"Along Flowing Springs Road", 12x16, oil on copper, Chester Springs Pennsylvania, Birchrunville, paintings of Chester County, Pa. Pennsylvania impressionist, en plein air, Airbnb , Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art, art collectors

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"Along Flowing Springs Road", 12x16, oil on copper

A few years ago my husband and I found a delightful Airbnb in Chester Springs, Pa. where we stayed for a few days after I finished a week of painting in the yearly Plein Air Brandywine Valley festival. It was our treat to ourselves to return to our beloved  neighborhood where we had lived for 15 years before moving to Florida.

Chester Springs is a hamlet of rolling hills, abundant ponds that flow from underground springs and stone Gentlemen's farms with a horse or two in the pasture at all times. It is a neighborhood  filled with nostalgic memories of long walks up and down country roads, sleigh rides in winter and  my kids and dogs chasing geese and deer in our back yard.

Our rental was  a tiny cottage off a winding country road, and especially beautiful at that time of year with autumn displaying herself in full fanfare to our delight. Here's my hubby enjoying a cup of coffee in the brisk autumn air.

Of course I did my best to paint as much as I could during those brief few days, even though I had just finished a full week of painting! I painted the cottage, of course.

I painted the burning bush shrubs around the corner on School House Lane, and I painted the little church up the road as well.

I also painted an old barn with a red roof on St. Matthews Rd, a block from where we used to live.

I painted a gorgeous oak tree at Marsh Creek Lake, and if you like the painting it is available through Stakenborg/Greenberg Fine Art in Sarasota, FL.

 In short I crammed a lot of outdoor painting into a few days!!!!!

The painting above was not painted that week , but it was the scene that you saw as soon as you stepped out the door of the cottage and looked up Flowing Springs road. I did attempt to paint it but there was not much room on that tiny country road, and a school bus almost put me out of commission for days!

Here is my painting from that day:

I love the freshness of plein air painting, and alas , it is often impossible to recapture the freshness once you are indoors! I titled this one "Autumn in the Country" and it is available through Station Gallery in Greenville, Delaware.

Unfortunately this delightful little Airbnb is no longer available for rent, so I will probably not have another opportunity to capture this country road en plein air.

So I painted it again, in the studio with mixed feelings. What do you think? Which one do you like better? Plein Air or studio?

I would love to hear your thoughts! If you are interested in "Along Flowing Springs Rd.", please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

"Imagination", 11x14, oil on linen panel, floral, imagination, still life, experimental paintings

"Imagination", 11x14, oil on linen panel

Sometimes it is good to just experiment. There is a liberating quality about not caring too much how a painting will come out.

In this case, I took a painting that was unsuccessful and  covered it with an orangish wash. Then I just used my imagination to create some semblance of forms and.... Voila! A painting is made.

I didn't fret over value, color or edges. I just painted.

While this is not a masterpiece, it proves to me that 'letting go' is a good thing on my artistic journey.

"A Robert Frost Moment" 8x8, oil on linen, snow, winter scenes, winter wonderland, snowfall, kids and sleds, Robert Frost, stopping by the woods

"A Robert Frost Moment" 8x8, oil on linen

It's been a while since I created a new blog post. Everything in life takes time, and blogging is no exception. I used to love blogging. What happened to my creativity?

How does one lose their creative spirit , I wonder?

I think it is a number of factors, at least for me.

For now, at least I am blogging. That's something. This painting was done a few days ago, and as I painted it I could not help but think of a Robert Frost poem that I've loved since childhood.

And although there's no horse, you can probably guess which one it is.

If you would like to purchase this painting, it is available through my website.

Happy New Year. Hope you have a chance to stop in the woods on a snowy evening and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a freshly fallen snow.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

BY ROBERT FROST

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.