"Venetian Light", 12x16, oil on masonite, gondolier, Venice canal, canal reflections, Maryanne Jacobsen art, paintings of Venice

"Venetian Light", 12x16, oil on masonite

This was a quick study of a complex scene, painted a few years ago. I wanted to simplify the scene so that the light at the back of the canal was the dominant centerpiece of the scene, rather than getting bogged down in a lot of details. I also experimented with  some earth colors like raw sienna and terra rosa, and found it advantageous to have earth colors on the palette when painting the ochres of Venice. It was a quick study of a complex scene, and taking it out today and refining it a bit was helpful, I think.

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

"Along Flowing Springs Road", 12x16, oil on copper, Chester Springs, Birchrunville, Birchrunville Store Cafe, bucolic scenes, fall landscapes, Pennsylvania impressionism, paintings on copper, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Along Flowing Springs Road", 12x16, oil on copper

This is my second attempt to paint on copper, and it went well this time around because I already had one painting under my belt!

Flowing Springs Rd. is a little winding road that weaves along Chester Springs near the border of Birchrunville where the old township building used to be located. It is quite scenic along there and I recall happy days riding my bike along there when I once lived in Chester Springs. I would bike from St. Matthews Road all the way up to the Sheeder-Hall Bridge at French Creek, passing the fabulous Birchrunville Store Cafe along the way.

There are very few homes along there, it is truly pristine rural countryside, and happily the residents of West Vincent Township have been able to maintain the bucolic countryside through their efforts to impede mass development.

I painted this scene en plein air two years ago when I was visiting the area for the annual Plein Air Brandywine Valley event. I stayed at a lovely little AirB&B right on Flowing Springs Road, which I painted recently and you can read about here.

I used the photo I had taken as well as the plein air sketch to create this new painting. Fall was in fall bloom and there is no better place to see the fall foliage than in Pennsylvania! Here was my view as I looked up the road:

If you are ever in the area, do make reservations at the Cafe.  It has been years since I was there, but I understand that the standards of culinary excellence have not changed!

If you are interested in this painting, please feel free to send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com. Thanks for visiting!

"California Wildflowers", 16x20, oil on panel , palette knife paintings, coastal art, La Jolla, Nasturtiums, wildflowers

SOLD

"California Wildflowers", 16x20, oil on panel (Please click on the image to see a better view of the impasto)

This was painted after I came back from a trip to California, where I had the chance to paint en plein air in La Jolla.  (See post La Jolla Wildflowers)

I decided to try a larger one, this time using palette knife only and this was the result. The nasturtiums were everywhere last Spring, as a result of all the rain. It was truly a beautiful sight to see and eye candy for this artist!

This painting is available through Gallery 444 in San Francisco.

"Autumn's Kiss", 12x16, oil on copper , paintings on copper, Birchrunville, Chester Springs scenes, autumn landscapes, Flowing Springs Rd. Chester County landscapes, Pennsylvania impressionism, Maryanne Jacobsen art, experimental art

SOLD

"Autumn's Kiss", 12x16, oil on copper (Note: you can click on the image to see the detail better)

This was my first attempt to paint on a copper panel. As the Mayor of River City in the musical Music Man would say, "It's slipperier than a Mississippi sturgeon!" Where linen our canvas will  grab the paint and you'll have some resistance, the paint pretty much goes on like butter. Nice, but a little difficult to control.Although it is a very slippery support to work on, I did have fun experimenting with it, and expect to do more in the future. The trick is to expect the unexpected because it is so different from working on linen or canvas.

I chose a fall landscape because I wanted to see if the copper affected color. I did miss the luminous quality of working on a pure white support, but allowing little bit of the copper to show through was pretty much akin to starting with a warm wash. We stayed at this wonderful little cottage in Chester Springs, Pa. a couple years back and the fall color in the trees was breathtaking. I recall  the crispness in the air as I painted outdoors in the October sunshine.

The light was fading fast in the late afternoon, the day that I painted on the property. I used my plein air sketch and this photo for a reference for the copper support painting.

I do think that I'll continue to experiment with copper panels. Old Masters painted on copper centuries ago! Only problem is that the copper is heavy. But if you have a good sturdy easel it's not an issue.

Here's wishing a Happy New Year to my friends and blog readers!

"Glad Tidings", 7x9, Christmas, snow scenes, The Hunt, Fox Hunt, Blessing of the Hounds, Chester County scenes, Pennsylvania landscapes

"Glad Tidings", 7x9

Wishing all my collectors, friends and blog readers a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year!

"Autumn Vista at Granogue", 12x16, oil on panel, plein air, Du Post family, Granogue, Plein Air, Brandywine Valley, Hagley Museum, PABV, Paintings of autumn, barns, color, Brandywine Valley, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Autumn Vista at Granogue", 12x16, oil on panel, plein air

This is another painting that I did during Plein Air Brandywine Valley back in October. I realize that I've been a little late in posting all of these, but I've been busy with some commissions and Christmas preparations.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day when I painted, at Granogue, a Du Point estate in Wilmington known by residents  all around for the water tower landmark that stands on the outskirts of the huge property on Smiths Bridge Road and Montchanin Road just west of the Brandywine, where Eleuthere Irenee Du Post  built a gunpowder mill about 200 years ago. 

Folks can still visit the mill today, called Eleutherian Mills, which is near the Granogue estate, along with Winterthur and the Hagley Museum- all beautiful museums which house much of the history of the storied Du Post family.

I always consider it a privilege to paint here at this beautiful place. Rolling hills,  barns, workers houses, a railroad station and undulating cornfields are just small parts of the estate. The Country House is perched on the top of a hill overlooking the beautiful Brandywine hillside.

Towards the end of the painting, I had to turn my canvas away from the barn because of the sun, but you can see the beautiful cornfields that were behind me as I painted.

I've done a couple paintings at Granogue in the past, and they are all sold. If you would like to purchase this one, it is loaded with thick paint and beautiful autumn colors! Just send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for purchase info.

Thanks for visiting my blog and come back again!

To read more about Granogue, here is a neat article by the Washington Post, of a party hosted at Granogue by the Du Post Patriarch.

"Autumn in the Country", 11x14, oil on panel, plein air, Chester County, Pennsylvania landscapes, autumn color, farm scenes, original oil paintings, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art

"Autumn in the Country", 11x14, oil on panel, plein air

This was painted during a trip to Chester County. I was intrigued by the shadows on the ground and the colorful foliage.

This painting is available. Please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com, if you are interested in purchasing this work.

"Morning at the Celery Fields", 9x12, plein air, Audubon Society, Sarasota Florida, Celery Fields, plein air paintings, Strada easel, Maryanne Jacobsen art

"Morning at the Celery Fields", 9x12, plein air

This was painted on location at the Audubon Society of Sarasota's beautiful gardens adjacent to the Celery Fields. The Celery Fields are a natural bird habitat and popular walking spot for Sarasota natives.

It was a bright clear morning when I painted there with the SRQ plein air painters.

It was also the morning that I broke in my new Strada easel.

If you ever visit Sarasota, be sure to take a walk up the hill at the Celery Fields, where you can get an almost aerial view of the wetlands below. If you're lucky, you may see some Roseate Spoonbills!

If you are interest in purchasing this plein air painting, please email me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for info.

"Coffee Break", 9x12, oil on Canson oil paper, coffee break, Beautiful women, women in hats,, portrait study, all prima

"Coffee Break", 9x12, oil on Canson oil paper

Had fun with this one. May try her in a larger format.

"Windblown Cypress, Pinnacle Point", 16x28, oil on board, cypress trees, California cypress, California coastal art, Point Lobos State Preserve, Pinnacle Point, Maryanne jacobsen art, windblown trees, award-winning art

"Windblown Cypress, Pinnacle Point", 16x28, oil on board

I was very happy to receive a  Third place award  last week at the Venice Art Center's "Branchin' Out" exhibit, featuring- trees! That makes three ribbons in one month!

Trees are a wonderful subject to paint, and the windblown cypress trees at Point Lobos State Preserve in Carmel California are a personal favorite subject of mine.

This painting is very dramatic in person and would make a stunning addition to any wall. If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please send me an email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

"Red Rock Country", 8x10, oil on panel, Zion national Park, CyberMonday sale, Virgin River, The Watchman, Maryanne Jacobsen art, National parks, red rocks

"Red Rock Country", 8x10, oil on panel-$350 (free shipping!)

This scene is a view from Watchman Trail in  Zion National Park, which I've painted a few times in the past. It portrays the Swirling Virgin River as it heads towards the turn at the majestic Watchman.

Utah is a beautiful place and was recently voted the third best state in which to retire!

For CyberMonday, I'm offering this painting at half off my usual retail, unframed, with free shipping within the domestic US.

Please use the PayPal button below, if you would like to purchase this painting. By the way, original art makes a lovely Christmas gift!

"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.

"Brandywine Blues", 14x11, plein air sketch, Jasper Crane Rose Garden, bridge over the Brandywine, Brandywine River, Wilmington Delaware scenes, Maryanne Jacobsen original art, Plein air Brandywine Valley, water reflections, Brandywine Park and Zoo, Monkey Hill

"Brandywine Blues", 14x11, plein air sketch

This is another one of the paintings that I did during Plein Air Brandywine Valley week.

The scene is from the Jasper Crane Rose Garden in Wilmington, Delaware. It was a chilly gray day when I painted there, but enjoyable nonetheless with fall colors just beginning to emerge in the trees.

This painting is available for purchase. Contact me via email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com for pricing.

"Wyeth's Muse", 12x16, oil on panel, Andrew Wyeth, Chadds Ford, Brandywine School of Art, Maryanne Jacobsen art, Keurner Farm, Ring Farm, historic places, N.C. Wyeth, original oil paintings, Brandywine Valley

"Wyeth's Muse", 12x16, oil on panel

It is said that the Keurner Farm in Chadd's Ford, Pa. served as inspiration for at least a third of the works by the late Andrew Wyeth. Andrew discovered the farm on one of his boyhood walks and over the years, the farm and its occupants, Karl and Anna Keurner developed a deeply satisfying albeit complex relationship. It was here at the farm that Andrew met Helga, a German immigrant, who also became the controversial subject of many of Wyeth's paintings.

Having spent the greater part of my adult life living in the Brandywine Valley, and treasuring the legacy of the Wyeth's, it is not unusual that I still gravitate to scenes of rural farms with old stone walls and fence lines that dot the hillsides, whenever I visit Pennsylvania.

 Recently, while painting in the Plein Air Brandywine Valley painting event, I had the opportunity to paint at the Kuerner Farm, which was generously donated  by the Keurners to the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum. It was a gorgeous autumn day, and although I really wanted to paint the white farmhouse from the bottom of the hill, another artist had already set up there.

So I painted the Springhouse instead, which is closer to the barn, and I'll post a better picture of that painting in another blog post.

All and all it was quite a moving experience to be able to walk the same well-worn dusty paths of the Wyeth's, Howard Pyle and other masters of the Brandywine School of Art, but I was still disappointed that I didn't have the chance to paint the farmhouse.

So this week I used my reference photo and set out to portray the old homestead in the dramatic mid-day light. I wasn't unhappy with outcome, but I do hope that someday perhaps I'll have the chance to paint the scene again- this time on location.

"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.