"The Carolers", 8x8, oil on panel, Christmas carols, children in snow, old-fashioned Christmas, singing carols, snow, holiday, a Christmas carol

 "The Carolers", 8x8, oil on panel

I have always loved all things old-fashioned and poignant. I am not a fan of modern clothes, music, hairstyles or furniture. I love anything that makes me feel nostalgic about the past, because the past was a simpler time. 

No computers, cell phones or electric cars. No hustle and bustle on crowded streets with garish lights. People stayed home at night and mothers knitted, children played music or did homework, and little girls learned how to crochet.

I don't think many people go caroling anymore. Especially children. It's not safe and kids would probably rather stay home and play with their electronic gadgets.

I know. I sound like a cynic. Perhaps I am.

Anyway, I wanted to get into the Christmas spirit, so I painted this yesterday. It is offered on my website for $200, plus shipping. Please click this link, if you would like to purchase it.

"Spring Thaw", 9x12, oil, winter, snow, snowfall, creek, flowing stream, winter landscape, snowscape

 "Spring Thaw", 9x12, oil

It's been a very long winter in many parts of the country and with three weeks left until Spring, it's time to start looking for those daffodils!

Winter is a time for reflection, and simple enjoyments, and so as spring slowly approaches us, my hope is to take time to savor some of those moments when winter is displayed in all its quiet stillness and beauty. 

I painted this with a quiet palette, using many grays and the coldest blue of all-Prussian blue. It's not a blue that I use often, but for winter scenes, it seems to feel appropriate.

This painting is available. Please contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for more info.

"A Robert Frost Moment" 8x8, oil on linen, snow, winter scenes, winter wonderland, snowfall, kids and sleds, Robert Frost, stopping by the woods

"A Robert Frost Moment" 8x8, oil on linen

It's been a while since I created a new blog post. Everything in life takes time, and blogging is no exception. I used to love blogging. What happened to my creativity?

How does one lose their creative spirit , I wonder?

I think it is a number of factors, at least for me.

For now, at least I am blogging. That's something. This painting was done a few days ago, and as I painted it I could not help but think of a Robert Frost poem that I've loved since childhood.

And although there's no horse, you can probably guess which one it is.

If you would like to purchase this painting, it is available through my website.

Happy New Year. Hope you have a chance to stop in the woods on a snowy evening and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a freshly fallen snow.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

BY ROBERT FROST

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

"Winter Warmth", 12x12, oil on Ampersand panel, winter still life, snow, wine, candlelight, red pear

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"Winter Warmth", 12x12, oil on Ampersand panel

I was attempting to create a feeling of homey warmth on a cold night in this painting and I hope I achieved it. I thought it might be helpful to those who sometimes write and ask me questions about how I go about a painting to document my process. I never start a painting exactly the same way twice, and my process changes depending on my thoughts and goals at the time. But I often do use transparent washes in the initial stage, so I thought this would be a good painting to use as an example.

1. I typically set up my still life with whatever I can find nearby and try to make it a pleasing combination of elements, but in this case I had some specific things in mind, like the wine and the candle. In not having the window that would form the background, I knew I'd need to improvise, so I constructed the night scene with substitutes using my shadow box, some two by fours and a blue bathmat. My biggest fear was that the mat would catch fire so I only lit the candle for short periods of time.

2.The sketch- next I did a quick sketch in a notebook to get comfortable with the drawing, adding some notes that were relevant.

3. Next I stained the support with magenta and then sketched in the composition loosely, using a green pastel pencil. I like to use pastel pencils rather than charcoal, because I find that charcoal can dirty the color when I lay in the paint on top.

4. The initial color block-in: Next I blocked in the elements thinly, using only transparent colors and no opaques. I was not worried at this stage about either color or value, but instead was just trying to cover the entire support with a nice soupy mixture of transparent colors.

5. The next step is to go over the transparent washes with opaque paint,  and correct the values and colors of each object.

6. In the last step, I go back and try to harmonize color, refine shapes and correct anything that looks out of wack. Finally I attempt to create the atmosphere that I'm trying to achieve, softening edges  and checking highlights.

Overall, I wasn't displeased with this one. I think I was able to capture the feeling of being in a warm home on a cold night. Thanks for checking in!

"Persimmons and Sunflowers", 22x28, tabby cats, persimmons, sunflowers, snow, cat in window, calico cat, MAryanne JAcobsen art

"Persimmons and Sunflowers", 22x28

I recently discovered persimmons at the supermarket. I bought them, because they looked so luscious. I read up on how to eat them and it turns out that you just eat them like tomatoes. However, they have to be very ripe or else they taste like rotten bananas or something like that.

Well mine were very ripe ad I ate three of them in a couple days. They taste like a cross between a mango and an apricot. They are as luscious as they look!

So I went out and bought some more, as well as a Thanksgiving bouquet which was on sale since Thanksgiving was over.

I decided to paint both the persimmons and the sunflowers and added a cat in the snowy window just because I miss seeing snow.

 If you have never tried a persimmon, they are a winter fruit, in season right now. Here's a good article on 5 ways to eat a persimmon.