"Fond Memories", 12x24, oil, house portrait, commissions, paintings of family homes, Cape Cod, seaside homes, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Fond Memories", 12x24, oil

I was recently commissioned to paint a memento of a very special family home that was about to be sold. The house, on Cape Cod, held many pleasant memories for my client and thus it needed to be memorialized in paint.

Painting a portrait of something as near and dear to a person as a family home is always a bit stressful for me, but in my past experiences the outcome has been worth my stress as the owners are always joyful to have a little concrete memory to retain.

I took my time with this one, studied the photographs, made preliminary sketches in pencil and even painted a small 9x12 paint sketch to make sure I had thoroughly familiarized myself with my subject matter. In the end, my client was very happy with the painting and so for me it was well worth the effort.

If you would like a portrait of your own family home painted, just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com and we can discuss the process!

"Summer Garden, Provincetown", 8x10, oil, Cape Cod, Provincetown, beautiful gardens, summer gardens, New England gardens

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"Summer Garden, Provincetown", 8x10, oil

Provincetown is always a fun place to visit and although the summer crowds make travel on Cape Cod somewhat challenging, seeing all the beautiful gardens in full bloom make it well worth the effort.

Took a bunch of pictures last summer when I was up there for the American Women Artists exhibit in Orleans and finally took them out today and chose one to paint.

Cape Cod was the very first place that my hubby and I chose as a vacation destination when we were first married 44 years ago. Things have changed a lot since then, but the Cape, and Provincetown in particular, will always hold a special place in my heart.

"The Penniman House", 9x12, oil on linen, the Penniman House, whaling industry, Cape Cod, Eastham, Cape Cod National Seashore, American Women Artists, Addison Gallery, Maryanne Jacobsen art, French architecture

"The Penniman House", 9x12, oil on linen

Last summer I was in Orleans, Cape Cod, for the American Women Artists exhibit at The Addison Gallery. We had some free time and as luck would have it, we came upon the  Penniman House, perched on a hill off the main road in Eastham.

The Penniman House is a fine example of French second empire architecture. It was built on Cape Cod in 1868 by Captain Edward Penniman, who made his fortune through the Whaling Industry. He would travel across the world many times, hunting the massive "leviathans of the deep".

If you are in the Eastham/Orleans area this summer, stop by and see this once magnificent house. There are daily tours and nearby and up the hill is a lovely spit of land overlooking an inlet, where you can picnic, or paint! Read more about the home and the whaling industry here .

I will confess that this little painting almost drove me nuts. I don't often paint architecture, and the perspective involved in this one was rather daunting. I almost wiped this one down half a dozen times, but I kept at it and finally finished it.

This morning I was reading the bible and I opened up to Psalm 104. As I read it, I was enthralled by the beautiful descriptions of God's magnificence as demonstrated through the awesomeness of creation. I especially liked this verse: "There is the sea, vast and spacious,
    teeming with creatures beyond number—
    living things both large and small.
26 There the ships go to and fro,
    and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

 I thought about that verse today as I considered the whaling Captain's house, and how the captain himself would smell the sea salt from the Atlantic Ocean and out of habit scan the white-capped horizon from the top of his hill in search of a whale's spout. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about the Penniman House. Thanks for checking in!  

"Straitsmouth Cove, Rockport"-plein air, 9x12, oil on panel, Rockport Massachusetts, Cape Ann, New England seascapes, impressionism, rocks, Atlantic Ocean, American Women Artists,Maryanne JAcobsen fine art

"Straitsmouth Cove, Rockport"-plein air,  9x12, oil on panel

I recently attended the American Women Artists Show at the Addison Gallery in Orleans, Massachusetts. Cape Cod is a wonderful place for an art exhibit as there is beauty everywhere and lovely shops and art galleries throughout Cape Cod.

A very special thank-you to Helen Addison, of the Addison Gallery for hosting the AWA show. The exhibit was breathtaking and I was very honored to be included in this prestigious national show for the second consecutive year. The show will run through September 15th, so if you are on the Cape, please stop by and view this magnificent show. There are still many lovely pieces available for purchase, too!

After returning to the Boston area, we spent some time on Cape Ann, in Rockport, long known by impressionist artists for its incredible light and dramatic scenery. My husband and I return here every summer to enjoy the best weather and scenery that New England has to offer!

The weather was more than cooperative this past week and I was able to do some plein air painting every single day. The painting above was done a few days ago at Straitsmouth Cove, right off of Marmion way in Rockport. I was attracted by the beautiful cool blues in the ambient light and used the house on the hill as a focal point.

A perfect plein air morning!