"Friends and Neighbors", 10x20, oil on linen, classical realism, pears, grapes, Maryanne Jacobsen art, still life

"Friends and Neighbors", 10x20, oil on linen

Sometimes I think it is important for me to paint something that is more in line with the classical tradition.

I tend to prefer "looser" work, but I much admire the artists who render so beautifully fruits , flowers and vases in the tradition of the Old Masters. This was my attempt at a "serious" painting. and while I am serious about all my work, I hope you all know what I mean!

"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

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"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!

"Pumpkin Season", 10x20, oil on panel, HAskell's Farm, plein air Brandywine Valley, Children's Beach House, barns, bank barns, autumn, pumpkins, autumn landscapes, MAryanne Jacobsen art

"Pumpkin Season", 10x20, oil on panel

This is one of two paintings that I did last week on the first day of the Plein Air Brandywine Valley competition, benefiting the Children's Beach House in Lewes, Delaware. This turned out to be my favorite painting of the week because I think it epitomizes the beauty of the Brandywine Valley in October, and I felt like I was able to capture that beauty.

Fall has always been my favorite time of year and so I enjoy traveling back to my home state of Pennsylvania each year for this annual event. The problem for me that first day was choosing between painting Jaime Wyeth's fabulous property  or Haskell's Farm in Chadds Ford, which I had heard from other painters was a real treat. Since I had been to the Wyeth property before I decided on the new venture and was happily rewarded with a plethora of subjects to choose from including farm equipment, stables, horses willing to pose, an old cottage and this magnificent bank barn.I chose the barn because of the dramatic light and shadow pattern created  in the afternoon sun.

The entire week we had gorgeous weather- a treat for this Floridian who has been accustomed to wearing thick wool socks and gloves each year at the event.

If you have any interest in this painting, feel free to send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, and thanks for visiting my blog.

"Shrimper's Sunrise", 10x20, oil on linen, Shem's Creek, Palm Avenue Fine Art, Charleston, South Carolina, American Impressionist Society, shrimp boats, bleu boats, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art, sunrise

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"Shrimper's Sunrise", 10x20, oil on linen

This painting was done from a photo I took of the shrimp boats at Shem's Creek in the early hours of daybreak. I was fortunate to have had a painting juried into the prestigious American Inpressionist Society show at the M Gallery in Charleston, South Carolina, and I made the most of the opportunity by taking a workshop from fabulous Master Impressionist Kenn Backhaus. Kenn took us over to Shrimp Boat Lane at Shem's Creek on Mt. Pleasant Island where we painted all day and I fell in love with all the magical nautical scenes.

The plein air sketches I did that day have sold- which is a good indication that I loved the scenery!!!! This one was painted later, from a photo, and it sold recently through the fabulous Palm Avenue Fine Art Gallery in Sarasota, Florida.

I used a limited palette of Yellow ochre, Lemon Yellow, Napthol Red, Permanent Magenta, Ultramarine Blue and Viridian, plus white for this one.When I commit myself to a limited palette I'm always successful and need to do this more often!

"Inspiration Point", 10x20, oil on linen, paintings of Yosemite, Inspiration Point, Maryanne Jacobsen art, palette knife

"Inspiration Point", 10x20, oil on linen

It was rather daunting to attempt to paint a place that has been imortalized by the likes of Albert Bierstadt, Ansel Adams and Thomas Hill, but after some coaxing from my husband, I decided to go ahead and give it an effort.

We visited Yosemite National Park back in April, and spent three lovely days there hiking and enjoying the beauty of this incredible place. Normally the road leading up to Glacier Point is closed in April because of snow, but there was very little snow in Yosemite this winter, so we were able to go all the way up and enjoy the splendor 7,000 feet up!

Inspiration Point is a popular spot to stop as you drive into the valley because from there you can see El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and other highlights of the park. I forced my husband, son and daughter-in-law to stop there each time we went through in order to capture the different light effects throughout the day.

This was a morning shot and although pretty, it was harder to see the falls. We did miss the wildflowers unfortunately, because the Meadows were still closed, but there's always next time!

The painting was painted with a palette knife and has nice impasto throughout. I hope you enjoy it and if you've never visited Yosemite, put it on your bucket list!

"Peony Party", 10x20, oil on linen, paintings of peonies, Maryanne Jacobsen art, white peonies, pink peonies, summer flowers

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"Peony Party", 10x20, oil on linen

I always look forward to June when I know the peonies are blooming up north. That means that they'll soon be making their way to markets further south. It's a short season, so I have been on the lookout since May.

As soon as we came back from Boston, (where I saw dozens of peonies, by the way!) I found what I was looking for in a local supermarket.

So I've been painting peonies over the past few days. Here' my favorite of the three paintings that I did. I decided to call it "Peony party" because the brightly colored place-mats that I set them on gave the set-up a festive feel.

If you love peonies as much as I do, enjoy!

Days of Wine and Roses, 10x20, oil on linen, wine roses, pears, grapes, floral, Galerie du Soleil

"Days of Wine and Roses", 10x20

I painted this one recently from life and found it challenging. The grapes, the wine glass, the roses- nothing about this painting came together easily for me.

Did you ever notice that that's how it is with art? Some pieces sort of fall together without effort and then there are those that we just persevere with until we get a somewhat satisfying outcome.

At least I was happy with this outcome after messing with it a few thousand times.

"Days of Wine and Roses" is available through Galerie du Soleil.

"Dawn on Shrimp Boat Lane", 10x20, oil, Shem's Creek, Charleston, south carolina, shrimp boats, dawn, water views, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Dawn on Shrimp Boat Lane", 10x20, oil

This painting was done from a photo I took of the shrimpers at Shem's creek, Charleston in the early hours of daybreak. I'm not sure if the painting is done or not. I think it needs to percolate for awhile so I can digest what else is needed.

I used a limited palette of Yellow ochre, Lemon Yellow, Napthol Red, Permanent Magenta, Ultramarine Blue and Viridian, plus white. I think I really needed Cerulean to set off some of the passages, but once I committed to those colors I didn't want to introduce a new color.

The choices one makes while creating a painting are endless!

"Petal Dance", 10x20, oil on wrapped canvas, impressionism, impasto, palette knife florals, sunflowers

SOLD

"Petal Dance", 10x20, oil on wrapped canvas


Lots of thick paint in this floral. Please email me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if you would like more information about this painting.

Please visit my website at Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art to see more of my original oil paintings.