"Prime Time", 9x12, oil on board, plein air Brandywine Valley, Chadds Ford, Pa., Winterthur, Andrew Wyeth country, fall foliage, Pennsylvania landscapes, twisted trees, autumn

"Prime Time", 9x12, oil on board

I just returned from Pennsylvania where I participated in  the Plein Air Brandywine Valley art competition and sale to benefit Children's Beach House in Wilmington , Delaware. It was my second year of doing this competition and every year is wonderful because of the exceptional places that the artists are allowed to paint. People generously offer to open up their private estates to the artists, where we can paint vistas of horses, donkeys, old barns, classic Pennsylvania fieldstone farmhouses, hay stacks and much more.

It's a beautiful time of year, with the fall foliage at full peak. Hence the name of the painting above which was painted at the Nielsen estate in Chadds Ford, Pa., home to generations of Wyeth families. I was drawn to the interesting shape of the twisted tree as well as the companion tree on the other side of the winding path, which was in full fall gala garb!

The week of painting culminates in a gala, held at the Winterthur Museum, where people who purchase tickets can choose from literally dozens or gorgeous plein air paintings available for purchase.

Unfortunately, I only painted 4 paintings this year, since two of the days were cold and rainy and I have Raynaud's disease, which is a circulatory problem that prevents me from going outdoors in cold and damp weather. But I was happy with the paintings that I did on Monday and Tuesday, and one of them was purchased by a collector.

Here I am posing in front of my paintings at the gala.

I'll be posting more of the work that I did last week over the next few days. Happy Halloween!

"Guileless", 14x11, oil on board, paintings of children, little girls, girls with bonnets, children, Renaissance fair

"Guileless", 14x11, oil on board

This is a painting that I started months ago. Every so often I'd take it out and change a few things on it. Finally, I thought it was finished when it looked like this:

I liked the fact that it looked impressionistic and so I titled it "White Bonnet" and called it done.

The other day I took it out again and decided that I hated it. So I totally reworked her face as well as other parts extensively. I definitely think it's done now! The little girl now looks exactly like my niece's little girl. She's a beautiful child and her name is Faith. I met her recently for the first time , and I think I had her in the back of my mind when I decided to re-work this painting.

More often than not, I mess up a painting totally when I go back into it and re-work it. In this case, I'm definitely glad that I took the chance!

"The Red House, Swim Beach", 6x6, oil , Monhegan Island, Venice Art Center, award-winning paintings, MAryanne Jacobsen art, boats, red

"The Red House, Swim Beach", 6x6, oil

Was delighted to find out that my little painting of the Red House on Monhegan Island was awarded second place in the Venice Art Center's Mini and Maxi show this evening.

I almost didn't enter the painting because I was confused about the size requirements for the show. Turns out that the paintings had to be either very large or very small. The painting that I took over to receiving was only an 11x14, but I soon learned it was too large. So I went home, picked up this little guy and brought him back to the art center.

So happy I did!

The painting is framed in a beautiful Randy Higbee floater frame and can be purchased through he Venice Art Center.  You can call them at 941-485-7136 for purchase information regarding this little gem.

Here I am at tonight's reception with good friend and fellow plein air painter Karen Hitt. Karen rec'd the third place ribbon for her lovely little watercolor of Venice. Congrats, Karen!

"Peaches and Cream", 16x20, oil on linen, paintings of fruit, roses, peaches, blue, award-winning art, Maryanne Jacobsen , impressionism

"Peaches and Cream", 16x20, oil on linen

I painted this one a while back and at the last minute I decided to enter it into the Venice Art Center's "Tutti Fruitti" competition. The only requirement was that fruit be included in the design.

I was pleased to find out that the painting received an honorable mention in the exhibit last month. I was in very good company on the wall with the ribbons as Hodges Soileau won first place, Bill Farnsworth won second and  Jeff Cornell won third. My friend and avid plein air painter Karen Hitt also received an honorable mention. It was a great show with hundreds of entries so I was pleased to receive a ribbon. Thanks to Judge Diane Mannion for choosing this painting for a ribbon.

"Morning Light, Alsace", 30x40, Alsace, green shutters, France, large paintings, street scenes, Maryanne Jacobsen art, doorways, flowers

"Morning Light, Alsace", 30x40

This painting was completed recently and is available through Galerie du Soleil. Please visit their website here for more information about this painting and as well is this beautiful gallery in  the heart of Naples, Florida!

"1887 Church", plein air, 11x14, Paint the Town, Manatee Village, Bradenton Florida, historic buildings, Art Center Manatee, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"1887 Church", plein air, 11x14, oil on board
(This painting received an honorable mention in Paint the Town -Bradenton, Florida )



Last week I participated in Paint the Town in downtown Bradenton, Florida. This Paint-out is in it's 5th or 6th year and it is the 3rd or 4th year that I have participated, but happily it was the first year that I received a ribbon for my efforts!


The judge this year was esteemed artist and illustrator Bill Farnsworth. There were many other wonderful plein air artists that participated in the competition including Katie Dobson-Cundiff, Karen Hitt, Joseph Melancon, and Susie Covert to name a few, so I was incredibly pleased to have received recognition amongst so much talent.

The Paint-Out began with a quick draw last weekend at the Riverwalk, which I chose not to participate in due to the distance from my house to the Quick Draw site. (A good artist knows her limitations and I am definitely NOT a morning person!)

I went out the following day to paint in downtown Bradenton, only to find I'd forgotten my paintbrushes! A wasted day, alas, but a lesson learned in checking supplies!

Monday had mixed skies, and although I painted on downtown Main Street, I was not happy with the results. Tuesday was crazy with torrential rains at Cortez fishing village, where I went to paint that day. (More about that in a different post!)

Finally on Wednesday, the last day of the Paint-out, the skies were hot, humid but sunny and I knew I had a shot at a decent painting. I headed out to historic Manatee Village. Here's what you can find there from their website:

Step back into time at the Manatee Village Historical Park. Visit this collection of restored buildings from Manatee County’s settlement history and experience life in Manatee County before the arrival of modern conveniences such as automobiles and electricity. The Manatee Village Historical Park is a joint project of the Manatee County Historical Commission, Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court, the Manatee County Board of County Commission, and the City of Bradenton.

I decided to paint the beautiful old church there, which dates from 1887 and has housed many special events over its long history. There is currently a restoration process in progress regarding its steeple. I was drawn to its simple, unassuming lines and the fact that it had housed so many happy events over its long history in Bradenton. The shadows on the church are perfect in the afternoon and the palm trees beside it langished in deep shadow against the hot sun in the western sky.

I completed the painting in 2 and a half hours and you can see it yourself at Art Center Manatee until October 30th. I was delighted to receive an honorable mention from judge Bill Farnsworth for my efforts.