"Four Dog's Afternoon", 12x16, oil on copper panel, Four Dogs Tavern, paintings on copper, quickdraw, Marshalton, Pennsylvania, plein air Brandywine valley, historic buildings , interesting architecture, Chester county Pennsylvania paintings, Maryanne Jacobsen original art

"Four Dog's Afternoon", 12x16, oil on copper panel

Just returned from a fun week of painting in Pennsylvania with the Plein Air Brandywine Valley festival which benefits the Children's Beach House.

It's an event I look forward to, because it gives me an opportunity to paint in the beautiful fall weather in a gorgeous countryside that I  know well.

One of the highlights of the week was the Quick Draw event, in which painters are required to complete a painting in two hours and have it framed and hung for the public display. The event was held in the scenic and historic village of Marshallton, which is just outside of West Chester Pa.

I chose to paint at the Four Dogs Tavern because it has always been our favorite restaurant to visit with friends and family when we lived in Chester County, and now whenever we happen to be in the area. The tavern once served as a stables for the historic Marshalton Inn which is right across the driveway.

The afternoon was sunny and fairly warm and  I enjoyed portraying this old building because it has come to reflect many happy memories over the years of gatherings with friends and loved ones.

To learn more about the little town of MArshallton and its history, here is a very interesting article: Living History: A tale of two names, Marshallton and the Marshalton Inn 

To inquire about the painting, just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"1887 Church", plein air, 11x14, Paint the Town, Manatee Village, Bradenton Florida, historic buildings, Art Center Manatee, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"1887 Church", plein air, 11x14, oil on board
(This painting received an honorable mention in Paint the Town -Bradenton, Florida )



Last week I participated in Paint the Town in downtown Bradenton, Florida. This Paint-out is in it's 5th or 6th year and it is the 3rd or 4th year that I have participated, but happily it was the first year that I received a ribbon for my efforts!


The judge this year was esteemed artist and illustrator Bill Farnsworth. There were many other wonderful plein air artists that participated in the competition including Katie Dobson-Cundiff, Karen Hitt, Joseph Melancon, and Susie Covert to name a few, so I was incredibly pleased to have received recognition amongst so much talent.

The Paint-Out began with a quick draw last weekend at the Riverwalk, which I chose not to participate in due to the distance from my house to the Quick Draw site. (A good artist knows her limitations and I am definitely NOT a morning person!)

I went out the following day to paint in downtown Bradenton, only to find I'd forgotten my paintbrushes! A wasted day, alas, but a lesson learned in checking supplies!

Monday had mixed skies, and although I painted on downtown Main Street, I was not happy with the results. Tuesday was crazy with torrential rains at Cortez fishing village, where I went to paint that day. (More about that in a different post!)

Finally on Wednesday, the last day of the Paint-out, the skies were hot, humid but sunny and I knew I had a shot at a decent painting. I headed out to historic Manatee Village. Here's what you can find there from their website:

Step back into time at the Manatee Village Historical Park. Visit this collection of restored buildings from Manatee County’s settlement history and experience life in Manatee County before the arrival of modern conveniences such as automobiles and electricity. The Manatee Village Historical Park is a joint project of the Manatee County Historical Commission, Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court, the Manatee County Board of County Commission, and the City of Bradenton.

I decided to paint the beautiful old church there, which dates from 1887 and has housed many special events over its long history. There is currently a restoration process in progress regarding its steeple. I was drawn to its simple, unassuming lines and the fact that it had housed so many happy events over its long history in Bradenton. The shadows on the church are perfect in the afternoon and the palm trees beside it langished in deep shadow against the hot sun in the western sky.

I completed the painting in 2 and a half hours and you can see it yourself at Art Center Manatee until October 30th. I was delighted to receive an honorable mention from judge Bill Farnsworth for my efforts.