"Little white Church", 10x12, oil on panel, boca grande, little white churches, island art, palm trees, tropical art, church on the island, Lady of Mercy Catholic Church

 "Little White Church ", 10x12, oil on panel

I used to love painting outdoors (en plein air) until a couple nasty bouts with skin cancer discouraged me from continuing. But the really unique thing about painting on site is that the experience of painting that scene stays in your memory for a long time afterwards. Which makes it easier to go back into the studio and paint the scene again. 

I painted this church some years ago and I remember the challenges I had to deal with then, such as the raking palm shadows on the building, and the many palm trees that had to be dealt with. I think I did a pretty good job with the little plein air piece, and it did in fact sell quickly.

So today I decided to paint it again, and while the challenges were still the same, the process went quicker because I remembered the experience.

Here is a photo of the little painting I did on location:

This little church is a favorite spot for the artists that come and paint on the island of Boca Grande. If you are interested in the painting, just send me a quick email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

"Boca Beauty", 12x16, oil, Boca Grande, Our LAdy of Mercy Catholic church, wedding gifts, art as gifts, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art, bougainvillea, queen palms, little white church, Old Florida

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"Boca Beauty", 12x16, oil

Over the weekend I took a ride to Gasparilla Island, a pretty little island in Southwest Florida and home to Boca Grande, an upscale community on the Gulf where life is fashionable and golf carts are the transportation of choice. It didn't take me long to settle on a place to paint.

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church is a favorite haunt of plein air painters there, mostly because of the six queen oaks and flagrantly beautiful bougainvillea that cascades along the wall in front of the church.

I had only been painting for about an hour and a half when a wedding party showed up at the church. Surprise surprise. Who wouldn't choose such a pretty little church for a wedding on a balmy Saturday?

My painting wasn't finished, but I knew it was pointless to try to continue with all the traffic.

 So yesterday I decided to paint the scene while it was fresh in my mind, using the plein air study for color and value references. Here's the 8x10 plein air study:

I actually liked the light better when I first started the painting, because it streamed sidewise across the front of the church and the front wall was in shadow. But I did not take a photo of that scene so I had to use the photo from when I stopped painting to guide me on the light and shadows. Oh well.

 From what I understand, this little white church and Boca Grande in general is a favorite wedding spot, and it's obvious why! A gorgeous island and a beautiful little white church. What's not to like?

If you have any interest in either the 8x10 inch study, or the 12x16 inch studio work, just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com. It would certainly make a nice wedding gift, now wouldn't it?