"Checking out the Brushwork", 8x10,museum, people in museums, impressionist art, Philadelphia museum of art, art lovers

 "Checking out the Brushwork", 8x10

I love to go to museums not only to see the artwork, but to checkout the people. You see people of every age, shape and ethnicity in various attire. This couple caught my eye at The Philadelphia Museum of Art because they were so well dressed, and I enjoyed watching the husband follow his wife around, like a little puppy dog, (well maybe a big puppy dog), as she studied the brush work in every painting. This painting is available through my website here.

Thanks for looking!

"Antique Copper Cup with Meyer Lemons and Pink Roses", 11x14, pink roses, antique copper, meyer lemons, still life Maryanne Jacobsen art, impressionist art

SOLD

"Antique Copper Cup with Meyer Lemons and Pink Roses", 11x14

I found the coolest copper cup at an antique mall in Maine one day. In case you don't know, Maine has the very BEST antique malls and they are everywhere!

Anyway, I brought it out today and set up a still life in my studio. It was a drab rainy day and it's been that way all week!

Here's my set-up:

I kind of wish I had added some blue to the set-up, but oh well. The green and purple harmonize pretty well. 

Have a good weekend, folks! Email me if you are interested in this painting at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"The Good Book", 12x16, oil on board, books, gardens, simple pleasures, ladies in hats, garden settings, Impressionist art

SOLD

"The Good Book", 12x16, oil on board
(Note: "The Good Book" received an honorable mention in the Venice Art Center's 2013 portrait and figurative exhibit.)

Thought I'd revisit this scene of a photo of myself taken a couple years back and try a larger version of it. I've painted it a couple times before in small formats, and I thought it might be fun to try it again. (Note: all of the smaller versions are sold, but you can check them out here, here and here.)

Many have forgotten the joy of a good book in these hectic modern times that we live in.Technology seems to be stealing those simple pleasures from us, as our lives become increasingly filled with the monotony of keeping up with voicemails, emails, Facebook and Twitter. My good friend Diana recently commented that his scene draws us into it, and also takes us back to the way things were. She went on to say that, "Its nice to see her without a cell phone, a kindle or an ipad on the table. "

I confess that I don't own any of those things. Oh, and I still collect beautiful bookmarks!

Thanks for looking and have a good weekend.

"The Good Book" is available through Gallery 444.

"Red Door, Legare Street", 12x16, oil on board, Charleston, South Carolina scenes, architecture, homes, beautiful homes in Charleston, red door, dappled light

SOLD

"Red Door, Legare Street", 12x16, oil on board

While we were in Charleston for the AIS show, my hubby and I took a horse and buggy ride through the streets of Charleston. Charleston is a beautiful city ,and this was our second carriage ride through the historic  streets of Charleston. I remembered many of the same houses from a few years back, but one in particular caught my eye.

As a lover of color, I was smitten with this beautiful house at #10 Legare Street. Not only is the architecture gorgeous, but since it had a red door  I knew I would have to go back and take a photo of it, so I could paint it.

As luck would have it, there were beautiful dappled shadows across the building in the afternoon light and a little kitty was passing through as well!

We caught a quick photo, and that served as the reference for this painting. I decided to use Kenn Erroll Backhaus's palette for this painting, since I so loved his painting that was in the AIS show and the building was sort of reminiscent of that. Being a wishful thinker, I had hoped that somehow, if I used his palette, my painting would come out as lovely as his!

Okay, I have quite a way to go yet, but overall, I was not too displeased with the painting. One thing that stood in my mind as I painted the dappled shadows was something Kenn told us during the workshop. He said to be very careful that you show that you are depicting either a THING, or the EFFECT of light on the thing. Keeping this in mind, I tried to keep the shadows soft, to create an effect, rather than a thing.

Thanks Kenn!

Happily, I found out this week, that my painting, "Dancing Queens and a Pear" sold on the opening night of the show. What a wonderful event it was and I was so pleased to be part of it.

If you are interested in this painting, just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"5th Hole- Pebble Beach Golf Links"-8x10, Pebble Beach Golf Course, paintings of pebble beach, leaning cypress, ice plants, pacific coastal art, golf pro art

SOLD

"5th Hole- Pebble Beach Golf Links"-8x10

Pebble Beach Golf Course is world-renowned. The best golfers the world over have played this course, including Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods!  I could understand why after taking a drive along the famous 17 mile drive that stretches from Carmel to Monterrey and along the beautiful Pacific Coast that the Pebble Beach Golf Course calls home. As we passed the course, we ran into a couple deer that were taking their time sauntering among the holes along with the golfers!

There was an abundance of gorgeous objects for an artist like myself to feast my eyes on, in addition to the deer, which included the wind-blown cypress tress, the spreading pink ice plants and golden poppies as well. Overall, the Pebble Beach area is not just a golfer's paradise, It is an artist's paradise as well!

PS: I'm now thinking of taking up golf!

If you have a dad or hubby who is a golf enthusiast, this painting would make a great Father's Day Gift! If he can't play at Pebble Beach, he can at least imagine it! Right?  (Sigh.)

If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, and please check out my website here.

"Valley Sunset", 8x10, oil on panel, eucalyptus tree, California art, sunsets, mountains, Impressionist art

SOLD

"Valley Sunset", 8x10, oil on panel

The third thing on my bucket list of things I absolutely had to paint while I was in California was a eucalyptus tree. In my mind, these tall, magnificent trees epitomize grace, mystery and resilience. Their wispy, lace-like leaves hang down in soft patterns, in much the same way that Spanish moss clings to the live oaks that we have here is the southeast.

On Saturday, we drove out to Julian, a western town  in San Diego county that came into being during the California gold rush. It hangs 4,000 feet above sea level and boasts bakeries, antique shops and old- Western style architecture  that attracts tourists. After walking around Julian and eating fresh baked apple pie, we drove back down the mountain to San Diego, just as a magnificent sunset appeared above magenta -colored hills. The sunset and surrounding countryside were breathtaking to behold and I did my best to memorize the moment as we traveled along the hillside.

On Monday, I went to Balboa Park to paint eucalyptus trees as there are literally dozens there. I only had an hour to paint so I wasn't able to complete the scene. Instead, I decided to encorporate my sunset memory with the wispy eucalptus tree  I had begun and what you see above is the result.

I cannot believe how inspiring the California landscape was for me. I do hope I can return there again before my days on earth are over!

If you would like to purchase "Valley sunset", please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"Me and My Teddy Bear", 8x8, oil on board, little girls, teddy bears, impressionist art

SOLD

"Me and My Teddy Bear", 8x8, oil on board

Sorry, this painting has been sold, but if you like it and would to commission something similar, jsut send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com

To see available paintings, please visit my website here.http://www.maryannejacobsen.com

"North Jetty Morning", plein air, 8x10 oil on board, plein air, Venice, Florida, impressionist art, beach, Southwest Florida art

SOLD

"North Jetty Morning", plein air study, 8x10 oil on board

I have not painted outdoors since late September, thanks to circumstances. This morning , however, I decided I was ready! Slathered with sunscreen and additionally armed with my new Tillie Hat, (skin cancer will change your painting habits!),  I decided to go out bright and early so I could get a quick painting in, before the Light Chasers had their first plein air demo by award-winning artist Hodges Soileau.

I snagged a great spot under some mangrove trees, so there was no chance of worrying about sun on my canvas. (Or on me!) There were many pelicans in the water early in the morning but I was painting very quickly and didn't manage to get any of the birds in my painting this time. However, I did manage to finish this in less than an hour!


Hodges demo was superb, as usual, and since I have taken quite a few of his workshops, I knew in advance that the artists unfamiliar with his teaching style were in for a treat! There were about 50 Light-Chasers that turned out for this awesome event!

How lucky are  the Light-Chasers (my plein air painting group) to have this beautiful setting, gorgeous weather, and amazing teachers to do demos for us under the mangrove trees!

After about two hours I went back to my spot to try to put finishing touches on my painting, but the light had changed radically and the rocks were covered with water. That's okay. I like the painting the way it is. It's alive. And my paintings have not been alive for a very long time.

Thank-you Lord for helping me get over my fear of painting outdoors!

And thanks to our fearless leader, Terry Mason, for all the selfless work she does to keep our Light Chasers outdoors and painting with the best!

"Early Morning Solitude", 36x48, oil on board, paintings of sailboats, Florida sunrises, sunsets, impressionist art

SOLD
"Early Morning Solitude", 36x48, oil on board

This is one of two commissioned paintings that I did recently for The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Naples Florida. I had to buy a new easel in order to accommodate such a large support , so I bought a St. Remy studio easel. You can read reviews about the easel here, if you are looking for a large easel that can accommodate very large supports. The down side to this easel is that the assembly instructions were very difficult to understand and it took my husband and I two days to put it together.

The painting was done with a palette knife and took a lot of paint! Then came the drying time and the problem of shipping! I'd love to hear how other artists ship large works as I found Fed Ex very difficult to deal with when I shipped this. They did not have a box large enough to fit the painting and insisted that it be crated. Am happy this is done and am looking forward to seeing it hung!

To see more of my original paintings, please visit my official website here.

Motherhood, 16x20, oil on linen, by Maryanne Jacobsen

SOLD"Motherhood", 16x20, oil on linen

I had painted this same scene about a year ago, in a much smaller format, (9x12) Without going into a lot of detail about the circumstances, the painting ended up looking very different from my original intentions, thanks to the fact that I doubted my own abilities. So for a long time I had wanted to do another one, this time in a larger format, but the weeks and months just passed me by.

Always daunted by the prospect of attempting figurative work, I procrastinated until yesterday. Ironically, I was right smack in the middle of checking the values of the grisaille when the phone rang. It was my sister , informing me that my mother is not expected to live more than a few more days. It was the memories of my sweet, lovely mother than kept me painting late last night, long after I knew it was time to stop.

I finished the painting today, knowing that time was not on my side in terms of continuing to paint wet into wet.

Perhaps I'll eventually go back and refine it further. I do see some things that I'd like to change. But overall, I know it is a good painting in spite of the haste I exerted in order to complete it. I used David Leffel's palette because I have come to realize that there are times to push color and there are times when you shouldn't push the color. And I just wanted this painting to be soft and peaceful. David Leffel's palette consists of colors that I rarely use, like burnt umber, terra rosa, raw umber and naples yellow. Until I become an expert at flesh tones, these earth tones make it easier for me to do a more natural portraiture than using pure color.

Motherhood is not for the feint of heart. As a child growing up in Philadelphia, I recall that there was never one day in my childhood that I did not come home from school to a clean house, a healthy supper and freshly washed and ironed clothes. I feel very sorry for the children of today, many of whom know neither what it's like to have a home-cooked meal or to have two parents. It is not the fault of the mothers that must go out to work. But, it is where we have come as a society, as a result of circumstances beyond our control , that has brought us to the state where children rarely have the same luxuries that I myself experienced and that is very sad.

A huge thank-you to Sara and Ashley and Ellie. Without all three of you this painting could not have come about. That being said, I am dedicating the painting to you, mom, because I could not have painted it without thinking good thoughts of you throughout. Thank-you, mother, du fond de mon coeur, for all that you did to make me the person that I am today.

I love you.

Paintings of Chester Springs, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, paintings of Acadia National Park, MAine art,contemporary impressionism, art blogs, paintings of MAine,alla prima,palette knife paintings,palette knife oil paintings,affordable original oil paintings,palette knife florals,christmas art gifts>,a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, floral impressionist paintings, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, affordable Maine art, original light house paintings,alla prima,palette knife paintings,palette knife oil paintings,affordable original oil paintings,affordable original art,colorist art>,

paintings of New England, Maine seascapes, lighthouse art , affordable original art, paintings of bayous, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, Florida art, Gulf coast paintings,paintings of swamps,Maryanne Jacobsen paintings, impasto paintings.
Small original oil paintings, Paintings of horse farms, paintings of Chester Springs Pennsylvania, paintings of ponds and lakes, impressionist painting of Chester County,contemporary impressionist original oil paintings,one of a kind paintings,paintings of Chester County horse farms>,

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, paintings of Mothers and Babies, Motherhood art,contemporary impressionism, art blogs, Children's Defense Fund,alla prima,palette knife paintings,palette knife oil paintings,affordable original oil paintings,palette knife florals,christmas art gifts>,a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, floral impressionist paintings, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, affordable Maine art, original light house paintings,alla prima,palette knife paintings,palette knife oil paintings,affordable original oil paintings,affordable original art,colorist art>,

paintings of New England, Maine seascapes, lighthouse art , affordable original art, paintings of bayous, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, Florida art, Gulf coast paintings,paintings of swamps,Maryanne Jacobsen paintings, impasto paintings.

"Motif#1-the Old Lobster Shack", 20x16, oil on linen, Rockport lobster shack, Motif #1, by Maryanne Jacobsen

"Motif #1-the old Lobster Shack", 20x16, oil on linen (Note: Please click on the photo if you would like to see the impasto.)

Funny, when I saw the old red lobster shack at Bearskin Neck in Rockport, Massachusetts, for the first time last Sunday morning, it seemed like an old friend. I knew immediately that I had to paint it!

The weather was raw, but I knew I wanted to return to this wonderful spot, and so we did. We returned on Thursday and the weather was now dazzling- about 70 degrees with fair skies. My hubby took a picture of the famous lobster shack just as the sun was sinking on the horizon. The light quality was spectacular, and I knew I needed to paint this dazzling old thing as soon as I could. The boat was a problem. Gorgeous as it is, I don't like to paint boats. But I did it, since it was in the picture. The painting was done with a palette knife and has gobs of expensive thick paint throughout, so I priced it accordingly.

This scene is an icon around the world. Known as Motif #1, it is a favorite subject for artists past, present and to come. I hope I did it justice. As the saying goes,"Buckley owned it,Lester G. Hornby named it, but Thieme proclaimed it!" All three of these artists were celebrated members of the wonderful Rockport Art Association, which was founded in 1921. The building is lovely, old New England in style with cornflower blue shutters. It was closed when I was there, but hopefully I'll be back to walk its hallowed halls someday.

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, plein air paintings, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, art blogs, after Van Gogh,alla prima,palette knife paintings,palette knife oil paintings,affordable original oil paintings,palette knife florals,colorist art>,a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, floral impressionist paintings, colorist art,fish shack painting, affordable Maine art, original light house paintings,alla prima,palette knife paintings,palette knife oil paintings,affordable original oil paintings,affordable original art,colorist art>,

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, paintings of bayous, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, Florida art, Gulf coast paintings,paintings of swamps,Maryanne Jacobsen paintings, impasto paintings.

Sunlit Courtyard, 12x16, oil on board

SOLD

"Sunlit Courtyard", 12x16, oil on board

I remember doing this painting about three years ago when I was pretty much a novice painter. It was done with a palette knife only and has passages of colorful texture throughout. Subtle but impressionistic, I pitted purple against yellow when I painted it.

paintings of sunny courtyards, Daily paintings, palette knife art , affordable original art, colorful paintings of California, color lovers art,art blogs, Maryanne Jacobsen paintings,paintings with impasto

palette knife paintings of doors, impressionistic street scene painting, contemporary impressions , paintings of people, inexpensive original oil paintings, Florida art

Opening of plein air exhibit this week...

The Little Blue House, 12x16, oil on linen on board,





This is one of the paintings that I will be offering for sale in an exhibit of 13 Southwest Florida plein air painters. The exhibit opens next week in Sarasota, Florida, at the Women's Resource Center and will run until the end of March. If you happen to be in the Sarasota area, please stop by and see this colorful exhibit! Press release below includes additional information regarding opening reception as well as the names of the other artists in the exhibit.

There will be an exciting new plein air art exhibit at the Women’s Resource Center in Sarasota from February 7th to March 27th, 2008, which will feature recent works by thirteen well-known local plein air artists including talented artist and teacher Julie Hanson, a graduate of the Ringling College of Art, whose award-winning works have been featured at Art Uptown, Art Center Sarasota, the Venice Art Center, and Art Center Manatee, among others.
The exhibit titled, “The Colors of Florida and Beyond” will feature an eclectic mix of vibrantly colored and wonderfully textured plein air landscapes that have been sensitively rendered by Julie Hanson and her circle of plein air painters, that include Betsy Bisson, John Blue, Shirley Carron, Chris Torgerson Dibble, Heidi Gaudry, Penny Hendry, Maryanne Jacobsen, Sally Birnkrandt Myers, Dorothy Nichols, Ingrid Seals, Karen Williams, and Anita Zimmerman. These thirteen plein air painters represent a wonderfully diverse national and international mix of backgrounds and artistic accomplishments, and their works portray a refreshing and jewel-like array of paintings after the tradition of the French Impressionists. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, February 7th from 5 to 7PM, which will feature music, refreshments and door prizes that include an opportunity to win an original piece of artwork. For additional information regarding exhibit times, please contact the Women’s Resource Center directly at (941)366-1700, or artist Julie Hanson for more info at (941) 923-1293.

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable art, impressionist paintings,Paintings of Florida, paintings of Sarasota scenes,Florida landscapes,colorist art,contemporary Art, plein air Florida paintings,palette knife paintings, Paintings by Maryanne Jacobsen.

After Argenteuil- remembering Monet

SOLD


"After Argenteuil", 8x10, oil on canvas


I think the hubby and I are done road-tripping for a while and after returning home last night I was anxious to paint. It's funny, but having been away from daily painting for over a month- I felt LOST today when I took out my paints!


I hardly knew where to begin. Finally, in desperation, I focused on what I think I know best- the French Impressionists. Their time at Argenteuil was fruitful. This painting was for me as well , as it marked the very first time in my history that I felt that I'd actually done a true IMPRESSIONIST painting. Most of my paintings are a cross between, impressionism, realism and expressionism. My artist friends have called my work New Age art, though I don't consider that a compliment. I've been painting now since the Spring of 2005- a little more than 2 years, and just about a year and a half with oils, so I shouldn't be too hard on myself. But having had the opportunity to travel to different galleries lately and see the works of other artists, I do find that I envy artists who began their careers at an early age and had the benefit of extensive training. I know I need to continue to work on my technique.


In the end, I would like to think that It's all coming out the way I suppose it was meant to come out, my art included!

I'd like to thank all the wonderful people who began collecting my paintings this year. It was a good year for me- and proved to me that I should continue to paint as people obviously enjoy the work that I produce. With a miserable economy here in the US, I only hope that people will continue to collect art which makes them feel happy, and I for one will endeavor to keep my prices low to permit middle class collectors to own an original oil painting composed by a person who only has a small number of good years to produce works that she and her collectors can be proud of.





a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable original art, paintings of Argenteuil, colorist art,contemporary impressionism, Monet's Argenteuil, French seascapes.

The Poppy Field, Impressionist oil painting

SOLD
"The Poppy Field", 7x9, oil on canvas - Note:) Please click on the painting to see more detail.)
This was one of those cool paintings that painted itself.I love when that happens!

a Painting a day, Daily painters, original art , affordable art, painting of poppy field, colorist art,contemporary impressionism.