"A Path To The Sea"

8"x10" Plein Air Oil on Linen Panel 

Painted on location in the Old Village at the end of Center Street which dead-ends into the edge of Charleston Harbor.  The views are breathtaking!

available at www.maryhoffmanfineart.com

"Standing Watch"

8"x6" Oil on Linen Panel  painted alla prima en plein air

Standing under that big oak between Stella Maris and Fort Moultrie I took this vantage and painted.  Just in time for Independence Day.

"View From The Fort"

8"x10" Oil on Linen Panel  Painted alla prima, en plein air.

On that cold, Spring day looking out over the span of yard from the top of the Fort (at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island, SC) was this view.  In the far distance one can make out the hint of our other historic site, Fort Sumter.

"Sullivan's Oak Tree Study"

6"x8" Oil on Linen Panel painted alla prima en plein air

There is a big, beautiful Oak Tree near the Stella Maris Church and the historic Fort Moultrie that gracefully "dances."  I love attempting these studies. They challenge me.

"Fort Moultrie Canon"

6"x8" Oil on Linen Panel  painted alla prima en plein air

This was painted back in March/April when the weather was unseasonably cold.  This has been quite a busy spring time for me and I have neglected keeping up with my blog.  My apologies.

This is basically a study of the structures at the historic Fort Moultrie interior - Trying out composition and value. The canon as well as the the sloping yard and brick wall created wonderful value shapes from which to work.  Then my hands got too cold to hold the brush and I called it a day!

"Through The Trees" NFS

6"x6" Oil on Gallery-Wrapped Canvas  Gifted

Painted En Plein Air, Alla Prima on location on Sullivan's Island, SC.  These are three of several Palmetto Trees out in front of the visitor center of Fort Moultrie.  I stood at the fork in the road between Stella Maris Church and Fort Moultrie.

Wow, was it cold out there today!!  But, Yay Us, who all showed up to brave the near freezing temperatures and wind chills.  The sun was bright and the sky was clear and the air was so fresh; it was a beautiful day to be out painting!

"Passages" is February's Charleston Artist Collective's Theme.  "Through The Trees" will be in that collection.

"New Discoveries" SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Linen   sold on One Kings Lane online sale www.onekingslane.com

When my son was just a toddler I snapped this image of him on one of our first trips to the beach. He was fascinated with the sand and all the prize finds of the surf.

"Your Hands" JJ Heller (Our Lady of Mercy) SOLD

12"x9" Oil on Linen panel   Sold

October for the Charleston Artist Collective features "Song Titles" as a theme.  I had so many songs I wanted to paint a painting of, but time always seems so short. . . perhaps I'll continue and do it anyway.  But on October 1st the following paintings will be my 5 featured works. 

This one was painted En Plein Air (as all of them are) at "Our Lady of Mercy" on James Island.  The property is so pretty and it boasts views of Charleston Harbor and Downtown.  Enjoy!

"Maid With The Flaxen Hair" SOLD

8"x10" Oil on GessoBord brand Panel  Sold

The Wednesday painters were blessed again to be invited to paint on location of "Our Lady of Mercy" on James Island. This locale offered us opposite views facing back toward where we normally paint.

The Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra performs this beautiful song.  You can "hear" the sun slowly rising above the trees and the birds waking in song.

"I'm Not Who I Was" (Brandon Heath) (aka "Easy Beach")

9"x12" Oil on Linen Panel

Another lovely day with the Wednesday painters at Fort Moultrie's Beach.  This time I wanted to concentrate on the incredible shapes and colors of the tree line and bushes lining the beach dunes.  The foreground clump of grass had a bizzillion orange butterflies drinking the nectar of the pretty purple and yellow flowers. 

A young mother of two little girls beautfully dressed in white holding paper parasols enjoyed the day to photograph her little ladies on the beach.   Another family of two young children came by to see what I was painting and announced that I was painting their "Easy Beach" which they regularly enjoy.