"Classic Elegance", 12x9, oil on panel, paintings of old cars, classic cars, Auburn Speedster, Gatsby Era, Classic car painting, classic car buffs, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, luxury cars

 "Classic Elegance", 12x9, oil on panel

I love old cars. They are so classy and fun to paint. I haven't painted any old cars in a really long time, so yesterday, I decided that I wanted to paint something different from my usual, and I chose to try my hand at painting this beautiful old classic car.

The car depicted is an Auburn Speedster from about 1936. In the world of classic cars, there are few that can match the sheer elegance and style of this one.  With its sleek lines, powerful engine, and undeniable charisma, this iconic automobile remains a symbol of luxury and sophistication to this day. These cars made a social statement with their beautiful lines, and were fitted with a supercharger, the engine output measuring 150 horsepower. This allowed the Speedster to reach top speeds of over 100 miles per hour!

That's pretty remarkable for a car built in 1936!

These cars were the brainchild of Auburn Automobile company, located in Auburn, Indiana, and you can still see some of them today at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum.

The 1936 Auburn Speedster is more than just a classic car; it's a symbol of an era when automotive design reached new heights.

If you are an old car buff, interested in owning a version of your own Auburn Speedster, this little gem is available through my website. You can purchase it directly  here.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed this short history of the enduring allure of classic cars, and the shining example of luxury and elegance imbued in the Auburn Speedster!

"Coffee Break", 12x9, oil on panel, coffee, chocolate, still life, painting ellipses, paint study, Ghirardelli chocolate, kitchen art, food art, kitchen decor

 "Coffee Break", 12x9, oil on panel

Lately, I have decided to work on improving my drawing skills, since drawing is such an integral part of painting well.

Today, I wanted to work on ellipses, because they are such an important part of still life painting. Actually, they are an important part of all styles of painting!

Take a lake filled with waterlilies, for instance. You simply cannot paint those waterlilies successfully unless you can paint an ellipse and understand how they change with perspective. Here is one of Claude Monet's famous waterlily paintings:

Notice how the shape of the flower changes as it goes back in perspective.

So I set up a still life with some ellipses in it, and worked on it all day. Yes indeed those things are hard to paint accurately! (At least for me.)

I love the little French sugar bowl and lid that my daughter-in-law gave me a while back, and so I included that in the picture as well as some Ghirardelli chocolate! Yum.

In the end, I think I made some progress in painting ellipses from an overhead perspective.

Maybe, I'll work on some water lilies next....

This painting is available through my website, under the "little gems" collection. Or send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if interested in purchasing a little coffee and chocolate.

Jake's Crab Boat, 12x9, oil, plein air, Blackburn Point, Osprey Florida, Crab boat, paintings of old boats, Southwest Florida scenes

 Jake's Crab Boat, 12x9, oil, plein air

I painted this depiction of an old crab boat on the intercostal waterway at Blackburn Point, Osprey Florida about ten years ago. Sadly, that little piece of land looks much different today, thanks to development.

That is the good thing about painting on location. You can capture beloved scenes and places before they disappear for good. I painted there a few times with friends. Afterwards, we'd go to a little fish hut on the other side of the bridge and have lunch. Those are pleasant memories.

I held on to this painting for ten years, just because I enjoyed painting that day, and felt I had had a successful outcome. But now it is for sale for only $100, through my website.

Go here to purchase!