having just looked at some photos that we took during our last trek up to Newport, Rhode Island, where we always stay at the Harborside Inn. We usually request the room at the end of the Inn (I think it's number 14), and have the advantage of lovely harbor views and the sunset over Narragansett Bay. All of the rooms have balconies and most of the rooms in the Inn have at least some view of the water. We have stayed in quite a few of the other rooms, too, and like the whole Inn very much, but the end room over the wharf is especially awesome, and even has a kind of crow's nest feel to it, with a winding staircase leading up to a little loft with a higher view of the harbor. The inn is located on Christie's Landing and the breakfast room is absolutely delightful with its wrap around windows and knotty pine decor.




a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable art, impressionist paintings,palette knife impasto paintings, paintings of window sills,palette knife still life,colorist art, impastopaintings, art for people who like color

Sea Oats at Siesta Key-Plein air, beach view, sea oats, sand dunes, Florida beaches, top 10 vacation destinations, sea grapes, white sand beaches

SOLD
"Sea Oats at Siesta Key-Plein Air", 12x9, oil on Raymar panel (Note: You can click on the image to see the detail better!)

This morning was a perfect day to paint outdoors in Florida! The temperature was perfect and there was a slight breeze rippling through the sea oats just enough to create a delightfully subtle movement throughout the scene. I limited myself to only an hour and a half of plein air painting so that the light would stay somewhat stable. I finished all but the foreground sea oats there at the beach, and I added the oats with a couple quick strokes of the palette knife when I got home. I am very happy with this painting as it is a breakthrough for me-combining my attempts to become more accomplished with a brush with my palette knife skills in order to have the excitement of palette knife texture combined with the beauty of blended brushstrokes. I also incorporated my knowledge of color with a limited palette in order to create a painting that is more in keeping with nature's true colors without going tonalist.

Although there were a few people on the beach this morning, I decided to keep the scene simplistic and omitted the people from the scene. It always amazes me when I get home and look at my photographs of the scene that I have painted. They never look anything like what I had seen while painting! For this reason, I cannot emphasize enough (to novice painters) the importance of painting from life!

Here is the scene that I painted today, and a quick shot of me with what my Jewish friend Sally refers to as Hadassah arms flailing around the canvas.



Just one week ago, I painted outdoors on Venice's beach at Sharky's Restaurant on the pier. The weather was dreadfully cold and windy that day after Hurricane Ida had passed through the area. I thought it would be interesting to compare the two paintings side by side to see what a difference there is in light temperature only a week apart! (see below).

Venice Beach and Siesta Key are less than 30 minutes apart, by the way. Siesta Key to the north has been consistently rated in the top ten of American vacation destinations in recent years. While Venice beach is a bit more relaxed and attracts less tourists, it does not have the white sand of Siesta Key. What it does have is fantastic fishing and sharks teeth! More about that later;0)

Check out the difference in light temperature below!

Thanks for visiting my art blog.



a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable art, impressionist paintings,Siesta Key Florida paintings, paintings of Florida Art beaches,palette knife landscapes,colorist art, plein air paintings, Florida plein air paintings

"Cloudy Day at Sharky's on the beach", 12x9, oil on Raymar panel, Venice Florida, plein air, alla prima,sand dunes, sea grapes, sea oats, stormy skies

SOLD"Cloudy Day at Sharky's on the beach", 12x9, oil on Raymar panel

This was the scene that greeted us this morning as we arrived for the second day of Hodges Soileau's annual workshop in Venice, Florida. The weather was freezing (by November Florida standards) and we all kept adding layers of clothing as Hodges did his demo.


As you can see from the photo above, the light temperature was very gray, with a cool light and limited value and contrast range. What was very cool about this day, however, were the whitecaps on the water, (an aftermath of Hurricane Ida), which are atypical for the Gulf Coasts' typically serene aquamarine waters.

When painting plein air, I happen to love days like this, when you don't have to chase the light every fifteen minutes, and deal with the enormous range in values that you can get in Florida on very sunny days.

Although this was a three day workshop, I will unfortunately miss the third day, which is the part I like the best and learn the most from-portraiture. That being said, this was the fourth year that I took a workshop from Hodges and I feel very fortunate that I have had these opportunities with this incredibly talented artist. The very first year that I took his workshop I had only just begun to paint and barely knew how to hold a paintbrush. I was totally out of my element and scared to death of everyone in the class. Nonetheless, Hodges made me feel comfortable and was very sensitive in all of his critiques.

Thankfully, I have grown a bit since then, and I have finally been able to absorb a little bit of the finesse that Hodges employs with his painterly approach, and sensitive brushwork. I used an earthy palette to obtain the above result and I must confess that even though I consider myself a colorist, I now realize the importance of limiting the range in which one must go in order to "push" color.

Whether or not my collectors will approve of this new subtlety in my palette remains to be seen, but I have to admit that I was very happy with the outcome of this painting which was an attempt to be both painterly, and also replicate the cool color temperature of the day to the best of my abilities.

Please contact Leah Sherman at Collector's Gallery and Framery in Venice , Florida, at 941-488-3029 if you wish to purchase this painting.

plein air beach paintings, Daily painters, original art , Venice Beach paintings, impressionist alla prima paintings,paintings of sand dunes, cloudy day beach paintings,Maryanne Jacobsen art,colorist art,

Sloop John B-impressionist still life grapes, flowers

SOLD
"Sloop John B", 7x5, oil on wrapped canvas

I have really been lacking creativity lately. So much so that I could not for the life of me come up with a descriptive name for this painting. The whole painting is rather weird- not just the title. I used a totally different palette than what I normally paint with - substituting cobalt blue for what is typically my Manganese and Ultramarine. I also added yellow ochre, olive green and sap green to the mix- three colors that I almost never use. It started out as a grape study and then I went off into some loosely rendered vases and flowers. The entire time I was painting I played the Beach Boys "Sloop John B" over and over. I set the CD player to repeat and over the three -four hours it took me to paint this I never got sick of the song. I've always liked it as a matter of fact, so I guess if you like a song once, you'll always like it.

So anyhow, that's how the painting got it's name. Send me an email if interested int he painting, otherwise just go watch the Beach Boys as they sing the Sloop song. Here's their old black and white video from YouTube, which is pretty funny to watch actually. However, watching it kind of ruined the song a bit for me, because the lyrics always evoked some really strong imagery in my mind of a cute young guy on a sloop with a bunch of drunken sailors, fighting and throwing corn. Oh well.
a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable art, impressionist floral paintings,home decor paintings, still life paintings ,cottage art,colorist art,orchids and fruit, miniature still life arrangements.

Last Man Standing- A Sad ( and ridiculous) Ballad of a surviving pumpkin

"Last Man Standing", 7x5, oil on wrapped canvas (Note: Please click on the image to see the impasto better!)

Below is the sad and pitiful (and slightly ridiculous) ballad of the last man standing in the pumpkin patch, whose life has been immortalized in this juicy palette knife painting by Paintdancer, aka Maryanne Jacobsen.

"The Last Man Standing", written by Peter Pumpkin, (no relation to Peter, Peter, the Pumpkin Eater who uses pumpkins as battered wife shelters)

You know this is it. You are the LAST MAN STANDING in the pumpkin patch. Most of the others have either been sliced, diced and gutted by stupid adults cow-towing to their little kids regarding some ridiculous satanic holiday, or else they've escaped the slaughter but now their backsides are rotting in their orange skins, and as they shiver in the autumn dusk they know there's nothing in the world a pumpkin can even do to reverse the rot.

But me? Hah! I'm still the last man standing. Yep.

Even though I am standing next to an arrogant pinecone who thinks he's in charge here just because he's as tall as me! He even tried to become the focal point of Paintdancer's painting, but she's wise to his kind, thankfully. Well, just wait, Mr. PineCone. Your days are numbered, too! The Martha Stewarts of the world will quickly gather you up for festive holiday baskets soon, and you will be all alone with the other dried up pinecones in the basket, unable to even feed a squirrel, just as I am now in this frigid pumpkin patch in nowhereland, USA.

The last man (hmmmmm, maybe pumpkin is a better word) , standing in a world where no one cares. Where no one even sees that your brethren have been butchered and just murdered for fun and trysts. (or maybe pumpkin pie:0()

Trysts, you say. What is a tryst?

Just look at the purple grapes that grow next to me. These grapes know all about trysts, you see because they grow in clusters! (Please don't ask me how a pumpkin patch ended up in a vineyard, as I haven't figured it out yet either !)

But there are vineyards and there are vineyards, and I just happened to grow next to an exceptionally plump group of grapes this harvest season. Which is maybe why I didn't get sliced and diced on Halloween.

Go figure.



Small original oil paintings, Paintings of pumpkins, paintings of autumn gourds, Paintings of pumpkins and grapes, palette knife autumn painting,contemporary impressionist original oil paintings,one of a kind paintings.

A Contemplative Moment, Autumn landscape

SOLD

"A Contemplative Moment", 16x12, oil on canvas

This study of trees and their reflections came out better than I would have expected. It has a soft , dreamy quality about it that I never could have obtained with a palette knife. I am continuing to try to hone my skills with a brush so that I can achieve the soft effects like what you see above. Please let me know what you think.

If you wish to purchase this painting, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com

Small original oil paintings, Paintings of autumn landscapes, paintings of fall foilage, paintings of ponds and lakes, impressionist painting of fall landscapes,contemporary impressionist original oil paintings,one of a kind paintings,paintings of Chester County horse farms>,

"Lake of the Woods, Autumn vista", 16x12, oil on masonite

"Lake of the Woods, Autumn vista", 16x12, oil on masonite

I took yesterday's quick plein air study and applied it to today's more refined piece in the studio. I was very happy with the result. This painting is definitely moving in the direction that I wish to go- which is after my true love-Classic Impressionism. Here is the scene that I painted which is in my very own Florida neighborhood. You can read about the study here.



I'll be headed off to Denver to the American Impressionist Society's 10th annual juried show at the Saks Gallery this Friday the 23rd. The reception is 5 to 8PM, and I do hope that my Denver collectors will join me there for a special evening of gorgeous art! In addition to looking forward to being inspired by the magnificent works of the top Impressionists of today's world, I also am planning a trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park for more inspiration! I can't wait! Jeez.

Life is good. Amen and thank you Lord!

If you wish to purchase the above painting, please send me an email. Thanks!

Small original oil studies, Painting en plein air, paintings of Autumn Florida landscapes, paintings of lakes, impressionist en plein air landscape,contemporary impressionist alla prima study,one of a kind paintings,paintings of tranquil lake scenes>,

"French Creek at Birchrunville, Pa", 16x12, oil, by Maryanne Jacobsen

"French Creek at Birchrunville, Pa", 16x12, oil on canvas

This is a smaller version of a painting I did a few years ago which I titled "God's Palette". It depicts a tributary of the French Creek in Chester County, Pa. right off Hollow Rd. at the Sheeder Hall Bridge in Birchrunville. A favorite fishing and picnic spot of my husband and I in the days when we lived in Chester Springs, (see photo below) I invariably grow home sick for the place around October when the fall colors appear in all of their bewitchment. Birchrunville was an easy bike ride from my old home and is home to a fabulous post office/ gourmet restaurant, gorgeous gentlemen's farms, and of course the French Creek's babbling waters. It has an annual fourth of July parade that is second to none for its quaintness and quirkyness.


This painting was done with palette knife only and contains thick impasto strokes of vibrant color.
Small original oil paintings, Paintings of horse farms, paintings of Chester Springs Pennsylvania, paintings of ponds and lakes, impressionist painting of Chester County,contemporary impressionist original oil paintings,one of a kind paintings,paintings of Chester County and Birchrunville>,

Go Smell the flowers- paintings of children, daffodils, flowers

SOLD
"Go Smell the Flowers", 9x7, oil on canvas panel

I have been so busy lately that it's been hard for me to find time to either paint, dance, or smell the flowers!

Today, I worked all morning on things I don't like to do, made a dinner that could cook all day, turned on Whisperings solo piano music, and made up my mind to finish this painting which I started two weeks ago! The title for the painting was easy, and as it turns out, there is also a book by the same name, "Go Smell the Flowers". The book is by a couple who resigned from corporate to see the places they’d always wanted to see.

I can totally relate. It is so important to take a break from the rat race in order to connect or re-connect with all that's important in life, which for me has always been God, family and health.

I'm glad I took a break today and finished this painting!
Small original oil paintings, Paintings of sunflowers, paintings of yellow flowers, paintings of flowers and children, impressionist painting of yellow flowers, contemporary impressionist original oil paintings, one of a kind paintings, paintings of flowers,

Svinkloev Badehotel- Denmark, oil painting

SOLD
"The Svinkloev Hotel- Denmark"- 24x18, oil on linen

Nestled among sand dunes overlooking the Baltic Sea in Northern Denmark, The Svinklov Badehotel is a popular destination for travelers , as well as Danish locals. The reference photo depicted the hotel in what I am guessing was a late afternoon setting, and the hotel was bathed in a warm light, as were the dunes that were not in shadow. I pushed the color quite a bit and worked the sky to add drama to the quiet, picturesque setting. Here is the reference photo where you can see the warm colors that have infused the scene:


This painting was a commissioned piece, and is sold. If you would like me to paint a special scene for you, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

commissioned original oil paintings, Paintings of Denmark, paintings of sand dunes in Denmark, Palette knife paintings, palette knife still life painting,contemporary impressionist original oil paintings,one of a kind paintings,paintings of skies>,

Simple Gifts, fruit basket, still life with fruit, wine, orchid , eggs

"Simple Gifts"- 16x 20, oil on linen
I was delighted to find out today that I have won a merit award for "Simple Gifts", at Art Center Sarasota's new exhibit, "Show us what you've got!" This is the first time I have received a ribbon at Art Center Sarasota, and I hope it won't be the last. This is the third ribbon that "Simple Gifts" has won!

If you would like to purchase this painting, please contact, Art Center Sarasota at (941)365-2032.

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable art, impressionist floral paintings,home decor paintings, still life paintings ,cottage art,colorist art,orchids and fruit, wine and fruit basket, romantic still life arrangements,representational realism still life paintings.

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.

This painting was done a while back and I am thinking I would like to do more still lifes in the future, with the chiaroscuro lighting effect that worked so well in this painting. Right now I am working on a commission piece, but I definitely will be switching gears to some still life contemporary realism pieces soon, so stay tuned!

Renaissance child-final- paintings of children, little girls in bonnets, Renaissance fair

SOLD"Renaissance Child", 9x12, oil on Vincent Masterpiece linen

I painted this a couple weeks ago and had a feeling it wasn't quite finished. Today, I took it out and worked on it some more, and now I'm happy with the result. If I still have it a couple months from now, I'll probably make some additional changes, but right now I feel that I captured the winsome expression on the little child's face.

You can compare the two paintings below, to see the subtle changes that I made today.

Maryanne Jacobsen added the following additional info about this painting on September 25th, 2009:

Thanks to the many people who left KIND comments about my most recent painting, "Renaissance Child". Sadly, it is not always possible to have a live model when painting portraits and therefore one must paint from photographs. I utilized the photo below, which was taken from the Wet Canvas free reference library and cropped it, to come up with the reference for "Renaissance Child".


I was hooked on the beguiling look on this youngster's face and I have come to find out that I was not the only one drawn to her image and determined to paint her. Fellow Daily Painter, Kay Crain confided that she has been thinking of painting her also, but I beat her to it! Yesterday, I also discovered that talented San Antonio portrait painter Susan Carlin has already painted her! So she beat me to it! Obviously great minds think alike.

For those who wondered about the inspiration for the painting, now you know.

I am not going to sell this painting at this point in time, as I felt she had some show-worthy potential, but thanks for looking!

paintings of little children, renaissance child painting, original Maryanne Jacobsen art , colorful oil paintings of little girls, children in costume,paintings of children in costume,original art,impressionist art>,

"Sun-kissed", tropical island, palm trees, beach sunset painting

SOLD"Sun-kissed", 10x8, oil on canvas panel

Lately, I have been feeling as though my artistic journey was stagnated. I couldn't see any progress in my work and felt as though I had reached a plateau in my painting ability. With that in mind, I knew I needed some help and a change in my approach to painting. So today I took a class with award-winning, nationally recognized artist and illustrator, Ron Sanders. Ron really helped me approach this little painting in a brand new way. He helped me look at composition, values, color and brushwork in ways I had not considered or understood before. I feel I am going to make a breakthrough , if I continue to focus more on these critically important aspects of a successful painting. I am very pleased with the way this came out, as I feel it shows definite improvement over my most recent landscapes. I am looking forward to learning more from Ron, and building upon what I am learning!

Note: I worked on this until almost 10PM and need to try to photograph it tomorrow in better lighting. Hopefully, I'll still like it in the morning light!

In the Butterfly Garden, MArie Selby Gardens, butterflies, hollyhocks, tropical gardens

SOLD
"In the Butterfly Garden at Marie Selby's", 11x14, oil on linen

Marie Selby Gardens is one of my favorite places to visit and to paint. If you ever are visiting Sarasota, Florida, don't miss these lovely botanical gardens with their tropical plants, giant banyan trees and waterfront view. There's also a restaurant where you can lunch out on the patio and enjoy the sunshine!

Red Unitard- dance art, ballet art, paintings of dancers

SOLD
"Girl in the Red Unitard", 16x 12, oil on linen (Note: Please click on the image to see the detail better)

I am having so much fun re-connecting to my former ballet students who are on Facebook, from my days when I was the artistic director of a ballet school and company in Pennsylvania. I painted this portrait of one of my students, Ashley Walker, in her red unitard. The painting took a second place ribbon in an art show about a year ago...


The painting really can't do her justice, and I think since I am a little more accomplished this year, than I was when I painted this, I may try it again. I can now look at the photo of her and see that I didn't get the tilt of the head quite right, and I made the neck a little long. I recall that it took forever for me to paint the hands!Sheesh! When will hands get easier?

I am very, very happy to see that my former students are doing well in the ten plus years since I've last seen them!

Lake Trasimeno-Umbria

SOLD
"Lake Trasimeno-Umbria"- 10x8, oil on canvas panel

Three million years ago, there was a shallow sea in Umbria. A depression formed by geologic fractures allowed the birth of present-day Lake Trasimeno, a lake in Italy's Lake District that is slightly smaller than Lake Como.

Historically, Trasimeno was known as The Lake of Perugia and this name makes it easy to understand the importance that the lake has always had for the whole of north-western Umbria and for the Tuscan Chiana district. In prehistoric times, this lake was extended so as to almost reach Perugia.

This painting was done with a limited palette using both knife and brush. Thanks very much to Kathy Schmocker for the use of the reference photo for this painting.

If you would like to purchase this painting, please contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.


Small original oil paintings, Paintings of Italian Lakes, paintings of Lake Trasimeno, Paintings of Lake District Italy, Italian seascape paintings,contemporary impressionist original oil paintings,one of a kind paintings,paintings of boats>,

Cocky-cock-a-doodle-do!

SOLD
"Cocky", 8x10, oil on canvas, (Note: Click on the photo to see a close up of the texture.)

I am delighted to have been chosen the artist of the week at The Top Artists' Directory!

Just click the link and check it out and please visit my website here, to see my latest paintings and exhibit information.

Rooster art, Daily painters, original rooster art , colorful oil paintings of roosters, palette knife animals,down on the farm,affordable original art,colorist art>,

Bleeding Heart

SOLD
"Bleeding Heart", 12x12, oil on wrapped canvas (Note: You can click on the picture for a better view.)

I usually am not a fan of my own artwork, but this piece speaks to my heart on many levels. Suffice it to say, that it never takes much to make me cry. Whether it's a silly old movie, or a dog with soulful eyes, I am guaranteed to cry at the drop of a hat.

That being said, there is something very beautiful about the sadness in this painting- something poignant and unfulfilled begotten in a world of broken promises. I consider myself incredibly blessed, with a husband of many years who loves me and still brags about me in ways I find silly and embarrassing. So this is not about me. This painting is about others, and the sadness they feel when the people they most love and respect let them down. If I could sit face to face and talk to them, I'd tell them all the same thing. The world will let you down. But God will not.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”- Matthew11:28-29

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable art, impressionist still life paintings,paintings with vegetables,paintings of peppers,organic vegetables,

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, floral impressionist paintings, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, art blogs, original still life paintings,alla prima,palette knife paintings,palette knife oil paintings,affordable original oil paintings,affordable original art,colorist art>,

Beauty in the Garden

SOLD
"Beauty in the Garden", 9x12, oil on linen

I painted this young lady quite a while back, but I had it in my mind to go back to her one day and fix a color temperature problem in her dress. Last night I finally took the painting out and fixed the problem. (I had put two warms next to each other, where her arm met her dress.) Although I saw a few other things that I felt could be improved upon, I decided to let her be. She has a tranquil beauty and serenity that is rather mesmerizing, and that is one of the reasons I have been reluctant to sell her. She was inspired by a painting by an old master of a young girl in a garden that I found in a book about paintings of roses.

Even though this painting has had some color temperature problems, it has been in quite a few exhibits, including the 145th Annual Exhibition of Small Oil Paintings, in Philadelphia, Pa., sponsored by the Philadelphia Sketch Club. I'm sure this girl with the red sash will see other exhibits as well.

I am hoping that now that summer is over, I'll have some new opportunities to do some portrait painting from life soon.

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , portrait paintings, impressionist paintings,portraits of women,women and roses,colorist art, portraits of beautiful women,women and roses,romance of the rose>

Seaside Villa

SOLD
"Seaside Villa", 10x8, oil on canvas panel

Uncomplicated and direct, with a quirky horizon line. Don't worry about it, though. It's just paint.

If you are interested in this painting, please contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for purchase information.

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , European landscapes original art, impressionist paintings,paintings of hillsides and wildflowers, paintings of California poppies,poppy art,colorist art,paintings with thick impasto.>,Maryanne Jacobsen original art,paintings of wildflowers,impressionist paintings of gardens,affordable art,paintings of mountains and hillsides,

Panda Magic, painting of panda eating bamboo

SOLD"Panda Magic", 8x10, oil on canvas

A trip to San Diego would hardly be complete without a visit to the city's world class zoo. This zoo rivals any zoo I have ever visited, and although I hate to see animals in captivity, I was assured by friends that this zoo would make me feel better about that. In truth, I was very impressed with this zoo, as it has gone to great lengths to re-create the natural environment that the animals would normally live in. The animals are very well cared for, and when one considers that man is the greatest threat to some of the most endangered of the species found here, it makes sense to try to house them in a beautiful place where they can be nurtured and cared for.

The pandas are on loan from China, and are the most popular of the exhibits at the zoo. I captured the photo of this lovely little panda munching on bamboo shoots in the dappled sunlight, and decided that the panda would be my first painting when I got home from my trip. Here is my reference photo:
Is it any wonder that these animals are so beloved by humans?

I have been asked and consented to donate this painting to Pandas International, a non profit organization dedicated to helping preserve this beloved endangered animal. It will be available for purchase through their Black and White Extravaganza and Silent Auction, to be held in February 2010. If you would like to read more about the pandas at the San Diego Zoo, please go here.

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , paintings of panda bears, home decor art, animal art,contemporary impressionism, art blogs, animal paintings,panda paintings,Maryanne Jacobsen paintings, San Diego Zoo,paintings with impasto

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, home decor art, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, art blogs, Saint Augustine paintings,Florida historical paintings,Maryanne Jacobsen paintings, impasto paintings of Florida.

"Dreaming of Castles-Denmark", 11x14, oil

SOLD"Dreaming of Castles-Denmark", 11x14, oil on Masterpiece wrapped linen

My youngest son took a trip to Denmark to meet his paternal relatives in his first year of college some years back. The trip was remarkable in many respects in that it triggered a trip for his dad and I as well, just a year later. I have wanted to paint this scene for some time now, though I never had the confidence to attempt it before, truth be known.

Today I decided 'what the heck, just go for it!'

Here is the reference picture that I used of my son Scott on a dock staring at the beautiful Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød, Denmark.

Note: Please do not use this photo without my permission! Thanks! It's personal!

We Jacobsens have family there in Hillerod, Denmark, a stone's throw from the castle and I hope that if they are reading this that all is well with them. I still have wonderful memories of our dinner together in their lovely garden one midsummer's night, drinking Vouvray and telling many stories. I remember the day that we toured the castle together. Here is the Jacobsen family's coat of arms, that we saw that day at the castle:



Cheers to family and life and all that is lovely and good!"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Phillipians 4

Sorry, this painting is not for sale.

mark

St. Augustine-bottom of Bridge Street-oil painting

"St. Augustine, Bottom of Bridge Street"- 16x20 , oil on linen

I originally posted this painting a couple of weeks ago, but today I decided to revise my painting of "St. Augustine- Bottom of Bridge Street".

I knew the painting had potential, but as usual when I am trying to paint alla prima (in one session), I become tired towards the end of the painting session and things get compromised. In this case, I just threw in the background palm tree without much regard to composition. I knew it was a flaw , but I didn't want to mess with it, since I knew that the overall painting was still quite good and very expressive.

Normally, whenever I try to revise a painting after it has dried, I totally screw the whole thing up. Today I decided that I should take my chances, and that is what I did.

The gesture of the bougainvillea (which is the focal point of the painting) directs the eye towards the palm tree, which leads the eye to the little sailboat. Hence the viewer's eye is led through the composition in a circular fashion. I think I am starting to get the hang of all this! Anyhow, I am quite pleased with the painting now,which is a view of the doorway into the courtyard of The Sanchez House, in St. Augustine, a lovely old historic house that was built by Jose Simeon Sanchez, one of the Spanish colony of Florida's first and foremost statesmen. Crafted of coquina stone, the house hosted the prosperous and distinguished Sanchez family until the 1950's.

Here is the original post that I did a few weeks ago, so please compare the two paintings side by side and let me know if I improved the painting overall!



Bridge Street in St. Augustine is one of my favorite streets. It has a couple of real old quirky homes on it with wooden doors that just seem to scream out, "Paint Me! Paint Me!"

Today I did just that. I painted this old wooden door, set in stone at the bottom of Bridge Street on the site of the old Sanchez House, and crowned with a garland of bougainvillea for good measure. I happened upon this gorgeous scene while out for an early morning bike ride a few weeks ago while in St. Augustine. The camera was set on some sort of weird setting, but no matter. I was determined to paint the scene regardless of my lousy photography!

Thanks so much for visiting my art blog. Please visit my official website here.

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , paintings of St. Augustine, home decor art, restaurant art,contemporary impressionism, art blogs, tropical paintings,Florida paintings,Maryanne Jacobsen paintings, Harry's bar and grille paintings,paintings with impasto

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, home decor art, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, art blogs, Saint Augustine paintings,Florida historical paintings,Maryanne Jacobsen paintings, impasto paintings of Florida.

A Parrothead's Paradise-Key West art

"A Parrothead's Paradise", 9x12, oil on Masterpiece wrapped linen canvas (Note: Click on the photo to see the impasto better)

If you don't know what a Parrothead is, just google Jimmy Buffett, or click this link about Jimmy.

The colors in this painting will definitely make you think of mangos and Margaritas, (or at least that's the way my mind works!) This was painted en plein air on a beautiful Florida morning, and it has beautiful thick passages of juicy impasto.

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, Key West art, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, Conch republic art, Plein Air Florida, Florida art, palette knife paintings.paintings of palm trees, Jimmy Buffett, Maryanne JAcobsen art , Florida Keys.