Early Morning Beach Painting

There's nothing quite like making a trip to the beach with all of my painting gear! It is workout for sure but it is always worth it... This early morning scene was lovely in every sense of the word and as usual, I was refreshed and revived just by being out there... The breeze on my face, the laughter of the seagulls as they flew overhead and the sand all over my painting made for a great day... I donated this 8x10 oil on canvas for a great cause...

Blue Hydrangeas in May

This painting was done on a very hot May afternoon with my friend Laurel..We were located very close to the beach in lovely neighborhood on St. Simons behind the village..As we were busy painting a man drove up in a pick-up truck wanting to know what we were painting. When we told him, he was absolutely dumbfounded that we would paint flowers when we were so close to the beach! He shook his head in disbelief as he drove off.. We laughed and laughed as this was a great bit of comic relief on a very hot day of painting...8x10 oil on canvas.

Pink Chapel

This is the Pink Chapel in West Point Plantation on St. Simons Island...It has a very interesting history beginning with Colonel William Hazzard, a Revolutionary war hero who owned all of West Point. He had a son named Thomas who killed a well known resident of the island which brought about ostracism for the entire Hazzard family. The Hazzards decided that they did not want to endure the ostracism any longer by attending Christ Church with everyone else, so in 1838, they built their very own chapel. Through the years it has turned pink by the growth of a fungus known as Pink Lichen. The island folklore is that it turned pink because of the blood shed caused by Thomas Hazzard. I painted this in the early winter. The original was an 8x10 oil on canvas which has sold but I have prints..

Brunswick Court House

This is Brunswick's Court House which is a lovely bit of historical architecture. There have been many business transactions, court trials and even weddings here.. This day, I was taken by the busyness as everyone walked in and out doing their business.. I sat up and painted and had a marvelous time talking and getting to know the locals. When you see this building, it really does take your breath away because of its beauty and charm. This is on a 20x24 canvas and is for sale..

That Was My School

While I was painting this one afternoon, I heard an elderly ladies voice ask me, "What are you doing?" I answered, "I am painting this old schoolhouse!" Ah, she said, That was my School!" She lived across the street and began to tell me of how she went there from the time she was 5 years old.. Miss Carrie at the time was 92 and after a little persuasion, agreed to pose for me. This painting won me 2nd place in a juried art show and also the Peoples Choice Award... Miss Carrie enriched my life with her stories and I treasure each one of them.. She is gone now but lives forever in this painting...

This very Pink house is truly a "Peachy" one in the Harrington are of St. Simons Island. The landscaping seems to be very old and settled but well maintained. This May afternoon was closely turning to dusk as I called it quits and began to pack up my stuff. I have the privilege of driving by this house almost daily and I wish you could see the little purple outhouse just to the left... That will be another painting another day.... Till then.

I love old things and old buildings.. This sad, old dockhouse looks exhausted but even in the midst of crumbling, it appears to be smiling... Once after painting this, I had the opportunity to see it from a boat and what a sight to see...All the weathered boards and differing shades of white were a delight for these artists eyes! Seeing this old building is always a welcoming sight as I drive over the last bridge to St. Simons Island..