"Autumn's Kiss", 12x16, oil on copper , paintings on copper, Birchrunville, Chester Springs scenes, autumn landscapes, Flowing Springs Rd. Chester County landscapes, Pennsylvania impressionism, Maryanne Jacobsen art, experimental art

SOLD

"Autumn's Kiss", 12x16, oil on copper (Note: you can click on the image to see the detail better)

This was my first attempt to paint on a copper panel. As the Mayor of River City in the musical Music Man would say, "It's slipperier than a Mississippi sturgeon!" Where linen our canvas will  grab the paint and you'll have some resistance, the paint pretty much goes on like butter. Nice, but a little difficult to control.Although it is a very slippery support to work on, I did have fun experimenting with it, and expect to do more in the future. The trick is to expect the unexpected because it is so different from working on linen or canvas.

I chose a fall landscape because I wanted to see if the copper affected color. I did miss the luminous quality of working on a pure white support, but allowing little bit of the copper to show through was pretty much akin to starting with a warm wash. We stayed at this wonderful little cottage in Chester Springs, Pa. a couple years back and the fall color in the trees was breathtaking. I recall  the crispness in the air as I painted outdoors in the October sunshine.

The light was fading fast in the late afternoon, the day that I painted on the property. I used my plein air sketch and this photo for a reference for the copper support painting.

I do think that I'll continue to experiment with copper panels. Old Masters painted on copper centuries ago! Only problem is that the copper is heavy. But if you have a good sturdy easel it's not an issue.

Here's wishing a Happy New Year to my friends and blog readers!

"Glad Tidings", 7x9, Christmas, snow scenes, The Hunt, Fox Hunt, Blessing of the Hounds, Chester County scenes, Pennsylvania landscapes

"Glad Tidings", 7x9

Wishing all my collectors, friends and blog readers a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year!

"Autumn Vista at Granogue", 12x16, oil on panel, plein air, Du Post family, Granogue, Plein Air, Brandywine Valley, Hagley Museum, PABV, Paintings of autumn, barns, color, Brandywine Valley, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Autumn Vista at Granogue", 12x16, oil on panel, plein air

This is another painting that I did during Plein Air Brandywine Valley back in October. I realize that I've been a little late in posting all of these, but I've been busy with some commissions and Christmas preparations.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day when I painted, at Granogue, a Du Point estate in Wilmington known by residents  all around for the water tower landmark that stands on the outskirts of the huge property on Smiths Bridge Road and Montchanin Road just west of the Brandywine, where Eleuthere Irenee Du Post  built a gunpowder mill about 200 years ago. 

Folks can still visit the mill today, called Eleutherian Mills, which is near the Granogue estate, along with Winterthur and the Hagley Museum- all beautiful museums which house much of the history of the storied Du Post family.

I always consider it a privilege to paint here at this beautiful place. Rolling hills,  barns, workers houses, a railroad station and undulating cornfields are just small parts of the estate. The Country House is perched on the top of a hill overlooking the beautiful Brandywine hillside.

Towards the end of the painting, I had to turn my canvas away from the barn because of the sun, but you can see the beautiful cornfields that were behind me as I painted.

I've done a couple paintings at Granogue in the past, and they are all sold. If you would like to purchase this one, it is loaded with thick paint and beautiful autumn colors! Just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for purchase info.

Thanks for visiting my blog and come back again!

To read more about Granogue, here is a neat article by the Washington Post, of a party hosted at Granogue by the Du Post Patriarch.

"Autumn in the Country", 11x14, oil on panel, plein air, Chester County, Pennsylvania landscapes, autumn color, farm scenes, original oil paintings, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art

"Autumn in the Country", 11x14, oil on panel, plein air

This was painted during a trip to Chester County. I was intrigued by the shadows on the ground and the colorful foliage.

This painting is available. Please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, if you are interested in purchasing this work.

"Morning at the Celery Fields", 9x12, plein air, Audubon Society, Sarasota Florida, Celery Fields, plein air paintings, Strada easel, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Morning at the Celery Fields", 9x12, plein air

This was painted on location at the Audubon Society of Sarasota's beautiful gardens adjacent to the Celery Fields. The Celery Fields are a natural bird habitat and popular walking spot for Sarasota natives.

It was a bright clear morning when I painted there with the SRQ plein air painters.

It was also the morning that I broke in my new Strada easel.

If you ever visit Sarasota, be sure to take a walk up the hill at the Celery Fields, where you can get an almost aerial view of the wetlands below. If you're lucky, you may see some Roseate Spoonbills!

If you are interest in purchasing this plein air painting, please email me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for info.

"Coffee Break", 9x12, oil on Canson oil paper, coffee break, Beautiful women, women in hats,, portrait study, all prima

"Coffee Break", 9x12, oil on Canson oil paper

Had fun with this one. May try her in a larger format.

"Windblown Cypress, Pinnacle Point", 16x28, oil on board, cypress trees, California cypress, California coastal art, Point Lobos State Preserve, Pinnacle Point, Maryanne jacobsen art, windblown trees, award-winning art

"Windblown Cypress, Pinnacle Point", 16x28, oil on board

I was very happy to receive a  Third place award  last week at the Venice Art Center's "Branchin' Out" exhibit, featuring- trees! That makes three ribbons in one month!

Trees are a wonderful subject to paint, and the windblown cypress trees at Point Lobos State Preserve in Carmel California are a personal favorite subject of mine.

This painting is very dramatic in person and would make a stunning addition to any wall. If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"Red Rock Country", 8x10, oil on panel, Zion national Park, CyberMonday sale, Virgin River, The Watchman, Maryanne Jacobsen art, National parks, red rocks

"Red Rock Country", 8x10, oil on panel-$350 (free shipping!)

This scene is a view from Watchman Trail in  Zion National Park, which I've painted a few times in the past. It portrays the Swirling Virgin River as it heads towards the turn at the majestic Watchman.

Utah is a beautiful place and was recently voted the third best state in which to retire!

For CyberMonday, I'm offering this painting at half off my usual retail, unframed, with free shipping within the domestic US.

Please use the PayPal button below, if you would like to purchase this painting. By the way, original art makes a lovely Christmas gift!

"Misty Morning, Cortez Fishing Village", 11x14, oil on linen, award-winning paintings, Blue ribbon, fishing village, Cortez Village, Old Florida, old boats, fog, mist, fishing boats, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Misty Morning, Cortez Fishing Village", 11x14, oil on linen

I was very happy to recently receive a First Place Award for my painting, "Misty Morning, Cortez Fishing Village", at the Englewood Art Center, a division of the Ringling College of Art and Education.

The origin of the painting goes back to a grey foggy morning when I gathered with a group of painters to paint scenes at the Cortez Fishing Village in Cortez Florida.

Cortez is a very popular spot for plein air painters, as it has the most delightful old fishing boats and scenes of Old Florida, not to mention The Starfish Grill on the Water, where artists can congregate after a happy day of painting on the rickety old piers.

This painting is available for purchase. Send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if you are interested.

"Brandywine Blues", 14x11, plein air sketch, Jasper Crane Rose Garden, bridge over the Brandywine, Brandywine River, Wilmington Delaware scenes, Maryanne Jacobsen original art, Plein air Brandywine Valley, water reflections, Brandywine Park and Zoo, Monkey Hill

"Brandywine Blues", 14x11, plein air sketch

This is another one of the paintings that I did during Plein Air Brandywine Valley week.

The scene is from the Jasper Crane Rose Garden in Wilmington, Delaware. It was a chilly gray day when I painted there, but enjoyable nonetheless with fall colors just beginning to emerge in the trees.

This painting is available for purchase. Contact me via email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for pricing.

"Wyeth's Muse", 12x16, oil on panel, Andrew Wyeth, Chadds Ford, Brandywine School of Art, Maryanne Jacobsen art, Keurner Farm, Ring Farm, historic places, N.C. Wyeth, original oil paintings, Brandywine Valley

"Wyeth's Muse", 12x16, oil on panel

It is said that the Keurner Farm in Chadd's Ford, Pa. served as inspiration for at least a third of the works by the late Andrew Wyeth. Andrew discovered the farm on one of his boyhood walks and over the years, the farm and its occupants, Karl and Anna Keurner developed a deeply satisfying albeit complex relationship. It was here at the farm that Andrew met Helga, a German immigrant, who also became the controversial subject of many of Wyeth's paintings.

Having spent the greater part of my adult life living in the Brandywine Valley, and treasuring the legacy of the Wyeth's, it is not unusual that I still gravitate to scenes of rural farms with old stone walls and fence lines that dot the hillsides, whenever I visit Pennsylvania.

 Recently, while painting in the Plein Air Brandywine Valley painting event, I had the opportunity to paint at the Kuerner Farm, which was generously donated  by the Keurners to the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum. It was a gorgeous autumn day, and although I really wanted to paint the white farmhouse from the bottom of the hill, another artist had already set up there.

So I painted the Springhouse instead, which is closer to the barn, and I'll post a better picture of that painting in another blog post.

All and all it was quite a moving experience to be able to walk the same well-worn dusty paths of the Wyeth's, Howard Pyle and other masters of the Brandywine School of Art, but I was still disappointed that I didn't have the chance to paint the farmhouse.

So this week I used my reference photo and set out to portray the old homestead in the dramatic mid-day light. I wasn't unhappy with outcome, but I do hope that someday perhaps I'll have the chance to paint the scene again- this time on location.

"Dappled Light", 16x20, oil , Historic Yellow Springs village, Maryanne Jacobsen original art,, Yellow Springs Inn, the Washington Building, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, Autumn landscapes, Pennsylvania landscapes, original art

"Dappled Light", 16x20, oil (Please click on the image for a better view)

During my recent painting trip to Pennsylvania, I had the opportunity to paint a couple times in the sweet little historic village of Yellow Springs, Pennsylvania. The weather was gorgeous and the trees were colorful and my only dilemma was choosing what to paint in the tiny village!

I decided to set up in the little courtyard between the Washington Building and the Lincoln Building, since the dappled light on the side on the Washington Building fascinated me.

As is usually the case with plein air, by the time, I set up my easel and got around to painting, the light on the building was gone and the building and courtyard were cast in shadow with the exception of the little bench.

Here is what it looked like in less than an hour's time:

Since I was unable to capture the dappled light that had first attracted me to the scene, I decided to paint the scene in my studio, using my field study and photo reference for guides.

 I was pretty happy with the outcome, and hope to do more autumn scenes in upcoming weeks from the trip to beautiful Pennsylvania.

This painting is available . Please email me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if you have any interest in purchasing this work. And don't forget to visit my new website at Maryanne JAcobsen Fine Art.

"Morning Light, Maple Hill Farm", 10x20, oil, Plein Air Brandywine Valley, Maple Hill Farm, horses, plein air, Winterthur, Children's Beach House, Maryanne Jacobsen art, Wyeth country

SOLD

"Morning Light, Maple Hill Farm", 10x20, oil

I recently returned from a trip to Pennsylvania to paint in the annual Plein Air Brandywine Valley plein air event. For one beautiful autumn week, dozens of excellent painters gather together and have the opportunity to paint at beautiful locations throughout the Brandywine Valley, which is home to the Wyeths and other notables of the Brandywine School of art.

For me, it is a homecoming, because that area was where I lived for the majority of my life.

On one of the days of the event we had multiple choices of wonderful places to paint. I chose Maple Hill Farm , on the outskirts of West Chester, and got there early enough  to find a great location.

There was mist in the fields and everything had a dreamlike quality about it as I set up under a huge tree and surveyed my surroundings.

I had a wonderful audience  as I began my painting, and decided to incorporate a few of the spectators into my painting.

Boy, oh boy! I am not a typical painter of horses and their anatomy, which  is basically  foreign to me. But I endeavored to capture two of them into my painting anyway, as I painted as quickly as I possibly could while they munched contentedly on  the grass.

The reward for getting up at the crack of dawn, heading to an unknown location , and setting up and painting subjects you are not familiar with as quickly as you can is.... a Sale!

I am happy to say that this painting sold during the reception at Winterthur. I never had a chance to get a good photo of it. But I am so grateful for the experience of having painted in that gorgeous meadow, on that brisk October morning, and for the beautiful horses who kept me company as I painted!

"Dark Roast with Cherries", 11x14, oil on oil paper, framed, award-winning paintings, color, Maryanne Jacobsen art, floral, coffee, roses, cherries

"Dark Roast with Cherries", 11x14, oil on oil paper, framed

I was very happy to receive a Third place ribbon at the reception last week at The Visual Art Center's "Color" exhibit.

The Visual Art Center is located in Punta Gorda and offers many wonderful classes, workshops and exhibits throughout the year. Check it out here.

This painting is available. Please contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, for more info about the painting.

"Lovers in the Rose Garden", 9x12, plein air oil study, The Ringling, Museums in Sarasota, John and Mabel Ringling, Mabel's Rose Garden, plein air, wedding venues in Florida, statues, small paintings, Maryanne Jacobsen art, romance, mystery

"Lovers in the Rose Garden", 9x12, plein air oil study

I always love painting at The Ringling, but this week was a bit of an exception. The wind from Hurricane Nate, far away, yet still in the Gulf, was  a force to be reckoned with as I attempted to paint this courting couple in Mabel's Rose Garden. Named for Mabel Ringling, the rose garden is filled with statues of lovers, beautiful roses, and a small pavilion, with a backdrop of ancient canyon trees to add mystery to the charm.

It was that mystery that I wanted to capture in this little study, pitting the dark banyan forrest against the sun-lit statue of the lovers.

The wind whipped everything about. My trash basket flew away dozens of times, and at one point my hat blew off and flew right into the wet painting. Not to be deterred, I held tight to my easel and did the best I could in the two hour time frame I had given myself.

The Ringling, formerly known as the The Ringling Museum, is a real treasure in Sarasota, Fl. Seated right on Sarasota Bay, Ca' D' Zan, the mansion of John and Mabel Ringling, is a jewel to behold. There are museums to wander and manicured grounds to explore, but choosing a cool day is preferable since it gets very warm throughout the year.

The temp was about 91 when I painted this, but the wind took away some of my discomfort.  As I painted, I wondered who the couple were, how the young man had lost his hand and if the fair damsel holding the basket truly cared for him.

It's all a mystery!

This little plein air study is available for purchase. Just contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, for more information.

"An Evening in Zurich", 12x12, oil on panel, Cityscape, nocturne, Switzerland, Zurich, Maryanne Jacobsen art , Münsterbrücke, Zunfthaus Zur Meisen, vacations in Zurich, Fraumünster Church, lamplight

SOLD

"An Evening in Zurich", 12x12, oil on panel

I painted this scene to reflect the warm glow cast over the Swiss city at dusk as the sun is setting. A streetlight casts additional warmth onto the bridge in this fall scene, reflecting Old Town Zurich's quietness after the summer tourists are gone.


A couple walks hand in hand on the old Münsterbrücke, grateful that for now, at least, the bustle of traffic is gone and only pedestrians share the bridge with them.

Warm lights from the windows of the elegant old Zunfthaus Zur Meisen cast warm reflective light onto the Limmat River, and it is fabled that ghosts of ancient guildsmen, artisans and vintners still traverse the hallways of the museum where their collections are kept.

Across the street stands The Fraumünster Church, another historical relic in Old Zurich's history. It is built on the remains of a former abbey for aristocratic women . The monastery buildings were destroyed in 1898, and the church building today serves as the parish church for one of the city's 34 reformed parishes. A landmark in Old Town, the Church's clocktowers reflect the time on every side of the spire.

I painted this in muted tones to reflect the atmosphere of a nocturne in Old Town Zurich. If you have ever traveled to that beautiful city, perhaps this painting will evoke some special memories for you. I certainly hope so!

Thanks for visiting. Please visit my new website and sign up for my newsletter to receive news, special discounts and other offers.

"Provencial Poppies", 22x28, oil on wrapped canvas, poppies, Provence, flower symbology, Maryanne Jacobsen art, red, red flowers, original oil paintings, wall art

"Provencial Poppies", 22x28 on gallery-wrapped canvas-$900 with free shipping

This painting depicts a poppy field at sunset, right before these beauties close up and tuck themselves in for the night. Poppies symbolize restful sleep and recovery, and have played an important role in religion, mythology,  and even politics. 

If you would like to learn more about these deeply symbolic flowers, I found this enchanting website called Flower Meaning. Check it out!

You can purchase this painting for my website or only $900 (regularly $2400), and receive free shipping within the United States. Sign up for my quarterly Newsletter and receive 15% off any available painting. Just go here to sign up.

To purchase this painting, follow this link.

"Everyday People", 11x14, oil on linen panel, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Degas, Impressionists, people in museums, Maryanne Jacobsen Art, ballet, Little Ballerina, Harley Davidson, Misty Copeland

"Everyday People", 11x14, oil on linen panel

This is my favorite room in The Philadelphia Museum of Art.  It's a favorite because of some of the beautiful Impressionist landscapes in that room by Renoir, Monet and others. But mostly it's my favorite room because of The Little Ballerina, Aged 14, by Eduard Degas. I often get annoyed with Degas's paintings of dancers because I feel that he mis-represents their bodies and feet. But with the little dancer, he totally epitomized the perfect form for a ballet dancer to have.

As a former ballet company director, I would become very excited when I would find young dancers  with forms like this. It meant that they would be able to dance professionally if they wanted to. So many girls work so hard to become wonderful dancers, only to find out that their body types are not appreciated in the professional world. Misty Copeland is an exception, and I admire her tremendously for her professional journey.

I snapped this photo one day and decided to paint it this week. I loved the juxtaposition of the old world paintings against the modern people admiring them. Harley Davidson sweatshirts, casual attire, cell phones- what would the Impressionists have thought?

Anyhow, if you are interested in this painting, just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com
 Thanks for reading my blog.

"Home Scream Home", 12x12, oil, surrealism, owls, The Scream, Eduard Munch, fantasy art, homeless, snowstorm, weird art, paintings with a message, hurricanes, drama

"Home Scream Home", 12x12, oil (framed as shown) Click on the painting for a better view.

Sometimes you just have to paint something ridiculous. I painted the above with the intentions of putting it into an upcoming show with a surreal theme. In the end, I totally forgot to enter it thanks to a hurricane!

My thoughts when painting it were probably focused on injustice in general, with good people losing their homes due to catastrophic problems- illness, rising healthcare costs, job loss, etc. And with our homeless population increasing at an alarming rate in this country, it's as though everything is somehow turned upside down. The things we used to take for granted as Americans, job security, affordable healthcare for all, and home ownership, are now a thing of the past which cannot be depended upon.

I used the iconic figure in Edvard Munch's painting, "The Scream" to depict an outsider, locked out of his own home during a snowstorm, staring in horror at the fact that a family of wise old owls had taken over his residence.

While birds taking over our homes is certainly not a possibility in our current world, there are currently  plenty of catastrophic events occurring on a daily basis to make one wonder how secure our feeble securities truly are. Hurricanes have recently made many thousands of people homeless here in the United States and Caribbean  Islands. There have been earthquakes of the magnitude of 7 and 8 in recent days in Mexico, horrific monsoons in Bangladesh, and wildfires through the north eastern quadrant of the US as well as in Portugal.  In an unpredictable world, it's easy to throw one's hands up in the air like Chicken Little and scream that "The Sky is Falling Down!"

I recently went through my own scream moment. Holed up in a dark shuttered home during Hurricane Irma with winds howling outside and no way of knowing how it was all going to turn out, this claustrophobic individual that happens to be me just wanted to go to the door, open it up, and scream back in horror at Nature's rant. In the end, I realized it was all out of my control and I was at the mercy of a Higher Power. I had two choices- I could either surrender to terror or to trust. I chose the latter, and retreated into a small room to pray and read Scripture.

There is no doubt that storms will erupt throughout our lives, but storms can also have a silver lining as well. In looking for the silver lining, I realized that my faith has grown stronger as a result of this storm, which will hopefully build upon the next storms in my life.

Sorry  if this post offends anyone. I think I just needed to state in writing the things that were going through my head when I painted this silly painting.

If you have any interest in owning a weird painting, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com. Thanks for visiting my blog!

"Pinnacle Point", 16x28, oil on board, Maryanne Jacobsen art, cypress tree, Point Lobos State Preserve, Carmel art, windblown, palette knife art, award-winning paintings

"Pinnacle Point", 16x28, oil on board

This beautiful old cypress tree stands atop Pinnacle Point, at Pinnacle Cove, a hiking trail at Point Lobos State Preserve in Carmel, California. The tree is a testament to endurance-its wild wind-blown beauty gracing the top of the granite rocks that overlook a sweeping view of the Pacific Ocean. Painting it brought me back to the first time I hiked that path, my heart catching in my throat as I approached the top of the steps. Truly, Pinnacle Point is a place where I left my heart one day, and I hope that  this east coast girl will have the chance to return again some day.

This painting won Third Place at the Venice Art Center's "Branchin' Out" exhibit.

Please contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, if you are interested in this painting.

"Bougainvillea Riot", 11x14, oil on panel, Mission San Juan Capistrano, Palette knife painting, colorist art, Maryanne Jacobsen art, The Mission Walker, Edie Littlefield Sundby, Hurricane Irma, Historic California Mission Trail, impressionist art

"Bougainvillea Riot", 11x14, oil on panel

Well we weathered Hurricane Irma without losing much, except our energy and a little patience.

One thing that the storm made me realize, as we boarded up the house and made plans to evacuate was this- I have too many paintings in my house!

I figured that they wouldn't last if they were on the walls and a 150 mph wind gust tore off our roof. They also wouldn't have faired well during a storm surge, especially since we are so close to the Gulf of Mexico. So I had a really hard time trying to figure out what to do with the many paintings that I have in my home. In the end, I vowed to offer some of my older works for sale through my blog after the storm passed.

This is a painting that I did quite a few years ago, in the days when I only used a palette knife. Many collectors prefer my older work to some of my newer stuff, so here's a chance to own one of my older works  that may have missed the cut in terms of shows or galleries.

This is a painting of the courtyard at the incredibly beautiful Mission San Juan Capistrano in California. I have done paintings of this mission many, many times, and the truth is that I never offered this particular painting to the public before because I think I forgot that I had it! Anyway, the storm helped me find it again, lol.

I have been reading "The Mission Walker", by Edie Littlefield Sundby. It is an amazing testament of faith and endurance that this woman, given only three months to live due to gallbladder cancer, refused to accept her diagnosis and went on to not only recover, but to walk the entire 800 mile Historic California Mission Trail! I have always loved the California Missions and have visited half a dozen of them while in California, but this book and this brave woman's story have re-affirmed my own confidence in the peace and serenity that these beautiful places imbibe into the spirits of those who partake of their beauty.

So I am now determined to paint a few more paintings of the missions, and hopefully do justice to their beauty along the way.

Thanks for your prayers during Hurricane Irma. It was a wild ride, but we are stronger in faith and happier to be alive now!

If you are interested in this painting, just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"Weeping Willow Farm", oil, 22x30 on wrapped canvas, farms, colorist art, impressionism, Maryanne Jacobsen art, weeping willow, Pennsylvania landscapes

"Weeping Willow Farm", oil, 22x30 on wrapped canvas

I painted this a few years back, on a day that I was feeling nostalgic about my old home back in Chester Springs, Pa. The area is beautiful, dotted with rolling hills, horse farms and little springhouses atop babbling brooks. This farm was not far from my own homestead and I often went past it on my daily walks.

I depicted it in late summer, with a field of nasturtium in the foreground, and the willow tree just beginning to shed some leaves in preparation for the colder months.

If you are interested in this painting, please contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, and thanks for visiting my blog!

"Empty Chairs and Empty Tables", 9x12, oil, paintings of interiors, candlelight, Buckley's Tavern, Maryanne Jacobsen art, Bombay cat, Les Miserables, loneliness , isolation, grief, black cats

"Empty Chairs and Empty Tables, 9x12, oil on linen

A few years ago I had a lovely birthday dinner at Buckley's Tavern, in Centerville Delaware. I was up north for the annual Brandywine Plein Air festival, which always happens to fall on my birthday week.

By the time our meal had ended, it was late and the guests were pretty much all leaving for the night. I loved the warm firelight  that exuded warmth and old world charm into the formal dining room, so I snapped a couple of photographs for future artistic reference.

Last week I was feeling rather morose- our lovely  Bombay rescue kitty Sebastian was diagnosed with liver and kidney disease and the prognosis was bleak. I found myself crying inconsolably and feeling isolated  and alone with my sadness since my husband is unable to ever feel quite as deeply as I do. It's not his fault. I am an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), and thus everything I feel is magnified tremendously compared to the emotions of a non-HSP. So my husband has never been able to identify with the sometimes unbearable levels of sensitivity that I feel in almost all situations.

It's tough being an HSP, but as the years have gone by I have managed to understand myself better and know that I am this way along with many many other sensitive individuals who are overcome by feelings that affect most people to a much lesser extent.

Anyhow, I decided to translate my feelings to paint and added the lonely figure in the back of the restaurant to the painting. Maybe I was trying to transfer my feelings of sadness and loneliness to the canvas in order to alleviate my own pain. I don't know. As I painted I played the soundtrack from Les Miserables, since the sad song, "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables", seemed to fit the theme.

I'll be returning to the Brandywine valley again this October and will probably celebrate another birthday dinner at Buckley's. I hope by then that these feelings will have subsided as a result of knowing that Sebastian is either well again, or that he is in a much better place- a place where spirits can soar free of the burdens of these earthly bodies of ours.

I hope this post is not depressing. I don't want it to be. I celebrate the wonderful life that we have given Sebastian and the joy that he has given us, and I know that as in all sad times- it too will pass.

"Drama Queens in a Green Vase", 12x16, oil on linen, paintings of peonies, white peonies, Maryanne Jacobsen art, impressionist florals, outdoor still life

"Drama Queens in a Green Vase", 12x16, oil on linen

This was the first time that I ever attempted to paint a grouping of white flowers. I think the reddish centers of these peonies gave the painting the extra color needed to keep the painting from being boring.

I used a fairly limited palette of two yellows, two reds, and two blues, plus Winsor Green, and I found that this helped me from getting confused about how to mix the warm and cool neutrals.

When I look back to the first paintings that I did of peonies earlier this summer, I can see that I am becoming more proficient with painting these difficult, but beautiful blooms. This is probably the last of my peony paintings for awhile, since they are now out of season. Hopefully by next summer I won't forget what I learned this summer!

"Kathy's Vase", 14x11, oil on linen, pink peonies, still life green vase, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art, Peonies, impressionist florals

"Kathy's Vase", 14x11, oil on linen

So if you follow my blog, you probably know that I work on peonies every year during the month of June, when they are in season in northern parts of the country. I go to Trader Joe's in Sarasota and scout out the best peonies I can find, and then the journey begins.

It is definitely a challenging journey to paint these things, because they are troublesome to capture. At least for me.Once they start opening , their petals go on and on forever like the pieces of tulle in a ballerina's tutu.

Here was my set-up in my shadow box in the studio:

I put them in the refrigerator overnight, but the one front and center lost most of its petals when I took it out, so I had to wing it.

I definitely will need another decade, before I can master these beautiful flowers!

"Candlelight Vigil for a Dying Peony"8x10, oil on panel-study, small works, peony study, painting from life, all prima, Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art

"Candlelight Vigil for a Dying Peony"8x10, oil on panel-study

Peonies are only available for a short period time, and so I always rush to Trader Joe's every June and stock up on these gorgeous flowers. You can't grow them in Florida, and by the time we get them from areas where you can grow them, they have been through the trauma of transportation, so they' re never quite fresh enough. The result is that they only last a few days after I buy them.

I struggle with painting these beauties, probably because I don't have enough time throughout the year to practice them at my leisure, or maybe I am just making excuses. They are truly complex! So this peony study was an attempt to get a little better at painting them.

As you can see from my set-up, although it had already opened completely, the peony wasn't in bad shape when I began the painting. However, since I got the bright idea to light the candle directly under the peony to add some "atmosphere", the peony became a victim of my stupidity and quickly wilted.

Oh well. These elusive flowers are like most things beautiful- they never last forever.

This little study is available to purchase through my website for only $300, unframed. Shipping is free! Just click the link here to purchase or visit my website.

"La Jolla Wildflowers", 9x12, La Jolla California, yellow wildflowers, nasturtiums, plein air study, Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art, impressionism, seascapes, Pacific coast, southern California art

"La Jolla Wildflowers", 9x12

Back in April I spent a couple days in La Jolla, California, one of the prettiest places in the whole country! All the rain that California experienced in January and February paid off , because the wildflowers were blooming everywhere! On the hillsides and the highways and byways of southern California, nasturtiums and purple statice were blooming everywhere in a riot of complimentary colors! Although the San Diego area is always lovely, I had never seen the area so verdant before.

So I took the opportunity to go to La Jolla cove and paint one morning. There was a slight breeze and the temperatures were perfect for painting.

The next week proved to be the beginning of a challenging couple months for me, of which I am still recovering. But I am happy that I had the chance to fit in a fun painting before the  problems started.

The additional good news is that this painting recently won a ribbon at the Venice Art Center's summer exhibit. Special thanks to juror Katie Dobson Cundiff.

If interested in this work, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

Please check out my new website at Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art

"Katie's Pitcher", 12x16, oil on panel, yellow ranunculus, oranges, plein air florals, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Katie's Pitcher", 12x16, oil on panel

This painting was started a year ago in the garden of friend and fellow artist extraordinaire, Katie Dobson Cundiff. Katie would set up floral arrangements in her back yard once a week, and we could come over and paint them. The set-ups were always beautiful, but even more special was the opportunity to watch Katie paint!

I never finished the painting that day, but took it out yesterday and started working on it again. Unfortunately, I didn't have a photo reference, so I had to wing it.

Overall, I was happy with the way it came out.

Feel free to contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, if you have any interest in this work, and do check out my new website at Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art!

"Dark Roast with Cherries", 11x14 on Canson oil paper, paintings of roses, impressionism, Maryanne Jacobsen art, cherries, coffee, coffee break, morning coffee

"Dark Roast with Cherries", 11x14 on Canson oil paper

My old computer crashed last week, taking with it the photo editing program that I have used for years. I now am using a MAC, but have no idea how to edit or if the photos of my paintings look the way they are supposed to or not! This image looks dark to me, but I don't know how it looks to others! Very frustrating.

Anyhow, this painting was a nice break for me to do before I start a couple commissions next week. I love painting flowers and especially roses, and the Canson art paper is so much fun to paint on! Unfortunately, it's a little trickier to frame, but it can be done. I think this painting would look great with a linen border and that is probably how I'll frame it.

This painting won a second place Award in The Visual Art Center's "Color" exhibit. Please email me at maryannejacobsen if you have any interest in this work.

"Paisley Scarf", 16x16, oil on linen, beautiful women , women with scarfs, impressionism, gesture painting, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art, Paisley patterns, redheads

"Paisley Scarf", 16x16, oil on linen

I have recently been trying to get more painterly in my approach to portrait painting. So I have been prating 30 minute gesture drawings a couple times a week. The goal of these little gestures is to get freer, more spontaneous, in the approach to the subject, and not working about resemblance to any degree.

After doing about half a dozen of these quick gestures, I decided to try a bigger one with no time limits. "Paisley Scarf" was the result and I was not unhappy with it.

I love the old romantic looks of women from the silent era films and roaring twenties. This was an attempt to re-create that feeling in a woman's portrait.

"Along the Brandywine", 8x10, oil, Maryanne Jacobsen art, Brandywine Creek, Hagley Museum, Breck's Mill, Rising Sun Bridge, metal truss bridges, autumn colors

SOLD

"Along the Brandywine", 8x10

Back in October I enjoyed a lovely afternoon painting along the Brandywine, during the Brandywine Valley annual plein air event.

The original plein air painting that I did that day has sold, but yesterday I decided to try the scene again, remembering how difficult a scene it was for me to paint with the rapidly changing light that afternoon.

Even though this is a studio painting, it was still difficult for me because there were so many elements to deal with-water reflections, foreground rocky mess, trees in shadow, trees in light, etc. I enjoyed it nevertheless as it is best to challenge oneself with subjects outside one's comfort zone.

The subject was the old truss bridge just downstream of Breck's Mill near the Hagley Museum. I believe it is called the Rising Sun Bridge, if I remember correctly. The metal span is supported by stone structures on either side and it is one of only two metal truss bridges left in the area. I'm looking forward to returning there again in the fall.

This  little painting is available. Just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com , if interested.