"Misty Morning, Cortez Fishing Village", 11x14, oil on linen, award-winning paintings, Blue ribbon, fishing village, Cortez Village, Old Florida, old boats, fog, mist, fishing boats, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Misty Morning, Cortez Fishing Village", 11x14, oil on linen

I was very happy to recently receive a First Place Award for my painting, "Misty Morning, Cortez Fishing Village", at the Englewood Art Center, a division of the Ringling College of Art and Education.

The origin of the painting goes back to a grey foggy morning when I gathered with a group of painters to paint scenes at the Cortez Fishing Village in Cortez Florida.

Cortez is a very popular spot for plein air painters, as it has the most delightful old fishing boats and scenes of Old Florida, not to mention The Starfish Grill on the Water, where artists can congregate after a happy day of painting on the rickety old piers.

This painting is available for purchase. Send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if you are interested.

"Restoration in Progress"12x16, oil on panel, MAryanne JAcobsen art, Gloucester MAssachusetts, old boats, The Flight, paintings of old boats, welders, New England boats

"Restoration in Progress"12x16, oil on panel

Last spring, while up in Boston for my son's graduation, we took a day to visit Gloucester, one of the country's oldest fishing ports and a favorite haunt of mine whenever I'm up that way.

I always enjoy seeing all the old boats, and on this particular day "The Flight" was out of the water and being restored. I watched a man carefully welding her sides and I determined I had to paint her.

This one took mustering some courage before I even got started with it. I had to really concentrate on getting the details of the drawing correct, before I could move on to worrying about the paint application.

I also made some changes to the composition  in order to take some of the frivolous dock debris out of the background and replace it with the simpler suggestion of water and  distant shore.

Hopefully it doesn't look labored, but in truth it was a laborious task from start to finish!

"Spit up, Tossed about, Knocked around, and Left to Rot", 8x8, oil on gallery-wrapped gessoboard , old boats, Point Reyes National seashore, wooden boats, Pacific Ocean

"Spit up, Tossed about, Knocked around, and Left to Rot", 8x8, oil on gallery-wrapped gessoboard (No frame necessary)

I have been wanting to paint this old boat ever since I saw it almost a year ago at Point Reyes National Seashore.

The old boat has seemingly been there for ages. Grounded  by low tide and unable to escape its inevitable destiny, the boat will most likely stay there and rot until some very wealthy conservationists decide to tow it off to a maritime museum for display

My visit to California last spring was full of light and inspiration. We started in Napa, spent time in the Carmel area and finally ended up in San Diego. It was a great trip and I have great memories of it.

Here's a picture of me painting at the Point Reyes National Seashore:

Anyhow, the old boat at Point Reyes was painted today because this year my family has been thrown a couple of lemons. In the end, I know that all the lemons will be used to produce amazing recipes- the zest, the juice, even the rind.

I just wish the problems had not all happened at once.

That being said, I am looking forward to the day when everything that the canker worms and the locusts have tried to destroy, will be returned one hundredfold.

Thanks for reading my blog. I hope that you enjoyed this post.

Holiday Treasures! , small affordable art, original art, holiday gifts, holiday treasures, little gems

Holiday Gems! The four paintings above, can all be purchased individually. They were painted with the holidays in mind and would make lovely gifts for that special someone on your list. Each painting is beautifully framed in keeping with the paintings' characteristics and can be shipped to you in time for Christmas. Please see details below.

"Pigtails and Teddy Bears", 8x8, oil on panel framed in a wide gold frame.- $400

This painting would be an ideal gift from grandmom for that special little girl in your life. Imagine her waking up in her room each day and looking at the painting on her wall and being reminded of her beloved Gandmom! It is available through the Debra Huse "Holiday Treasures" Salon, which is being held at the Debra Huse Gallery on Balboa Island, California. Please see here for more info about the show, and if you cannot attend next week's reception, please call the gallery at 949-723-6171 to purchase online or follow this link: How to purchase online.

"Red House, Swim Beach", 6x6, framed-$300

The Red House on Monhegan Island is known by every resident or tourist that has ever visited Monhegan Island. It was immortalized first by the Wyeth family of artists and has undergone various changes in structure over the years since it was built. Nonetheless, its location on Swim Beach overlooking the tiny island of Manana will never change and it would make a lovely gift for anyone seeking to recall memories of vacations, honeymoons or moonlit jaunts by boat to Monhegan's incredibly beautiful and eclectic island landscape. This painting and two others have been selected to be in Randy Higbee's annual 6x6 inch squared show, held at Randy's Gallery in Costa Mesa , California. It is my understanding that this is THE art event of the season, so if you are in the area, please attend the opening reception next Saturday, December 7th.

If you are not in the area and would like to purchase this painting, please go here for an online PAypal link. It is my understanding that Randy is offering a 15% discount to other artists in the show, so if you have been wanting to collect one of my pieces of art, and like the one above, by all means call Randy's gallery at and take advantage of this special!

"Scaredy Cat", 6x6, oil on panel, framed- $300

What's not to like about a little kitten with a penchant for mischief and an adorable face? This little gem would make a lovely gift for that cat-lover in your life. It is also available through the Randy Higbee Gallery's annual show. If you cannot attend the show but wish to purchase online, just go here and hit the button and it will take you to the Paypal link.

 

"Rat Boat Reflections", 6x6, oil, framed- $300

Last but not least, who can resist a Rat Boat? This little old wooden dory makes its home on Cape Ann , in the Rockport Harbor, and a trip to Rockport would not be complete if I did not make sure that this little dory is still floating peacefully in the harbor, waiting patiently for its chance to fulfill its duties. A must-have for any old boat aficionado!

To purchase "Rat Boat Reflections", please follow this link to purchase via Paypal.

Thanks for visiting my blog and Happy Thanksgiving!

"Reflections of a Rat Boat", 6x6, oil on board, paintings of rat boats, dory, old boats, wooden boats, rockport, Massachusetts, Bearskin Neck, colorist art, impressionism

"Reflections of a Rat Boat", 6x6, oil on board

The first time that I saw this little dory up in Bearskin Neck, Rockport, I took a dozen pictures of it. The old worn wood, the humble planks, even the name, "Rat" made me love this little boat as though it was an old friend or familiar piece of clothing.

So to paint it again today, for the second time, was a pleasure and not a chore. I looked at the photo that I had taken a few years back and asked myself why I wanted to paint this humble little boat again. What was the purpose or statement in my painting going to be? The answer came quickly. It was the reflections, of course, that grounded the boat to its home- the Atlantic Ocean in Rockport Harbor!

Without the water reflections, the boat would just kind of float in the air, without substance or a sense of grounding or place in space.

This is one of the things that I learned from Kenn Erroll Backhaus's workshop last week. Decide on a purpose , or statement, before you start a painting. I had never thought much about a statement before. Oftentimes I would just paint a subject, rather than a statement. This concept of "finding a statement before you begin"  made a world of difference in my approach to this little painting.

Why is it called a "rat" boat? I have no idea but maybe it's obvious. The boat is.... well.... a bit ratty!

Here is my first painting of the little Rat Boat.


THis painting was juried into Randy Higbee's annual 6x6 inch square show in Costa Mesa, California.

"Cap'n Jake's Crab Boat", plein air, 12x12, oil on board

SOLD

"Cap'n Jake's Crab Boat", plein air, 12x12, oil on board

Yesterday was one of those rare May days in Florida without much humidity so I decided to go back to Blackburn Point and see if the old crab boat was there. Surprisingly, it hadn't budged an inch since I was there back in March.

So I set up and started painting. The sun was bright when I started but then turned very cloudy. I managed to get enough info down before becoming distracted by the changed light, and decided to call it a day.

The first time that I painted this scene I used a 9x12. I must admit that I like the rectangular format better than the square. The light was much brighter that day as well, and it definitely influenced the light temperature I depicted in the painting.

 "No Crabs Today!", plein air, 9x12

So much about painting is trial and error. Why did the first painting come together more easily than the second, I wondered? Did the clouds affect my mood yesterday? Did I give myself too many color choices by not limiting my palette? The questions that go through my mind after a painting session are usually endless, and I often lay awake for hours trying to figure out what went wrong with a painting.

But I guess the most important question of the day is this? Where are the crabs? Poor Captain Jake is surely gonna go out of business soon if the crabs don't come back! And yes, there has been a dearth of them on the menus in area restaurants as well. Good luck Captain Jake. If you need cash maybe you should charge a modeling fee. I really do enjoy painting this old boat!!!!!!

This painting is available through Galerie du Soleil.

"The Rebel and Company", plein air, 9x12, oil on board , old wooden boats, Cortex fishing village, The Rebel

 

"The Rebel and Company", plein air, 9x12, oil on board

I painted this one out at Cortez Fishing Village last weekend for the Paint the Town Paint-out. I stood on a dock and was happy to have shelter over my head so that I didn't have to worry about the sun.

The day was chilly and windy, but that didn't stop the people from coming to this quaint little spot to enjoy an outdoor lunch from the famed Starfish and Company seafood restaurant.

I wrote a little bit about the Cortez Fishing Village and the Paint-Out in my last blog entry. 

The Paint-out involved about 30 of the area's best plein air artists and I was happy to participate for the second year in a row.

My hubby was with me that day and he walked around taking pictures and chatting with people as I painted. Here are some of the great photos he took  that day.

First up- me painting the boats depicted in my painting!

 The captain of "Half Awake" with his dog, Sylvia:

 Me painting:

Smelling the fish!

Oh Captain, my captain!

Pelicans galore!

 Heron looking for free lunch!

The history of Cortez:

As you can see, the old Cortez Fishing Village is a really special place and hopefully it will retain its old world charm for many more decades! (In spite of the tourists!)

"Another Beautiful Gulf Morning", 16x12, oil on linen, old boats, fisherman, Gulf of Mexico, Florida art, fishing boats, seascapes of Florida

SOLD

"Another Beautiful Gulf Morning", 16x12, oil on linen (Note: you can click on the photo for better detail viewing of the painting.)

I took the two plein air studies that I did over the last two weeks from my outings to the North Jetty, as well as a reference photo, and used them over the past few days to create this studio painting.

I added the figure of the boat's owner and stuck with a limited palette to keep the painting unified. I combined both brushes and palette knife to keep the painting interesting and lively.

This painting will be going into the Light Chaser's annual show at Art Center Sarasota next month, but if you have any interest in the plein air study, "Old Boat, New Day", that I painted last week,  just contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for pricing. Below was the reference that helped me add the gentlemen in the boat:

The Rat Boat, paintings of old boats, small boats, wooden boats, rat boats, Rockport, Rockport harbor

SOLD

"The Rat Boat", 5x7 oil on panel

I have no idea why this old wooden boat has a little sign on the back that says "Rat", but I'm guessing there's a good reason! Perhaps rats live in the boat and dance to the light of the moon when no ones looking? Or perhaps some villainous human rat stole this charming old boat from its original owners and in a fit of guilt the thief decided to name the boat after the ilks of himself? Or maybe like a  treacherous rat, this tiny little boat in the Rockport harbor sneaks up on unsuspecting fishing boats in the pre-dawn hours and  a boatload of cats sneak up on the unsuspecting fisherman and steal the fish to the horror of the fisherman who had no idea there was a rat on their tail!

Or maybe a family of hungry gulls man the boat and stalk the fishing boats while the fisherman are catching cat naps? (Not rat naps!)

Here's a photo of the rat boat in the Rockport harbor in the pre-dawn hours.

I know it looks small and inconspicuous but that could be a front for the rats.... or the cats...

We are going back to Rockport next week. I am going to see if I can get to the bottom of this mystery.

But in the meantime, if you want to own your own little rat boat, just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"Low Tide", 9x12, oil on canvas, paintings of boats, low tide, Bay of Fundy, old wooden boats, Maine boats

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"Low Tide", 9x12, oil on canvas

The first time I ever visited the Maine area was a few years back. We stayed at a lovely Bed and Breakfast in Boothbay Harbor that boosted a room with a "water view". The day we arrived it was pouring rain and so sitting out on our porch and enjoying our "water view" was out of the question. The next day we woke up delighted to see that the rain had finally stopped! We rushed out on to our balcony to see our water view.

Low and behold all we saw were a bunch of boats laying on their sides , their keels dripping mud  onto the bare earth below. I was shocked. "What is that?", I asked my husband.

" I think that's our water view", he replied almost sadly. Weirdly by the evening, the harbor had refilled with water and the boats were once again floating gracefully on the water.

The more we saw of Maine's many harbors and inlets, the more we saw this same phenomenon over and over again. I understand that if you go a little further east into the Bay of Fundy, the tidal changes become even more dramatic! Each day 100 billion tonnes of seawater flow in and out of the Bay of Fundy during one tide cycle, which is more than the combined flow of the whole world’s freshwater rivers!

Anyhow, sorry to digress, but we certainly live in an amazing world, don't you think?

If you are interested in purchasing, "Low Tide", please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"The Magic Forest", 16x12, oil on masonite, paintings of forests, trees,boats and streams

SOLD
"The Magic Forest", 16x12, oil on masonite

Yesterday, I gave a friend an art lesson. I was not really very enthusiastic about the idea of giving an art lesson.

First of all, please understand it's not because I don't enjoy teaching people things. It's just that I taught dance for about ten years- all ages and levels, and although it was a wonderful experience, it was also very demanding and stressful.

I am definitely too old for demanding and stressful experiences!

At any rate, I acquiesced and gave my friend her "lesson".

She was wonderful- made me a delicious lunch and could not have been a better pupil!

At the end 0f the lesson she politely asked me if I wanted her to make a copy of her reference photo so I could finish the demo. I said 'no', not because it wasn't a pretty photo, but only because it wasn't a scene that I felt I could paint well.

I went home and scraped down the Masonite board that I had done the demo on, and went to bed, convinced that I am not good for teaching or much else any more!

This morning I looked at the scraped down piece of masonite and because I am cheap, ( better word is a conservationist), I became convinced that I didn't want to waste a perfectly good piece of Masonite that still had some perfectly good paint on it. So I tried to figure out what I could paint, in order to use the colors that were already on the support.

What you see above is the result. My friend had a photo of a stream with a big tree on the left. So I tried to stay with the overall theme, and used my imagination. In the end, I just added a boat and took out the complex bridge structure that was in her photo- a little too much information for my simple taste!

I was kind of happy with the result. This is the first time that I really came up with a successful painting that came out of my imagination. It does kind look like a magic forest, I think;0)

I have not been able to put a price on it, for the simple reason that it is a bit of a "leftover".

If you like it, just email me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com and make me a reasonable offer.

Thanks for looking and please come back again.

Please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for availability and purchase information about this painting. To visit my official website and learn more about me and see more results of my daily dance with paint, please go here.