"Hunt Country" 9x12, oil on panel, paintings of horses, Radnor Hunt, hunt country, Chester County Pennsylvania, Plein air painting

 "Hunt Country" 9x12, oil on panel

Two years ago I participated in Plein Air Brandywine Valley for the 8th or 9th year in a row. I always enjoyed returning to Chester County, Pennsylvania for this awesome fall paint out. The fall colors were always spectacular, as were the many gorgeous locations where we were permitted to paint.

On this particular bright autumn morning, the group was set up at a private residence and horses were already grazing in the meadow.

The morning light was clear, the air was crisp and to top it off we suddenly heard horns in the background.

Knowing we were in hunt country, the artists raced across the road with cameras in hand to capture the scene as the Radnor Hunt approached to the tune of beagles barking and horses prancing through the woodlands.

The horseback riders of Radnor Hunt graciously came over to chat with us for a bit before they continued their pursuit of foxes and we returned to our easels.

This is the second year that the Paint Out has been cancelled due to Covid. The hubby and I are going to go up to Pennsylvania in mid October and I hope to have a chance to do some painting of that gorgeous fall foliage that I so miss down here in Florida.

This painting is available. Please contact me at maryannejacobsen@aol.com if interested.

Foghorn Morning, 12x24 oil on panel, seaside cottage, Ocean Point Maine, Maine landscape, foggy day, Don Demers, Maine seascape

 "Foghorn Morning", 12x24. oil

I think it was at least 10 years ago or more that we took our first trip to Maine. It would be the first of many trips that we would take there.

Maine has a rugged, ethereal beauty. Although there are days that are drenched in luminous sunlight, there are also all those foggy days where it is like the world has been submerged in fairy mist.

On one such morning my husband and I decided to leave Boothbay Harbor and drive to nearby Ocean Point, where I had heard that renowned marine artist Don Demers was going to be doing a plein air demo. We found the site and just started following a ragtag group of artists dragging their easels up the road towards the beach.

The site of his demo was the home of one of Don's friends, and the house sat squarely on a beautiful piece of ground on Shore Rd. overlooking the ocean and various small islands including Ram Island and it's lighthouse.

Although the day started out clear, before long the air became misty and the fog started coming in. In the distance a foghorn blew intermittently as Don finished his painting. The property on which the demo was held was called "Seven Lights" , because according to the owner, you can see the lights from seven different lighthouses on the surrounding islands.

I took a photo of the house next door, which had a lovely seaside Victorian style, and that is the subject of the painting. I tried to re-create the feeling that the house was being shrouded in mist as the fog set in. 

Hopefully, I was somewhat successful.

It has been quite a while since I felt like painting. I have had health issues in recent months that have drained me of my energy. I hope this new painting will be the beginning of many more as I continue to feel better.

Thanks for visiting!

"Beach Breeze", 8x10, oil, beach breeze, windy day, palette knife painting, little gem, small works, affordable art

SOLD

 "Beach Breeze", 8x10, oil

This little painting was created in soft and subtle tones with a palette knife. When you can't go to the beach, this will help you go there in your mind! Can you feel the breeze?

"Momma's Garden", 8x8, oil on panel, mothers day, little gems, paintings of mom

 "Momma's Garden", 8x8, oil on panel

I've done quite a few versions of this lady and her book, sunflowers and wine. I changed this one up quite a bit to give her cabernet instead of Chardonnay. She also changed her hair style and color. I hope she doesn't mind!

If you have any interest in this painting, just send me an email at maryannejacobsen.com.

"Beauty amidst the Ruins", 12x16, Mission San Juan Capistrano, California missions, Beautiful gardens, California history, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art

"Beauty amidst the Ruins", 12x16

Mission San Juan Capistrano is a place of quiet peace, gorgeous gardens and ghostly whispers of the past. 

Echos of long ago struggles can hardly be detected in this place of serene fountains, gracefully curved arches and seasonal flowers, yet the missions stretching along the California coast  have a long history that profoundly shaped the culture and founding of California and the history of its ethnic peoples.

I've visited and painted at Capistrano many times and never tire of its beauty. The old church was destroyed by an earthquake at least a hundred years ago and the ruins of that church are a solemn reminder of nature's fury and lack of favoritism.

This painting reflects a bit of both- the light and shadows cascading over the rocks of the ruins, while the lush fragrant gardens beyond beckon us into a season of hope. It's a joy to visit the Mission. Someday I intend to go back again, when this COVID mess is over!

"Sunroom at Chanticleer", 12x16, Chanticleer Gardens Wayne Pennsylvania, St. David's, botanical gardens on the Main Line, palette knife paintings

 "Sunroom at Chanticleer", 12x16

This was painted with a palette knife only. Once in a while it's fun for me to keep my palette knife skills intact. I chose this sunny porch scene, which is off of the sunroom at Chanticleer, a lovely oasis of gardens surrounding a lavish estate in St. David's , Pennsylvania.

I've done other paintings of this lovely place, including Chanticleer's Garden and An Invitation to Rest. Chanticleer is a lovely botanical estate to visit any time of the year!

For more info about Chanticleer including hours and ticket prices, visit their website here.

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

"Moonstruck", 5x7 , oil, white rose, painting of a white rose, small studies, little gems, small affordable paintings, paintings of roses, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art

SOLD

 "Moonstruck", 5x7 , oil

Recently I decided to challenge my painting skills by attempting a white rose. Now that may sound like an easy task to some artists, but for me, painting a white rose was always a challenging thought. 

It was a "thought" because I never actually tried to paint one. I just assumed I couldn't do it.

Roses are so very complex. Their beauty is astounding, but mastering the painting of roses takes a great deal of skill. I have painted roses before. Some came a little easier than others, depending on what I was thinking at the time.

Our thoughts have a great affect on how we approach life, especially painting. I have often condemned myself before even starting! Such was the case with rose painting, and in particular white rose painting.

So last weekend I bought 6 lovely white roses that opened gradually over the course of a few days.

I picked one (they are all unique!) and put it in a bud rose vase and set about to paint it. Here was my reference and what struck me most about this photo is how very little you could actually see! Which is why we are always told to paint from life. Duh.

Anyhow, I must have wiped this thing out at least a half dozen times before I finally started to see the flower develop.

It's not perfect, but I felt like I accomplished something! The white rose was always a big bogey man in my mind. But now I feel better. Do you have any painting challenges that you may or may not have overcome? I'd love to hear about them!

"Fish Beach Road", 12x16, oil, paintings of Monhegan Island, the Fish House Monhegan, summer vacations, Maine vacations, island trips, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art

 "Fish Beach Road", 12x16, oil

It's been quite a while since I posted anything new. It's hard sometimes to get back into a routine after you've been out of one for a long time.

I used to post on this blog everyday. And I often even found nice comments afterwards. It was great. That was about ten years ago.

The years fly by before we know it and then we suddenly find ourselves in a whole new era.

In this case, it became the era of social media. Instead of blog posts, artists started just posting photos of their new paintings on Facebook, Instagram, etc. 

While I am just as guilty of doing that, I discovered that it wasn't  very satisfying. I used to really enjoy creating stories about my art within the blog post. It was another level of creativity to write and explain in a blog post the inspiration and process behind the painting. it was fun and  for me, at least, very rewarding.

I often sold my work through my blog posts. And people around the world got to know me a little and began to recognize my work on sites like Daily Painters, when the "painting a day" phenomenon" took root and flourished.

Anyhow, now I'm just mumbling, if it's possible to mumble on a blog.

This is a new painting of a scene that I painted a couple times in the past. It is Fish Beach Road outside the Fish House eatery at the height of summer on Monhegan Island, Maine. My colors are more sober and muted now, and I think my change of palette simply reflects my overall mood anymore. My mood is not buoyant and positive and colorful and quirky like that of the Maryanne of the past.

Life with Covid has changed us all in new and different ways, and many are not positive additions to our fragile little personalities. That being said, I can look back with longing and appreciation for those carefree days when travel was almost effortless (at least compared to today's so called travel), and life seemed to be bubbling with possibilities. Indeed, on Monhegan Island, there were new possibilities lurking behind every corner, every turn in the road, every change of seasons. So I know that if things ever return to the way they were, we will all find ourselves ever so grateful for those freedoms and carefree attitudes of the past that no longer define our lifestyles, but hopefully will surface again.

Well, whether or not, I'll ever travel to lovely Maine again, I can still enjoy my memories of those happy painting trips, and hope and pray there are some new ones still to be found within my lifespan.

Stay well, and feel free to comment about your own experiences!

"Sleepy Hollow Farm", 30x24, impressionist painting, colorist painting, Pennsylvania country

 "Sleepy Hollow Farm", 30x24

This paintings dates back about 8 years to my colorist days. The farmhouse sits high on an autumn-colored hill. A small stream runs through the property and the foreground is studded with poppies.

Thanks for visiting my blog and let me know what you think of this painting!

"June Lilacs", 16x28, oil on hardboard, Monhegan Island, Monhegan Island painting, June day, Lilacs on Monhegan, poppies, Maryanne Jacobsen Fine art, impressionism, cats on Monhegan, Maine art

 "June Lilacs", 16x28, oil on hardboard (note: click on the image for better detail)

A few summers ago, the hubby and I took a trip in late June up to a favorite haunt of ours- Monhegan Island, Maine.  We took the ferry from Port Clyde on a foggy, cold morning and I fervently hoped I wouldn't get seasick, as I have been known to do in the past. But the hour long ferry ride is so worth what awaits you when you get to the island!

Monhegan is a painter's paradise, and of course I had brought my paints. After dropping our luggage off at the beautiful Island Inn, we took the customary walk up the hill, breathing in the brisk, though refreshing salty sea air, and admiring the usual array of new perennials  in the garden at  Carena's. We had never been there in June before and as the scenery there is constantly changing due to  the weather patterns, I drank in the new vegetation against the familiar backdrop of houses. 

The red poppies looked especially vibrant that day  against the rest of the environment, muted as it always is until all the fog burns off. The lilacs were also in full bloom along the path, and the usual array of stray cats were there to greet the new  ferry arrivals.

I am not typically an artist that prefers muted scenes, but I choose to try to capture this one, because it is so typical and beloved of those mornings on Monhegan when the air is full of atmospheric perspective, and that tiny island feels ever so other-worldly and mystical.

This painting was painted on a heavy hardwood. It needs a sturdy frame to support it (see below)and I hope it will become a happy fixture in someone's home who loves Monhegan Island as much as I do.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

"I see your True Colors", 9x12, oil, paintings of beautiful women. portraits, impressionism, MAryanne JAcobsen fine art

 

"I see your True Colors", 9x12, oil

Sometimes things are never as they seem on the outside. I have always been a curious person. I sit reading a book with my phone next to me, so I can look up any word I am not familiar with. I rarely find any, but when I am introduced to new words, I appreciate theft I have learned something new.

People are like that for me, too. I study people. I try to understand what is going on in the inside- their thoughts, feelings and fears. I have often wished for a kindred spirit that I could also share my inmost thoughts and fears with. To this day, I have never found that person. And it feels lonely.

As this painting developed, I was conscious of the fact that this young woman, who I was creating mainly from my own imagination, was hiding a great deal. There is a poetic quality to her. She is beautiful, sad and wistful at the same time. What is she thinking? I'll leave that to the viewer's imagination, but I have my own ideas.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

"December Morning", 8x10, oil on linen, winter snow scene, impressionist painting, oil painting gifts, small oil paintings

"December Morning", 8x10, oil on linen

I love painting snow though I haven't seen any in a number of years. This painting is available framed as as shown. Please send me a message at maryannejacobsen@aol.com , if interested.

Lady in Red, 11x14, oil on linen, paintings of beautiful women, lady in red, Short Dog Studio, red hats, Bill Taylor Photography, Beth Bathe studios, Maryanne Jacobsen fine art

 "Lady in Red", 11x14, oil on linen-$400

It's been almost 2 months since I broke my clavicle, and slowly but surely I am starting to paint again. This was yesterday's effort and by the end of the day I was totally spent and aching. But it was worth it. I enjoyed doing this one very much.

Another great big thank-you goes out to Bethe Bathe and Bill Taylor Photography in Ephrata, Pa. for allowing artists to paint from their portfolio of amazing photographs taken at Short Dog Studio. The models are always beautiful and costumes and poses are yummy.

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

"Strawberry Blonde", 8x10, portraits, red-heads, strawberry blondes, Short Dog Studio, Bill Taylor Photography, Beth Brownlee Bathe, Maryanne Jacobsen art

 "Strawberry Blonde", 8x10

I broke my clavicle about a month ago as a result of a bike accident. Trying to get back into painting has been very slow-going and extremely painful, as I find I am in a lot of pain if I stand for more than 20 minutes. (I've never been able to paint sitting down.) Recently I was invited by fabulous artist Beth Brownlee Bathe to paint virtually from her wonderful Short Dog Studio in Ephrata, Pa. She and her partner Bill of Bill Taylor Photography have offered artists the chance to paint from some absolutely fabulous long shot poses photographed at the studio. The models are always beautiful and there are a variety of poses to choose from. Last week I painted (very painfully) a full figure. This week I decided to keep it simple with just a portrait. This was the result.

A huge thank-you to Beth Brownlee Bathe, Bill Taylor Photography and Short Dog Studio for giving me and many artists a little pleasure during these COVID-times.

#BethBrownleeBathe, #shortdogstudio #BillTaylorPhotography

"Down to the Sea", 12 x16, oil, eucalyptus trees, impressionism, palette knife landscape

 "Down to the Sea", 12 x16, oil

This was painted over the top of an unsuccessful painting. I  really enjoyed watching the bad one go away. I used a lot of palette knife in this one though it's hard to tell from the photo.

Feel free to click on the image to see it better and if you'd like to purchase it, please visit my website here.