"French Shutters", 22x28, oil on canvas, large painting, palette knife art, vivid color, green shutters, French window, flowers on the windowsill

"French Shutters", 22x28, oil on wrapped canvas (available framed for an additional cost)

Bienvenue means welcome in French and this painting welcomes the viewer into a sunlit street in an old village in France, or even Italy. The painting was painted about 10 years ago, when I painted with thick impasto, in the colorist tradition. I first painted the scene as a commission for an Italian Restaurant in New York, and had so much fun painting it, that I painted it again!  The painting has thick, rich textures, and the image does not do it justice. 

If you are interested in "French Shutters", send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com

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Fresh Flowers, Fading Light, 18x18, oil on canvas, paintings of fresh flowers, original oil paintings, Maryanne Jacobsen art, hydrangea, roses, window seat, Galerie du Soleil, impressionist still life

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"Fresh Flowers, Fading Light", 18x18 oil on wrapped canvas

This painting was begun outdoors in my garden, but since the weather did not cooperate, I ended up bringing the whole set-up indoors. This of course, drastically changed the light direction and temperature. I did my best to retain the sunniness of the morning light when the painting was started, but it didn't work. So as the evening light emerged, I made the decision to re-vamp the painting in the new light conditions, and I wasn't displeased with the result.

This painting is available through Galerie du Soleil in downtown Naples, Florida. Please call them at (239)417-3450 for pricing information.

"Morning Blues", 16x20, oil on canvas, blue, hydrangeas, blue florals, Maryanne Jacobsen art, impressionist florals, outdoor florals, blue bottles, blue flowers

"Morning Blues", 16x20, oil on canvas

Another backyard floral completed yesterday! I am having a ball painting florals en plein air as I have the luxury of completing them indoors through a photograph when the light changes too much to continue to work outside. As an avid plein air painter, this is a wonderful chance to paint objects in outdoor light under controlled conditions.

I recently experienced a very negative experience painting on a windy boat dock, with some of my valued stuff flying off the deck and into the water while continually holding onto the easel (and my balance) for dear life! For less experienced plein air painters, I highly recommend trying a floral set-up in your backyard, patio, deck or whatever. You can leave it there overnight and return to it the next day, (As I did with Au Printemps) or finish it up indoors when the weather gets too hot or the bugs get too nasty. Best of both worlds!

This one was begun last Friday in Katie Cundiff's back yard, and although the morning light was a little dull, the weather was altogether pleasant. The birds were singing, fish and frogs were flapping about in the pond, and every now and then a pair of sandhill cranes would stroll by. Katie has been mentoring a group of artists every Friday in the methods of painting florals after the syle of Ovanes Berberian. Overall, I am still struggling with the technique and the preparation time as well as the copious amounts of paint requred to paint this way. But enjoying it nonetheless. I finished this painting up in my home studio yesterday. Ever though the paint had dried I was able to finish it somewhat successfully and I wasn't displeased with the outcome.

To see Ovanes work, you can go here, and to visit Katie's website and see her beautiful work, go here.

"Au Printemps", 14x18, oil on canvas, springtime floral, oil , impressionism, red geraniums art, red apples and flowers, brass pot, begonias, impressionist florals, Florida plein air, Maryanne Jacobsen original art

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"Au Printemps", 14x18, oil on canvas, plein air

It's spring here in Florida and what glorious weather we've been having! So glorious that I recently decided to go out and buy this cute little bistro set and do some outdoor florals in my own back-yard. (In Florida they're called lanais, because they are screened in areas that prevent mosquitos from eating you alive.)

So I created this pretty set-up on my lanai last week with a huge pot of geraniums atop my new bistro set and another pot of begonias on the floor of the lanai and voila! -the fun began!

I painted the above set-up over a two day period as the light changed too fast for me to capture it all in one day.As you can see below, one of my three cats was enjoying the pleasant weather as well, and keeping me company as I painted..

I was happy with the outcome and hope to do many more little romantic florals like this one over the next weeks of beautiful Florida sunshine!

"Window Sill Neighbors", 14x11, oil on canvas, left over paint, mud, impasto, palette knife floral, flowers, sunflowers, colorful florals, Maryanne Jacobsen art

 "Window Sill Neighbors", 14x11, oil on canvas

I didn't really have any intention on painting yesterday. Made a peach pie, did some other wifey-type things and then decided to clean out the refrigerator. Cleaning out the refrigerator/freezer forced me to address the paints that I store for weeks and often months in the freezer.

Paints being expensive, I am always reluctant to throw away what's leftover on the palette after a painting is completed. So I just keep scrape the palette and keep these piles of paint in two airtight containers in the freezer and take them out and use them as need arises.

Well, the paint clumps had become sticky, and the piles were getting really gross-looking. So on the spur of a moment I decided to do what I call a "left over" painting, meaning that I use all the left over paint and create a painting out of the piles.

I quickly foraged around the kitchen and then the garden and came up with this set-up:

I mentally edited out the toaster, blender and eyeglass case and painted quickly since it was getting dark and my eyes leave plenty to be desired in good light! Much of the paint was mud, which meant I could use some of the cleaner paint  to add color to the mud and still have some harmony.

I used a palette knife for the entire painting, as well as a canvas that was already sketched on. I love it when I don't waste anything! In this case the recycled paint was all used up, and I now have a freezer devoid of paints!

Here's a close-up of the impasto:

I do hope that  all that thick paint excites someone, because these window sill neighbors would love to find a new home!

"Poolside", 18x24, oil on canvas, paintings of pools, fruit , flowers, pink roses, Florida gardens

"Poolside", 18x24, oil on canvas

I've been taking a perspective class recently from a fabulous Russian -trained artist . The class has been hard for me since I failed geometry in high school. Here's a visual note from Wednesday's class:

My artist friends and I have been having a really good conversation on Facebook about how much perspective an artist really needs in order to be a successful painter.

I especially loved the comment by my friend and fellow plein air painter Diane Mannion who wrote the following,  "Linear perspective: The very words themselves seem to strike terror into students, it's no wonder when they hear such terms as 'multiple vanishing points' and 'conical projection'. Well, just forget them, all that is necessary for a landscape painter to have, is a sense of perspective and an eye for the obvious. Just remember these simple rules:
*Objects diminish in size as they recede from the viewer.
*The horizon is always at the eye-level of the viewer.
*Parallel lines on such things as buildings tend to converge in distance, usually on the horizon.
Whole books have been written about the laws of perspective but as with legal laws, you need only enough knowledge of them to be able to keep out of trouble."
-Trevor Chamberlain (OIL PAINTING PURE AND SIMPLE)

Thanks so much Diane! Your words gave me the courage to paint this scene without measuring a single thing!  And whether right or wrong, it was painted with passion and energy, (and a little sweat.)

"Carlsbad Morning", 12x24, oil on canvas, Batiquitos Lagoon, Carlsbad California, eucalyptus trees

"Carlsbad Morning", 12x24, oil on canvas

Throughout southern California there are great places to hike. Whenever we visit the area, my son and daughter-in-law, who are avid hikers, introduce us to a new trail. Some of our favorites are Torrey Pines and Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlbad. There are beautiful old eucalyptus trees through out Batiquitos, so I took the opportunity to take some pictures of them since they are my favorite California tree.

The Lagoon boasts plenty of nature trails for bird-watching and hiking and kayak enthusiasts are welcome as well. To learn more about the lagoon , please go here.

"The Pergola at Chanticleer", 16x20, oil on canvas, pergolas, Chanticleer, Main Line Gardens, palette knife paintings, Philadelphia MAin Line, gardens

"The Pergola at Chanticleer", 16x20, oil on canvas

Chanticleer is a lovely estate with beautiful gardens that are open to the public. It is a place that is heaven to artists! I took advantage of my recent visit to Pennsylvania to take some photos at Chanticleer.

This painting is of the pergola, and was done with mostly a palette knife. Chanticleer is such a lovely place!

To learn more about Chanticleer, please go here.

"Under the Tuscan Sun", 12x24, oil on canvas, paintings of Italy, Tuscany, palette knife paintings, impasto, colorist art

"Under the Tuscan Sun", 12x24, oil on canvas

This painting is available through Galerie du Soleil in Naples, Florida.

Please call (239) 417-3450 for more information.

"Morning in Umbria", 12x24, oil on canvas, vineyards, paintings of Umbria, Italy, Tuscany, rolling fields, plaette knife landscapes, maryanne jacobsen

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"Morning in Umbria", 12x24, oil on canvas

On the knolls where the vineyards and fruit-gardens are
There's a beauty that even the drought cannot mar;
For I noticed it oft, in the days that are lost,
As I trod on the siding where lingered the frost,
When the shadows of night from the gullies were gone
And the hills in the background were flushed by the dawn.

-from "Above Eurunderee" by Henry Lawson

There is something lovely about a vineyard in the morning light. The earth breathes out color and abundance and the promise of the ripened vine, which will bring forth the delightful wine that helps celebrate our victories while comforting our sorrows.

This painting was done with palette knife and brush and has passages of brilliant color interspersed with the neutrals of the receding hills.

This painting is available through Gallery 444 in San Francisco. You may contact them at  for pricing information at (415) 434-4477.

Thanks for visiting my blog today. Please check out more of my work at Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art.

"Her Garden", 24x24, oil on canvas, paintings of gardens, women in gardens, summer gardens, florals, romanticism, art for romantics, Maryanne Jacobsen

"Her Garden", 24x24, oil on canvas

My garden has always been very special to me. A sanctuary for birds, a place to write down my deepest thoughts, a sunny spot on a cool day, and a shady refuge on a warm day.

I've had many gardens throughout my life. My favorite garden was in my last home in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. The geese would parade through the denser parts as they headed for the pond behind my home. The deer would gather in droves in the winter months, looking for berries as they sauntered like dancers among the brambles.

From my office, I would stare through the window at the abundance of wildlife proliferating in own back yard and yearn for the day when I would no longer need to be trapped at a desk, but would be free to spend time to my heart's content just tending the roses, pulling weeds from the throats of the holly hocks and wallowing in the splendor of the velvety grass beneath my feet.

Today, my garden is different. The pastels of the north have been replaced by the warm , sultry palette of tropical flowers, and palm trees have replaced the deciduous trees that housed blue jays, hawks and robins.

It hardly matters where I have my garden. I will always treasure the gift of the flowers' scent and the birds that warble in different notes of bird languages.

Very happy to be represented by Gallery 444 in Union Square, San Francisco. This painting is available through the gallery by calling (415) 434-4477

"Early Morning Light, Shem's Creek", 16x 20, oil on canvas, Charleston, fishing boats, shrimp boats, scenic places in Charleston area, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Early Morning Light, Shem's Creek", 16x 20, oil on canvas
Note: you can click on the image to see the detail in the painting.

I finally got around to going through some of my reference photos from my trip to Charleston in October. Painting at Shem's Creek was the highlight of the sights we painted during my workshop with Kenn Backhaus that week, so I gravitated back to those photos.

The shrimp boats there were fabulous with their old green nets hanging in the sunshine, and the sun glistening off the sides of the boat in the early morning light. The two shrimp boats in this painting are the Captain BTS and the Sea Horse. Both boats are a beautiful cerulean blue so as Ina Garten would say, "What's not to like about that?"