Getting Busy
Summers half over, in Florida we consider May-September to be summer.:>). My schedule is already starting to fill up with fun activities for fall. I will have a one woman show at Melrose Bay Gallery September 1-30, 2010. On September 25th I'll be at the gallery to enjoy my studio cake party from 11AM-5PM. Be sure to drop in and enjoy a slice of cake with coffee.
A new article has just arrived in Haile Village Voice magazine about me:
For more information or to obtain a photo of Linda Blondheim, e-mail: skcarey1@gmail.com
June 23, 2010
Landscapes reflect artist's passion for capturing region's history
GAINESVILLE – Painter Linda Blondheim's work is a vibrant spectrum of North Florida life and land, rendered impressionistically in all four seasons, at all hours of the day and night.
From postcard-sized paintings produced quickly, when studio time is limited, to larger pieces that hang in homes throughout the country, Blondheim's work always contains undercurrents of yesterday.
Widely renowned for her Southern landscapes, Blondheim is respected by patrons and fellow artists alike for her commitment to land and water conservation in Florida and for her generosity of spirit, as well as for the painting skills she's honed for more than 30 years. Always original, Blondheim's paintings make thoughtful and interpretive use of color and composition and reflect her deep familiarity with “Old Florida” scenery as well as other venues in North Carolina and the Deep South.
Typical Blondheim landscape scenes range from public and privately owned pastures and farm fields that remain home to livestock and horses in the region, to coastal marshlands and pristine ocean and rivers. Her work captures Florida's rich agricultural history as well as its entrenched reputation as a tropical haven for visitors from Northern climes.
An honors graduate of the University of Tampa, Blondheim performed postgraduate studies in fine art at the University of South Florida before embarking on her painting career. She honed her reputation as an oil painter, but has recently shifted to working primarily in acrylics, although she still likes to occasionally use other mediums for effect and variety.
Local residents have likely seen her work at Paddiwhack, her primary Gainesville gallery, as well as recently in solo exhibitions at Books, Inc., the Vam York Theatre, Melrose Bay Gallery, and the Ice House Gallery in McIntosh.
It was in that gallery that 12 years ago, McIntosh resident Lindy McCollum Brounley, a communications specialist at UF, spotted a particular Blondheim painting...and fell in love.
“It was a vibrantly painted landscape of a stand of sabal palms in a grass prairie,” Brounley said. “Like most all of Linda's Florida landscapes, it evoked a powerful sense of 'home' within me.”
Brounley's mother purchased the painting and gave it to her daughter for her birthday that year.
Since then, Brounley and her husband have collected four additional Blondheim landscapes of Florida locations that are meaningful to them. As a Christmas gift for her mother this past year, Brounley purchased a painting of a dirt road hugging the treeline at the edge of a hilly, plowed field outside of Evinston, Fla.
“For us, Linda's paintings of our beautiful North Florida landscapes document the rural lifestyle and its unique ecological treasures that we love and hope to preserve,” Brounley said.
Although Blondheim has deliberately downsized her gallery presence in recent years, she has simultaneously expanded her Web presence, reaching out to patrons and potential patrons through a blog, Facebook and Twitter, in addition to the more conventional Web site.
“At one time, I would have never considered reducing my gallery presence, as that was how I felt artists became known, and I was not as confident in my own ability to attract sales in other ways,” Blondheim said.
To survive in today's market, she has had to devise more creative ways of marketing a broader selection of work at different price points to appeal to a range of clients – individuals who never thought they could afford to buy an original painting but quickly learn that Blondheim's art is actually quite affordable, as well as art lovers who pay top dollar for their favorite scenes.
Much of Blondheim's subject matter is captured off the beaten path and resonates with both Florida natives and others who have come to call Florida home. Among her favorite places to paint locally are Fair Oaks Farm, owned by attorney Rick Knellinger, and the Wood family's historic farm, both located in Evinston.
Blondheim visits Evinston whenever she can, particularly between October and April, before the summer's brutal heat sets in.
“I have been fortunate to have Linda spend considerable time and effort at Fair Oaks documenting the farrn in gorgeous paintings which preserve for all time, the nurturing nature of a vanishing landscape,” said Fair Oaks owner Knellinger, who has accumulated several Blondheim paintings in the past two years. “She wanders the fields finding views through which she captures the spirit of the farm and those who toil here.”
The Wood farm, which has been designated a Century Pioneer Family Farm by the state of Florida, is located on the shores of Orange Lake and holds a special place in Blondheim's heart because of her years-long relationship with the Wood family. Ashley Wood, a retired communications director formerly with the University of Florida's Food and Agricultural Sciences, said Blondheim is always welcome to visit the family's farms, lands and yards.
“It's always great to hear from our Evinston-area neighbors when we have a 'Linda Blondheim sighting', because we are so pleased to have her creative talents that so wonderfully capture the lands and environment that we all love, appreciate and work to protect,” said Wood, who has known Blondheim since she was hired right out of high school in the early 1970s to work in the IFAS print shop.
“She was there for about a year or so before she went back to school for her degree and career as an artist,” he said. “I recall seeing her several years later at the Santa Fe Spring Arts show where she was showing her work and talent for possibly the first time.”
Since then, Wood said Blondheim had developed into “one of the best, if not the best, plein air artists of Florida.”
“She can so uniquely interpret the North Florida environment, the wonderful Florida clouds and sky, the statuesque oaks and palms and the Southern landscapes,” Wood said.
Blondheim was the poster artist for the 2010 Evinston Paint-out, one of six invitational events she will have participated in this year – and that's a downsized schedule for the Lacrosse resident whose studio 11 miles from Gainesville is her late father's converted shed.
A founder of Plein Air Florida, Blondheim once travelled throughout the Eastern Seaboard to participate in numerous paint-outs, but she has come to a point in her life and career where she prefers to stay closer to home,so she can concentrate on studio work and be more available to her 87-year-old mother and to other family members.
That's one reason why she has devoted more time recently to Internet marketing, even gradually reducing her in-studio teaching and workshops in favor of “E-classes” she offers to her current students. Many of Blondheim's students are already aspiring artists seeking to reach their next level of achievement through professional consultation, but some have never previously picked up a paint brush and seek Blondheim's help to pursue their dream of learning how to paint.
“The logistics of travel, and the sheer physical demands of setting up, taking down and painting non-stop in unpredictable conditions can be very stressful, but most importantly I have come to feel that my strengths are better realized in the studio,” Blondheim said.
This year, she painted at events in Wekiva Springs State Park, Epcot Center in Orlando, Bartram Trail in St. John's County, and Winter Park as well as Evinston. The Canaveral National Seashore National Paint-out looms in November.
A self-described workaholic, Blondheim's friends know that she is also a “foodie” – an excellent cook who wouldn't consider having guests to her studio without putting out a spread of homemade munchies and dip, along with the requisite lemonade.
Her studio chili parties are something of a tradition for Blondheim fans. Patrons and others who are on her mailing list receive invitations to these get-togethers, which are Blondheim's way of showing appreciation to her friends and patrons.
At Art Salons – a concept Blondheim came up with for hosting groups of art aficionados at her studio – she whips up a fabulous lunch that might consist of spaghetti, salad and carrot cake.
Blondheim once worked as the personal chef for former McIntosh resident Louise Courtelis, a University of Florida philanthropist and former owner of Town and Country Farm. Courtelis and her daughter, Kiki, both of whom now reside in Kentucky, own several Blondheim paintings and have consistently supported her and her work over the years.
Town of Tioga resident Liz Brown discovered Blondheim's work after being invited to an Art Salon by her friend, Lindy Brounley.
“Lindy knew that my teenage daughter, Gracie, is an aspiring artist, and suggested that I bring Gracie as well,” Brown said. “We had no idea what to expect, and frankly I was a little intimidated. Would I be the only guest who knew nothing about art? Of course, I had been to art museums, and I had some haphazardly chosen art in my home, but I had never spent much time trying to learn about art.”
She added that what transpired was a lovely afternoon of lunching, laughing, and learning about one artist’s process and philosophy.
“Linda opened her studio and her home to us, fed our minds and hearts with her beautiful Florida landscapes, and our tummies with her delicious food,” said Brown, a staff attorney in the U.S. Attorney's office. “I grew up in the Florida Panhandle where 'beach scenes' are ubiquitous, but Linda’s paintings were like nothing I had seen before. Linda has a gift for capturing the essence of her subjects, so that you can smell the salt air, feel the cool spring water, and hear the palm fronds moving in the breeze.”
Blondheim asked the Art Salon participants to view the paintings in her studio, and to share which painting they liked best and why.
“There was no pressure to sound like an art expert, just an opportunity to reflect on why we are attracted to certain images,” Brown said. “Linda discussed how and why she chooses her subjects, demonstrated how she makes a painting, and answered our questions about collecting art and what advice she would give to a young artist-in-training.
“Then she told us that that she started giving her own children art to collect when they were young, and in that spirit I later bought Gracie some small florals that she especially admired to remind her of our afternoon in Linda’s studio,” Brown added. “This past Christmas, I put one of Linda’s paintings of Poe Springs on my 'wish list,' and I now enjoy looking at that refreshing scene at the end of a long, hot, day.”
Although Blondheim has deep roots in Alachua County, having been born and raised here, she can never mentally stay in one place too long. She constantly evaluates her business and marketing plans, while never losing sight of her personal need to evolve as a painter -- perfecting her techniques in a specific medium, for example, or experimenting with a fresh approach to value study.
“What I especially admire about Linda is her commitment to expanding her skills as a painter, ever immersing herself in the study of aesthetics while experimenting with color, mediums and other various techniques,” said Sharon Crute, an Ocala artist renowned for her dynamic equine paintings. “In this ongoing endeavor, Linda generously shares her acquired knowledge with her peers. As an equine artist, she urged me step out of my horse genre and take a try with plein air painting, something I would never have considered. This is how much she remains fully engaged as an artist.”
For more information about Linda Blondheim's work, or to purchase a painting, go to www.lindablondheim.com. Oh, and there will be a cake party (red velvet, sour cream pound and carrot cake are already on the menu) at Melrose Bay Gallery on September 25. Anyone interested is more than welcome to attend.
A new article has just arrived in Haile Village Voice magazine about me:
For more information or to obtain a photo of Linda Blondheim, e-mail: skcarey1@gmail.com
June 23, 2010
Landscapes reflect artist's passion for capturing region's history
GAINESVILLE – Painter Linda Blondheim's work is a vibrant spectrum of North Florida life and land, rendered impressionistically in all four seasons, at all hours of the day and night.
From postcard-sized paintings produced quickly, when studio time is limited, to larger pieces that hang in homes throughout the country, Blondheim's work always contains undercurrents of yesterday.
Widely renowned for her Southern landscapes, Blondheim is respected by patrons and fellow artists alike for her commitment to land and water conservation in Florida and for her generosity of spirit, as well as for the painting skills she's honed for more than 30 years. Always original, Blondheim's paintings make thoughtful and interpretive use of color and composition and reflect her deep familiarity with “Old Florida” scenery as well as other venues in North Carolina and the Deep South.
Typical Blondheim landscape scenes range from public and privately owned pastures and farm fields that remain home to livestock and horses in the region, to coastal marshlands and pristine ocean and rivers. Her work captures Florida's rich agricultural history as well as its entrenched reputation as a tropical haven for visitors from Northern climes.
An honors graduate of the University of Tampa, Blondheim performed postgraduate studies in fine art at the University of South Florida before embarking on her painting career. She honed her reputation as an oil painter, but has recently shifted to working primarily in acrylics, although she still likes to occasionally use other mediums for effect and variety.
Local residents have likely seen her work at Paddiwhack, her primary Gainesville gallery, as well as recently in solo exhibitions at Books, Inc., the Vam York Theatre, Melrose Bay Gallery, and the Ice House Gallery in McIntosh.
It was in that gallery that 12 years ago, McIntosh resident Lindy McCollum Brounley, a communications specialist at UF, spotted a particular Blondheim painting...and fell in love.
“It was a vibrantly painted landscape of a stand of sabal palms in a grass prairie,” Brounley said. “Like most all of Linda's Florida landscapes, it evoked a powerful sense of 'home' within me.”
Brounley's mother purchased the painting and gave it to her daughter for her birthday that year.
Since then, Brounley and her husband have collected four additional Blondheim landscapes of Florida locations that are meaningful to them. As a Christmas gift for her mother this past year, Brounley purchased a painting of a dirt road hugging the treeline at the edge of a hilly, plowed field outside of Evinston, Fla.
“For us, Linda's paintings of our beautiful North Florida landscapes document the rural lifestyle and its unique ecological treasures that we love and hope to preserve,” Brounley said.
Although Blondheim has deliberately downsized her gallery presence in recent years, she has simultaneously expanded her Web presence, reaching out to patrons and potential patrons through a blog, Facebook and Twitter, in addition to the more conventional Web site.
“At one time, I would have never considered reducing my gallery presence, as that was how I felt artists became known, and I was not as confident in my own ability to attract sales in other ways,” Blondheim said.
To survive in today's market, she has had to devise more creative ways of marketing a broader selection of work at different price points to appeal to a range of clients – individuals who never thought they could afford to buy an original painting but quickly learn that Blondheim's art is actually quite affordable, as well as art lovers who pay top dollar for their favorite scenes.
Much of Blondheim's subject matter is captured off the beaten path and resonates with both Florida natives and others who have come to call Florida home. Among her favorite places to paint locally are Fair Oaks Farm, owned by attorney Rick Knellinger, and the Wood family's historic farm, both located in Evinston.
Blondheim visits Evinston whenever she can, particularly between October and April, before the summer's brutal heat sets in.
“I have been fortunate to have Linda spend considerable time and effort at Fair Oaks documenting the farrn in gorgeous paintings which preserve for all time, the nurturing nature of a vanishing landscape,” said Fair Oaks owner Knellinger, who has accumulated several Blondheim paintings in the past two years. “She wanders the fields finding views through which she captures the spirit of the farm and those who toil here.”
The Wood farm, which has been designated a Century Pioneer Family Farm by the state of Florida, is located on the shores of Orange Lake and holds a special place in Blondheim's heart because of her years-long relationship with the Wood family. Ashley Wood, a retired communications director formerly with the University of Florida's Food and Agricultural Sciences, said Blondheim is always welcome to visit the family's farms, lands and yards.
“It's always great to hear from our Evinston-area neighbors when we have a 'Linda Blondheim sighting', because we are so pleased to have her creative talents that so wonderfully capture the lands and environment that we all love, appreciate and work to protect,” said Wood, who has known Blondheim since she was hired right out of high school in the early 1970s to work in the IFAS print shop.
“She was there for about a year or so before she went back to school for her degree and career as an artist,” he said. “I recall seeing her several years later at the Santa Fe Spring Arts show where she was showing her work and talent for possibly the first time.”
Since then, Wood said Blondheim had developed into “one of the best, if not the best, plein air artists of Florida.”
“She can so uniquely interpret the North Florida environment, the wonderful Florida clouds and sky, the statuesque oaks and palms and the Southern landscapes,” Wood said.
Blondheim was the poster artist for the 2010 Evinston Paint-out, one of six invitational events she will have participated in this year – and that's a downsized schedule for the Lacrosse resident whose studio 11 miles from Gainesville is her late father's converted shed.
A founder of Plein Air Florida, Blondheim once travelled throughout the Eastern Seaboard to participate in numerous paint-outs, but she has come to a point in her life and career where she prefers to stay closer to home,so she can concentrate on studio work and be more available to her 87-year-old mother and to other family members.
That's one reason why she has devoted more time recently to Internet marketing, even gradually reducing her in-studio teaching and workshops in favor of “E-classes” she offers to her current students. Many of Blondheim's students are already aspiring artists seeking to reach their next level of achievement through professional consultation, but some have never previously picked up a paint brush and seek Blondheim's help to pursue their dream of learning how to paint.
“The logistics of travel, and the sheer physical demands of setting up, taking down and painting non-stop in unpredictable conditions can be very stressful, but most importantly I have come to feel that my strengths are better realized in the studio,” Blondheim said.
This year, she painted at events in Wekiva Springs State Park, Epcot Center in Orlando, Bartram Trail in St. John's County, and Winter Park as well as Evinston. The Canaveral National Seashore National Paint-out looms in November.
A self-described workaholic, Blondheim's friends know that she is also a “foodie” – an excellent cook who wouldn't consider having guests to her studio without putting out a spread of homemade munchies and dip, along with the requisite lemonade.
Her studio chili parties are something of a tradition for Blondheim fans. Patrons and others who are on her mailing list receive invitations to these get-togethers, which are Blondheim's way of showing appreciation to her friends and patrons.
At Art Salons – a concept Blondheim came up with for hosting groups of art aficionados at her studio – she whips up a fabulous lunch that might consist of spaghetti, salad and carrot cake.
Blondheim once worked as the personal chef for former McIntosh resident Louise Courtelis, a University of Florida philanthropist and former owner of Town and Country Farm. Courtelis and her daughter, Kiki, both of whom now reside in Kentucky, own several Blondheim paintings and have consistently supported her and her work over the years.
Town of Tioga resident Liz Brown discovered Blondheim's work after being invited to an Art Salon by her friend, Lindy Brounley.
“Lindy knew that my teenage daughter, Gracie, is an aspiring artist, and suggested that I bring Gracie as well,” Brown said. “We had no idea what to expect, and frankly I was a little intimidated. Would I be the only guest who knew nothing about art? Of course, I had been to art museums, and I had some haphazardly chosen art in my home, but I had never spent much time trying to learn about art.”
She added that what transpired was a lovely afternoon of lunching, laughing, and learning about one artist’s process and philosophy.
“Linda opened her studio and her home to us, fed our minds and hearts with her beautiful Florida landscapes, and our tummies with her delicious food,” said Brown, a staff attorney in the U.S. Attorney's office. “I grew up in the Florida Panhandle where 'beach scenes' are ubiquitous, but Linda’s paintings were like nothing I had seen before. Linda has a gift for capturing the essence of her subjects, so that you can smell the salt air, feel the cool spring water, and hear the palm fronds moving in the breeze.”
Blondheim asked the Art Salon participants to view the paintings in her studio, and to share which painting they liked best and why.
“There was no pressure to sound like an art expert, just an opportunity to reflect on why we are attracted to certain images,” Brown said. “Linda discussed how and why she chooses her subjects, demonstrated how she makes a painting, and answered our questions about collecting art and what advice she would give to a young artist-in-training.
“Then she told us that that she started giving her own children art to collect when they were young, and in that spirit I later bought Gracie some small florals that she especially admired to remind her of our afternoon in Linda’s studio,” Brown added. “This past Christmas, I put one of Linda’s paintings of Poe Springs on my 'wish list,' and I now enjoy looking at that refreshing scene at the end of a long, hot, day.”
Although Blondheim has deep roots in Alachua County, having been born and raised here, she can never mentally stay in one place too long. She constantly evaluates her business and marketing plans, while never losing sight of her personal need to evolve as a painter -- perfecting her techniques in a specific medium, for example, or experimenting with a fresh approach to value study.
“What I especially admire about Linda is her commitment to expanding her skills as a painter, ever immersing herself in the study of aesthetics while experimenting with color, mediums and other various techniques,” said Sharon Crute, an Ocala artist renowned for her dynamic equine paintings. “In this ongoing endeavor, Linda generously shares her acquired knowledge with her peers. As an equine artist, she urged me step out of my horse genre and take a try with plein air painting, something I would never have considered. This is how much she remains fully engaged as an artist.”
For more information about Linda Blondheim's work, or to purchase a painting, go to www.lindablondheim.com. Oh, and there will be a cake party (red velvet, sour cream pound and carrot cake are already on the menu) at Melrose Bay Gallery on September 25. Anyone interested is more than welcome to attend.
A CAKE PARTY
I've decided it will be fun to have a Cake Party to celebrate the coming Fall. Come and join me for a variety of cakes with coffee and tea, and enjoy my paintings. I'll have lots of new work for you to see in a variety of sizes from tiny miniatures to large format paintings. Let's enjoy an afternoon of indulgence together, having our cake and eating it too!
Saturday, September 25, 2010 from 11 AM- 5 PM
At Melrose Bay Gallery State Road 26, Melrose, Florida
Love,
Linda
Saturday, September 25, 2010 from 11 AM- 5 PM
At Melrose Bay Gallery State Road 26, Melrose, Florida
Love,
Linda
Mid Summer at Fair Oaks Farm
July 17, 2010
Here it is midsummer already. Today I ventured out to Fair Oaks Farm to do a short painting in the morning. My dear Henry, AKA Studio Dog came along for the ride. We piled into my favorite golf cart and set out to find a good spot to paint in the shade.
Driving around on the farm in deep summer is fascinating and a bit creepy though fun. The grasses and weeds grow hip deep in massive quantities in the fields. The usual paths disappear and it is so overgrown that I pray that the cart won't get stuck or stops. That is a long way through snake country to walk, and very hot. The farm is 160 acres.
We managed our way through the deep grasses to a nice spot in the shade. I was able to get a nice little palette knife painting done and Henry enjoyed snoozing during the process.
I have invented a nice system for painting in the cart. I set up my tiny 6x8 box on the tripod on the passenger side of the cart. It alleviates any danger of snakes or gators that might be lurking in the pond areas. I don't have to worry about the poison ivy either. The cart also provides a lot of shade. I am so spoiled by the golf carts that I hardly paint the other farms in the area.
Here it is midsummer already. Today I ventured out to Fair Oaks Farm to do a short painting in the morning. My dear Henry, AKA Studio Dog came along for the ride. We piled into my favorite golf cart and set out to find a good spot to paint in the shade.
Driving around on the farm in deep summer is fascinating and a bit creepy though fun. The grasses and weeds grow hip deep in massive quantities in the fields. The usual paths disappear and it is so overgrown that I pray that the cart won't get stuck or stops. That is a long way through snake country to walk, and very hot. The farm is 160 acres.
We managed our way through the deep grasses to a nice spot in the shade. I was able to get a nice little palette knife painting done and Henry enjoyed snoozing during the process.
I have invented a nice system for painting in the cart. I set up my tiny 6x8 box on the tripod on the passenger side of the cart. It alleviates any danger of snakes or gators that might be lurking in the pond areas. I don't have to worry about the poison ivy either. The cart also provides a lot of shade. I am so spoiled by the golf carts that I hardly paint the other farms in the area.
A summer Visit to Fair Oaks Farm- June 2010
I finally had a day to myself this summer and so I took a trip to Fair Oaks Farm and the Wood and Swink Post Office, both in Evinston, Florida. The Wood & Swink is Florida's oldest working post office, as well as a country store museum. It sells owner Freddie Wood's fresh vegetables, and shows regional art. I sell my small paintings of Evinston there. I delivered 8 new paintings today.
I had a basket to deliver to Fair Oaks Farm. I filled a basket from an old one I had which belonged to my aunt as a child. I filled it with dried wild flowers, a small birds nest with one egg, I had found in my yard abandoned, a piece of Amaythist given to me, and a tiny painting of the old Magnolia tree that had been cut down a week or two ago. The loss of the tree was shocking to all who love the farm. It was well over a hundred years old.
When I arrived at the farm, I was able to pick up a few lovely limbs and dried flower cones from the old tree to add to my basket. I placed the basket on the old front porch on a small table next to the door. I felt it was a way to decorate the old house with lovely small things from nature. She deserves special care being the matriarch of the farm.
I miss the farm so much every summer. I spend a great deal of time there from October- April each year, painting and wandering the fields with my dog Henry, my faithful friend. The summer is just too hot to enjoy anything much outside, so I take a studio break from outdoor painting for four months.
Stay tuned for the next adventure.
Love,
Linda
I had a basket to deliver to Fair Oaks Farm. I filled a basket from an old one I had which belonged to my aunt as a child. I filled it with dried wild flowers, a small birds nest with one egg, I had found in my yard abandoned, a piece of Amaythist given to me, and a tiny painting of the old Magnolia tree that had been cut down a week or two ago. The loss of the tree was shocking to all who love the farm. It was well over a hundred years old.
When I arrived at the farm, I was able to pick up a few lovely limbs and dried flower cones from the old tree to add to my basket. I placed the basket on the old front porch on a small table next to the door. I felt it was a way to decorate the old house with lovely small things from nature. She deserves special care being the matriarch of the farm.
I miss the farm so much every summer. I spend a great deal of time there from October- April each year, painting and wandering the fields with my dog Henry, my faithful friend. The summer is just too hot to enjoy anything much outside, so I take a studio break from outdoor painting for four months.
Stay tuned for the next adventure.
Love,
Linda
Canaveral National Seashore Paint Out
I'm excited that I have been included in the first Canaveral Seashore Paint Out November 8-13, 2010 on the east coast of Florida, near New Smyrna Beach.
I painted there several years ago for a day and remember it to be very lovely, with beautiful beaches, fabulous Seagrapes, shore birds of all kinds, and interesting older architecture.
I'll be sharing this adventure with you as I go along and will give you more information as time to the event gets closer.
I painted there several years ago for a day and remember it to be very lovely, with beautiful beaches, fabulous Seagrapes, shore birds of all kinds, and interesting older architecture.
I'll be sharing this adventure with you as I go along and will give you more information as time to the event gets closer.
Notes From the Studio
I am convinced that in order to paint well we absolutely have to have a love for our subject. I know that seems obvious to some but really, it needs to be considered seriously. It's true that most pros can paint anything if they need to, but I'm talking about paintings that are a real window to an artist's soul,their muse, their commitment to painting. I mean the subjects that make me want to jump out of bed in the morning to paint. The places that I dream about and cannot wait to come back to.
I have been painting at Wekiva State Park and living there for a week for four years now. It has become part of my soul. It speaks to me in so many ways. As I turn into the gate each March, I feel a great excitement and anticipation of what I will find this year and next year and every year I can paint there. I feel that way about Evinston Florida too. It is my second home. The farmers there allow me to paint whenever I wish to, which is often twice a week.
These two examples are what I mean about knowing the place you paint and having the heart for it. This doesn't happen over night, or even within a year. A beloved place reveals itself to us slowly and coyly, holding back secrets for us to uncover one at a time.
I believe it is only this relationship that opens us to the skills we need, the emotion we feel to paint our best work. I have always advised patrons to buy paintings of their favorite places from the artists who paint there regularly. I could paint California and SW paintings but they would be soulless, because they mean nothing to me emotionally. When I paint around the South, I have a lifetime of connections to the culture, food, land and people here. They mean everything to me. I believe that bond allows my soul to be mirrored in the paintings I do because this landscape is precious to me and those I love.
I discovered how important it is to choose the right painting support for yourself as a painter. One size and material does not fit all!
I had painted on canvas and Masonite for years and years. By accident, I found a piece of scrap exterior plywood on a pile of trash from a construction site about two years ago. I took it home to play with. It was quite rough of course with knots and so forth. I absolutely loved the surface for painting though. I was immediately hooked, feeling as though I had come home. I got so excited that I immediately called my master cabinetmaker who makes my studio furniture, and asked him if he could cut me some wood panels. He knew just what I would need. Instead of the rough plywood, he bought furniture grade birch paneling and made my panels. They are beyond beautiful, just as they are, but as paintings, they are truly wonderful. Yes, they have marks, patterns of the wood surface, knots and flaws. That is part of their beauty to me. I was so spoiled that I have never gone back to canvas or Masonite unless a client requests it.
I think my love for the panels also relates to my love for trees. It makes me happy to know that I am featuring the lovely trees of the South on these panels. There is no subject I respect more than the beautiful trees of my beloved South. Portraying them on wood is significant for me in my aesthetic as a painter.
