"Poolside Arrangement", 9x12, oil on panel, oranges, red roses, fruit basket, poolside floral, garden party, little gems, small paintings for sale

 "Poolside Arrangement", 9x12, oil on panel

Years ago I painted a larger version of this scene for a gallery and it sold right away. I decided to do a smaller version of the same scene, because it is so very pretty! I set up the fruit basket and bouquet of roses on a table right next to our pool one day. I loved the contrast of vivid colors and the shadow design that the basket made in the sun. The painting began outdoors and I finished it inside because I wanted to preserve the shadow pattern.

This sweet little painting would make a lovely gift that brings sunshine into a home every day of the year!

It is being sold for $300.00 through my website. Click here to purchase.

"Katie's Pitcher", 12x16, oil on panel, yellow ranunculus, oranges, plein air florals, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Katie's Pitcher", 12x16, oil on panel

This painting was started a year ago in the garden of friend and fellow artist extraordinaire, Katie Dobson Cundiff. Katie would set up floral arrangements in her back yard once a week, and we could come over and paint them. The set-ups were always beautiful, but even more special was the opportunity to watch Katie paint!

I never finished the painting that day, but took it out yesterday and started working on it again. Unfortunately, I didn't have a photo reference, so I had to wing it.

Overall, I was happy with the way it came out.

Feel free to contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, if you have any interest in this work, and do check out my new website at Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art!

"Happy Together", 25x35,oil on wrapped canvas, Maryanne Jacobsen art, still life, oranges, sunflowers, roses, pitcher, window seat

"Happy Together", 25x35,oil on wrapped canvas

I don't often paint larger works, unless it's a commission, mainly because it takes a lot of paint.

But after being in a rather apathetic spell all week, I decided that I needed something to focus on. This was the result.

I started gathering a bunch of stuff together and placing it on the counter in the kitchen. Painting large in the kitchen isn't really such a great idea. It certainly makes cooking a lot less appetizing, lol. Yet it affords me the best space and light, so that's where I often end up, when I am painting larger works.

Here's the arrangement I finally came up with after much trial and error:

The roses were on their last legs, so I had to pretty much fake 'em. The big dilemma was how to make a set up on a kitchen counter into an attractive painting. So I kept making it up as I went along.

The idea of a window looking out over a pretty countryside came together towards the very end. I had to construct the scenery out of imagination, and in the end, I was happy with the overall result.

I wouldn't advise this method, however. I almost wiped this out at least a dozen times.  Next time I paint a large piece, I think I'll try to have a better plan in place!

"Three's Company", 8x10, oil on wrapped Belgian linen-paintings of roses, oranges, pink roses, impressionist roses, impasto, MAryanne Jacobsen

"Three's Company", 8x10, oil on wrapped  Belgian linen

I haven't done a floral in a long while and was in the mood to do one, so today I bought some reduced roses at the market and set to work!

Here's my set-up:

I got a late start and the light was rather poor so I had to work fast. I enjoyed doing these as a change of pace. I think it's good to mix things up periodically so as to not get into a rut.

"Three's company" has thick paint throughout. If you wish to purchase this, please allow at least two weeks for the impasto to dry before I can ship it. Also available in a gold plein air frame for an additional $40.

Kathleen's Tea Pot, 8x10, oil on linen, paintings of teapots, flowers, daisies, white mums, oranges, blue teapot

"Kathleen's Tea Pot", 8x10, oil on linen

This painting came about as a result of my thoughtful friend Kathleen. Kathleen is an author and has spent many years living in England. She is married to an Englishman and she and her husband spend part of the year in England and part of the year at their home in Florida. We are neighbors and attend the same church and I feel very fortunate to know Kathleen and Chris.

Recently they invited us over for High Tea and my hubby and I had a delightful time on their patio sipping true Earl Gray brewed tea and eating the fresh shortbread that Chris had just baked. At one point we were in the midst of a conversation about knighthood when suddenly I must have gotten a weird look on my face because everyone stopped talking and looked at me.

I found myself staring at the lovely blue teapot on  the table and thinking how well the blue would look against a fresh orange. When they asked me what was wrong, I confessed that I had lost track of the conversation because I was enamored with the teapot!

The next day I continued to think about that darn teapot  as I went out to the mailbox to pick up the day's mail. And there on the bench on the porch was the lovely teapot!

It was so nice of Kathleen to think of me and allow me to borrow her teapot for this painting. I struggled a bit with it at first but in the end I was happy with the result. Here was my set-up for the still life:

To learn more about Kathleen Smith and the books she has written, please visit her blog at this link.

"Divertissement" ,abstract floral by Maryanne Jacobsen

SOLDRoses in a Blue Vase with oranges, 10x10, oil on linen

Finally today, after months of being unable to paint, I turned out a painting that I'm somewhat happy with. I think I need to submit a claim to BP for lack of inspiration as a result of the ecotage that's been perpetrated in the Gulf of Mexico.


If you are interested in this painting, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, or call Leah Sherman directly at Collector's Gallery and Framery at 941-488-3029.