"Springtime, China Cove", 12x16, oil

 "Springtime, China Cove", 12x16, oil

I have painted this same scene numerous times in the past and I never get tired of it. The gorgeous Pacific Ocean stretching way back into the distance with the various little peninsulas stretching out in between makes for a wonderful study in creating distance and atmosphere in your paintings. 

I won a first place ribbon with my first rendering of China Cove, way back in 2015, judged by renowned watercolor artist  Vladislav Yeliseyev. The award landed me representation at a gallery in Sarasota, Florida. The painting was put in the front display window and immediately sold.

I have a wonderful memory of painting at Point Lobos State Preserve during the Plein Air convention in Monterrey 10 years ago. It was there on my second trip to the Preserve that I veered further south and discovered the beautiful little cove that was hidden away in a protected niche of the sanctuary. This is where the seals would come and play and nurse their cubs in the springtime. The waters were a translucent blend of vivid emerald and turquoise and cerulean blue, such as I had never before seen together in one place. So I set up my easel and paints, and allowed the beauty of that place to become a part of my memory. 

All around me I could hear seals barking, gulls reeling and nature in all its glory responding to this beautiful sanctuary of peace and tranquillity.

Here are some pictures from that day.

I have been blessed to paint in many beautiful places in this great country, but Point Lobos Preserve on the Pacific Coast will always be way at the top of the list of my favorite places to paint and visit.

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

Thanks for visiting my blog.

"Humble Abode 2", 8x10, oil on linen, Florida Cracker House, Marjorie Kennan Rawlings, Cross Creek, The Yearling, Florida Art, original art, impasto, thick paint, MaryanneJacobsen art

 

"Humble Abode 2", 8x10, oil on linen

I was going through some photos today and came across a group of photos I had taken a few summers ago after a trip to "Cross Creek", the backwoods Florida home of author Marjorie Keenen Rawlings. Rawlings is most familiar to us through her beloved work  The Yearling, about a boy who adopts an orphaned fawn,. The book won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1939 and was later made into a movie, also known as The Yearling.

I discovered that few people know much about Rawlings, though many have read The Yearling in school.  So here is a little history about Rawlings from Wikipedia:

In 1928, with a small inheritance from her mother, the Rawlingses purchased a 72 acre (290,000 m²) orange grove near Hawthorne, Florida, in a hamlet named Cross Creek for its location between Orange Lake and Lochloosa Lake. She brought the place to international fame through her writing. She was fascinated with the remote wilderness and the lives of Cross Creek residents, her Cracker neighbors, and felt a profound and transforming connection to the region and the land.Wary at first, the local residents soon warmed to her and opened up their lives and experiences to her. Marjorie filled several notebooks with descriptions of the animals, plants, Southern dialect, and recipes and used these descriptions in her writings.

As one enters Cross Creek, the first thing that you see is a sign that says the following:

 In spite of the excessive heat, humidity, and lack of creature comforts, Rawlings embraced this wild harsh land that few today would want to call home.

The painting that I did above, was not of Rawlings home at Cross Creek, but of a replica of an old Cracker Shack that was on the property and served as a home to the hired help. The humbleness of the property is evident, but what is not evident is the sense of profound peace and stillness that emanated the grounds.

Save for the occasional crowing of a rooster, the place was wrapped in a blanket of quiet serenity. 

Above is a photo of the cracker shack , and which served as my reference.

I have enormous respect for the people who braved these harsh lands and forged their homesteads upon ground that  many today would consider uninhabitable!

I enjoyed doing this painting in my air-conditioned studio. It reminded me that I have much to be thankful for and also reminded me that I would have a hard time surviving on a remote homestead such as the one that Rawlings lived upon and called home! Yet overall, I could appreciate the sense of mystic loveliness that Rawlings described and which was etched on the sign above.

"Tucked Away", 12x16, oil on panel , winter scene, snowscape, little house in the woods, trees, winter, original art

 "Tucked Away", 12x16, oil on panel (Note: click on photo for a better look.)

I started painting this as a tree study, but the  painting took on a life of its own as I went along. I painted it in the middle of the night because I couldn't sleep, and I have to say it was a great time to paint with no interruptions!

This painting has thick passages of impasto and interesting textures throughout. 

For purchase information, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com

"Mary's Garden", 12x12, oil on linen panel, oil paintings for sale, women in hats, women in gardens, serenity garden, wine and books, secret gardens, original art, original oil paintings on sale

 "Mary's Garden", 12x12, oil on linen panel

I painted this a few years ago and totally forgot I had painted it! I've painted this scene before a number of times with different elements in it, and each painting always sells, because what lady doesn't want her own little garden of serenity? A place to escape to from the craziness of life. 

I am adding this painting to my "Christmas in November" sale so check out the beautiful original oil paintings on sale and maybe find one to add to your own artwork collection. This painting is only $400, and framing options are available for an additional cost.

This painting would make a lovely gift for a mom, grandma, wife or friend, and it's on sale for a limited time only.

"La Vie en Rose", 9x12, oil, French songs, straw hats, rose, life in pink, pretty women, women in hats, rose colored glasses, red lipstick, original art, impressionism

 "La Vie en Rose", 9x12, oil

The title of my painting, "La Vie en Rose," translates from the French to "Life in Pink" in English. It is a phrase often associated with a state of blissful happiness and seeing life through a rosy lens.

The girl in the painting personifies grace and femininity. Although she is not smiling, in her pensive state her demeanor exudes confidence, daring the viewer to read her thoughts; inviting the viewer into her world of romantic fantasy. Her straw hat is embellished with pink roses symbolizing beauty, growth, and a connection to nature. 

I painted this while listening to Pandora Internet radio's French Cafe station, blending my favorite music with the challenge of capturing beauty within a harmonious balance of nature and mystery.

I had a lot of fun painting this, probably because I love all things French, and even managed to enjoy a glass of wine while painting! I think the wine added a little "je ne said quoi!" Don't you?

If you enjoyed the painting and this post please feel free to comment below. The painting is available through my website. Follow this link for purchase information.

"Where the Robins Sing", 24x24, oil on masonite, still life, outdoor still life, garden art, wine, strawberries, pink flowers, original art, Maryanne Jacobsen art

 "Where the Robins Sing", 24x24, oil on masonite

This colorful garden still life was painted a few years ago and has nice impasto passages throughout.The birds were singing in the trees beyond the fence, and there was the tiniest hint of fall in the air that day. The glass of cabernet was the perfect ending to my painting session and I even ate the strawberries!

 Artists and their art continue to bring beauty into the world through their creativity, imagination and skill. Thank-you for supporting my work and I hope you have a wonderful day!

"Peaceful Port", 11x14, oil on panel , Maine art, Port Clyde, Tennant's Harbor, St. George, seaside village, fisherman's village, back in time, Maryanne Jacobsen art, original art

"Peaceful Port", 11x14, oil on panel (Click on photo to see the image better)

This is a little dead-end path in the tiny little village of Port Clyde, Maine.  We visited there on our way to spending a few days on Monhegan Island at the Island Inn. We flew from Florida into Boston, and then had a long drive ahead of us to get to Port Clyde. We had our reasons for flying into Boston, mainly because we were going to spend the latter part of our trip in Cape Ann. Anyhow, at 10 PM we were still driving the tiny back roads of Maine trying to find the village of Port Clyde. Its was incredibly foggy that June evening and with the fog as thick as pea soup we could barely see two feet in front of the car. To add to the drama, neither one of us had any cell phone service and never having been there before, we feared we were lost without our navigation device.

I finally convinced my husband to pull into a random driveway, and I tentatively knocked on a front door to ask for directions. The chap who answered the door looked at me suspiciously until he realized I was truly lost. He gave us directions , and fortunately we weren't too far off the beaten track. We arrived at  The Seaside Inn around midnight, amidst thick fog, and in looking for the driveway to the Seaside Inn we almost drove right into Muscongus Bay! Scary! The boat ramp there is right in front of the hotel driveway and there is no sign warning you that  you are at water's edge!

Anyhow, the whole area of St. George, Tennant's Harbor and Port Clyde is a throw- back in time, brimming with charm and character and the salty old smells of the sea. I hope to return there again one day!

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

"Dappled Light", 16x20, oil , Historic Yellow Springs village, Maryanne Jacobsen original art,, Yellow Springs Inn, the Washington Building, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, Autumn landscapes, Pennsylvania landscapes, original art

"Dappled Light", 16x20, oil (Please click on the image for a better view)

During my recent painting trip to Pennsylvania, I had the opportunity to paint a couple times in the sweet little historic village of Yellow Springs, Pennsylvania. The weather was gorgeous and the trees were colorful and my only dilemma was choosing what to paint in the tiny village!

I decided to set up in the little courtyard between the Washington Building and the Lincoln Building, since the dappled light on the side on the Washington Building fascinated me.

As is usually the case with plein air, by the time, I set up my easel and got around to painting, the light on the building was gone and the building and courtyard were cast in shadow with the exception of the little bench.

Here is what it looked like in less than an hour's time:

Since I was unable to capture the dappled light that had first attracted me to the scene, I decided to paint the scene in my studio, using my field study and photo reference for guides.

 I was pretty happy with the outcome, and hope to do more autumn scenes in upcoming weeks from the trip to beautiful Pennsylvania.

This painting is available . Please email me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if you have any interest in purchasing this work. And don't forget to visit my new website at Maryanne JAcobsen Fine Art.

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!

"Autumn at the Ice House", 6x6, oil on panel-New England landscapes, fall landscapes, small, affordable paintings, Hollis Ice House, Hollis New Hampshire

"Autumn at the Ice House", 6x6, oil on panel
I decide to use my plein air study of the Hollis light house, to paint this new painting. I used my knowledge of the way the light moves across the sky to reverse the light effect. The afternoon effect allowed the red of the building to be a enter of interest, where it struggled to be a center of interest when it was in the morning light and covered in shadow. See below:

"Juicy Fruits", 5x7, oil on linen on panel, pears, grapes

SOLD

"Juicy Fruits", 5x7, oil on linen on panel

This painting is a study in using specific colors and is a continuation of the Limited Palette Challenge that I joined over the weekend. In this challenge, I used only white, cad yellow medium (Gamblin), Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue and Gamblins's transparent Chromatic black.

It was quite challenging for me to try to get a vibrant red from this cold, fugitive red (Alizarin Crimson) and the impure, orangey yellow that I had to use. In the end, I had to be satisfied with much less vibrant colors than I'm used to.

However, I've been learning a lot from working from a limited palette and I would encourage all my artist friends to try it too! You can join the Limited Palette Group that is posting on Facebook here.

It's a great opportunity to mix color combinations that you would not normally use, and the color harmony achieved is a great plus! The challenge began as a result of Ken Auster's demo at the 1st annual plein air convention held recently in Las Vegas. The colors I used above are the colors that Ken used in his demo.

"Summer in Zion", 8x10, oil on board by Maryanne Jacobsen, Zion National park oil painting, small painting of Zion, mountains, streams, rivers

SOLD

"Summer in Zion", 8x10, oil on board by Maryanne Jacobsen

During the recent plein air convention in Las Vegas, a theme that got a lot of attention was painting with a limited palette. For me, that's not easy because I just love color. I love looking at the fresh,  clean color when it comes out of the tube and I love seeing how it looks on the canvas.

Nonetheless, I took the limited palette challenge that's happening on Facebook and painted this with only 4 colors plus white. I used only white, Alizarin crimson, Cad yellow pale, ultramarine blue and windsor green.

While this experiment was challenging for me, I do like the color harmony it produced.