"A Place in the Sun", 6x6, by Maryanne Jacobsen, impressionist garden paintings, contemporary impressionism

"A Place in the Sun" 6x6, oil on museum wrapped ampersand Gessoboard-$200 with free shipping, by Maryanne Jacobsen

I know this isn't a great photo of this painting, and I'll definitely try to take another one in the morning when there's natural lighting.

Last week, I bought some sunflowers and used them in my painting, "Sleepyheads with fruit". Afterwards, I took them out in the back yard and put them on a little bistro table we have in the yard under the palm and hemlock trees. My hubby took a photo of me reading in the sunlight and then I got the idea to make it more dramatic. So I ran in the house, threw on my lime green skirt, added a multi-colored scarf as well as my favorite hat. All that was left was to add the glass of wine and as I sat between the lengthening shadows and the harsh Florida sunlight, I knew that my hubby had captured a photo that was paint-worthy!



"A Place in the Sun" was the result, and I am extremely pleased with it, since I have been struggling to make some sense out of painting small. This attempt was definitely a winner in my book, and I think if an artist can paint small then they can definitely be successful at painting most anything! I named the painting after a song that my dad used to play on the family stereo. My dad always did his best to introduce his kids to all types of music, and I owe my love of music to him. Here's the lyrics, if you're too young to remember the song:


"A Place In The Sun"

Like a long lonely stream
I keep runnin' towards a dream
Movin' on, movin' on
Like a branch on a tree
I keep reachin' to be free
Movin' on, movin' on

'Cause there's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
And before my life is done
Got to find me a place in the sun

Like an old dusty road
I get weary from the load
Movin' on, movin' on
Like this tired troubled earth
I've been rollin' since my birth
Movin' on, movin' on

There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
And before my life is done
Got to find me a place in the sun

You know when times are bad
And you're feeling sad
I want you to always remember

Yes, there's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone...

If you wish to purchase "A Place in the Sun", please visit my blog at Paint Dance. To see more of my original art, please visit my website at Maryanne Jacobsen Fine Art.

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"Language Barrier", 14x18- by Maryanne Jacobsen

"Language Barrier", 14x18- $99

I did this quick study last night as an experiment to see if I could paint people with a palette knife. I discovered that it was hard, but not impossible. The result is very impressionistic. I kind of like it so I'll probable do another one with even thicker paint. I've priced this very low, since it was an experimental piece and it only took me a short time to complete. So grab it if you like impressionist works that don't have a great deal of detail. (You can click on the image to see the detail a little better.)

I decided to name it "Language Barrier" because of a funny thing that happened yesterday.
I am looking after a friend's dog while they are away and yesterday when I went to their home, I let the dog out back into the fenced yard. The dog , whose name is "Sammy" could see his "friend" next door, a pit bull looking out from the sliding glass door of his home, probably wishing he could go out and play with Sammy. They started barking at each other , as is they were talking. Then a funny thing happened. I started hearing another loud strident voice coming from the pitbull's home. It sounded like a bratty little kid screaming his head off, but I know these people have no children. The racket got louder and louder and then the strange voice started whistling and heckling Sammy, who just kept barking back. I finally realized it was a cockatoo, a tropical bird which is known for its loud and rather harsh voice. I began thinking that it would be really cool if we could all talk to each other, animals and humans and birds communicating back and forth. Anyhow, that was the inspiration for this painting.


If you wish to purchase the painting, please visit by blog at PaintDance.

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"Gulf Nightmare"-16x12, hideous, ugly, messy, gross paintings

"Gulf Nightmare", 16x12-$50

Is this what the Gulf of Mexico will look like when all is said and done? When the hurricanes start blowing this stuff from Louisiana down through the Florida Keys and over to Mexico, I imagine that it's bound to be a pretty horrific sight to see. I admit, that I'm really scared. I took out my anger and frustration on this piece of masonite. It's a mess- an ugly pitiable mess of a painting. Just like this horrible oil spill. IS there anyone out there who likes this painting, even though it's only $50? I doubt it. And no one will like the Gulf anymore either with all the dead fish and turtles and dolphins and manatees floating around in it, covered in thick black sludge.

When I moved to Florida in 2005 I was totally freaked out the first year by a bout of red tide that seemed as though it would never go away. There were dead fish everywhere on the beach and I couldn't go anywhere near the beach without getting a horrible headache and breaking into spasms of coughing. That's what red tide does to you. Thankfully, it only occurred in 2005, otherwise I don't think I could have lived here in Florida very long. That bout of red tide will be more like a picnic in the park compared to where this oil spill seems to be going. Here's a picture that I took in the summer of 2005:


I know a lot of people far removed from the Gulf don't care much about what's going on here. But when this mess gets picked up in the gulf stream and starts heading towards your coast, maybe you'll begin to feel my sense of helplessness, And when you start paying $40 a pound for shrimp, maybe you'll understand. And when this crap gets in the food chain and starts poisoning people maybe you'll care.

I don't care about the damage to the beaches as much as I care about the damage to the eco-system. Beaches can be replenished and cleaned, but an eco-system is fragile and inter-connected and the repercussions are mind-blowing in terms of the devastation this is going to do.

God is showing man that we are imperfect. So many humans have been playing God over the last 40-50 years and God has had enough. People have abandoned God because people think they are like GOD and now we see that we are just helpless, imperfect humans , continually failing and making mistakes. It's a shame.

Sorry to be depressing. Now you know what a great weekend I'm having. If you want to purchase this hideous painting, please visit my blog at Paint Dance.

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St. Augustine- "Bottom of Bridge Street", 20x16, oil on linen

"St. Augustine, Bottom of Bridge Street"- 16x20 , oil on linen

This is a view of the doorway into the courtyard of The Sanchez House, in St. Augustine, a lovely old historic house that was built by Jose Simeon Sanchez, one of the Spanish colony of Florida's first and foremost statesmen. Crafted of coquina stone, the house hosted the prosperous and distinguished Sanchez family until the 1950's.

The gesture of the bougainvillea (which is the focal point of the painting) directs the eye towards the palm tree, which leads the eye to the little sailboat. Hence the viewer's eye is led through the composition in a circular fashion.

Bridge Street in St. Augustine is one of my favorite streets. It has a couple of real old quirky homes on it with wooden doors that just seem to scream out, "Paint Me! Paint Me!"

So I did just that. I painted this old wooden door, set in stone at the bottom of Bridge Street on the site of the old Sanchez House, and crowned with a garland of bougainvillea for good measure. I happened upon this gorgeous scene while out for an early morning bike ride while visiting St. Augustine. The camera was set on some sort of weird setting, but no matter. I was determined to paint the scene regardless of my lousy photography!

Thanks so much for visiting my art blog. Please visit my official website here.

If you would like to purchase this painting, please contact Leah at Collector's Gallery and Framery at 941-488-3029 for purchase information, or send me and email at maryannejacobsen@aol.com.

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