"Warning Sign"

9"x12" Oil on Gessobord brand panel

It was a cloudy, overcast day last Wednesday when we met at Fort Moultrie to paint.  "Text In Art" is the Theme for The Charleston Artist Collective in November.  A challenge, no doubt, for me.

"Charleston Florist" SOLD

8"x10" Oil on Gessobord brand panel   SOLD

I was spotted by Scout Magazine (see my Face Book post on October 10: facebook.com/maryhoffman)  This is what I was painting in that photo.  I'm on King street and that's Viextemps Bridal Boutique and the Charleston Florist for "Text in Art" which is the Collective's November theme.  Enjoy!

"Enter - One Way"

12"x9" Oil on Gessobord brand panel

"Text in Art" is our next theme for November at the Charleston Artist Collective
www.charlestonartistcollective.org
I was on King Street painting this one near the Library which happens to be the first library established in the USA.

"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.

"Finally Home" MercyMe SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Linen Panel   Sold

Briar's Creek has such lovely vistas to enjoy.  This song "Finally Home" has harmonies that make me feel as refreshed as I do when I paint on tranquil locations like this.

"Sleep Away" Bob Acri SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Linen Panel   Sold

This time of year brings dryer air and cooler breezes along with the strong, warm sunshine.  If you happen to be under the shade of the trees (or a boat dock, as in this case) you could easily be lulled off to dreamland on days like this one.  Listening to Bob Acri's piano soothes me too.

"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.

"Sleeping in the Sun" SOLD

6"x8" Oil on Linen Panel   sold

Seagulls sleeping on the beach on a sunny day. . . best kind of nap ever!
www.charlestonartistcollective.org

"Everyday Life in Charleston" SOLD

11"x14" Oil on GessoBord brand panel   SOLD

"Charleston Carriage" is a scene located at the end of Meeting Street in front of the well-known Bed and Breakfast, "2 Meeting Street."  If you spend any time at all in downtown Charleston you'll see these carriages as "everyday life." 

Check out September's Collective Theme here:  www.charlestonartistcollective.org

The Charleston Artist Collective is featured in the September issue of Southern Living magazine!

"Moultrie Rocks!" SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Linen Panel   SOLD

This is "Everyday Life" in the Lowcountry!  Check out The Charleston Artist Collective's September Theme: "Everyday Life"www.charlestonartistcollective.org

"View of St. Michaels Church" SOLD

sold

8"x6" Oil on Linen Panel

September's Theme for the Charleston Artist Collective is "Everyday Life" www.charlestonartistcollective.org

"Summer's Last Blooms"

12"x9" Oil on Linen Panel

A Counter top Pitcher filled to overflowing with some of Summer's last glorious Color!www.charlestonartistcollective.org

"Her Daddy's Delight" SOLD

8"x10" Oil on Linen Panel   sold

I'm back!  My family and I have been in and out of town for our "last hurrah" of the summer before school starts.  I have, however, been painting.  I just need to get them uploaded.

This painting is from a couple of wednesdays ago with the Wednesday painters at Shem Creek.  As I always do I had this up on my mantle waiting for it to dry and "live" with it a day or so to see if it needed any adjusting.

A neighbor of mine came by and saw it.  She recently lost her father who was inlove with boating and some of her fondest memories of times with her Dad was out on the boat.  She had to have it. This painting is "Her Daddy's Delight."

"Pearly Gates" (Entrance to Camp Merrie-Woode)

14"x11" Oil on GessoBord brand panel

The finale of the Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out was Saturday's

"Quick Draw."

One of the iconic images of Camp Merrie-Woode

is the entry gateway to the Camp dubbed the "Pearly Gates."

This painting is available for sale at the Mountain Mist Gallery in Cashiers, NC. 

You may call me or contact David Berger for more info.

"The WINNERS!"

Brett Weaver 1st Place, John Guernsey, Shannon Runquist, Richard Oversmith, Charles Dickenson:  Congrats to you all!!

Trey Finney Winner of the Quick Draw. . . I only wish I had a better image of the painting. . . it was stunning!

"Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out"

"The Pearly Gates" Waiting on its image

One of my most favorite paintings from the Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out is the one I painted during Saturday's "Quick Draw"  It's called "The Pearly Gates" and it is the entrance to Camp Merrie-Woode.  I am hoping to receive its image soon.  And as soon as I receive it, I'll share it with you on a new post.  Enjoy some of these images from the Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out event.

"Old Bald" - Fairfield Lake at Camp Merrie-Woode SOLD

9"x12" Oil on GessoBord brand panel   sold 

The mountain granite in the mornings glowed a cool blueish-pink contrasting beautifully with all the green trees.  Had to try to capture this majestic icon of Camp Merrie-Woode!

"Virtuous Memorial"

12"x9" Oil on GessoBord brand panel   

Camp Merrie-Woode's Chapel is located here (which is to the left just out of site of this vantage point).  The small stone gazebo at the lake's edge is the Orr Memorial dedicated to the man and his wife who founded this wonderful girls camp.  Inside inscripted into the stones at the tops of each pillar are the "Merrie-Woode Virtues" taught each young girl while camping at Merrie-Woode.  Some of the virtues that I can recall are "cleanliness," "courtesy," "generosity," among others.. . I am certain a Merrie-Woode girl can help me out with the others!  :)

"Priscilla's Chic Boutique"

9"x12" Oil on GessoBord brand panel

I forgot to post this earlier, it's a plein air piece I did while in town at Cashiers NC.  I painted this on the last day of the Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out.  This cute little building houses an Interior Design room, a cute clothing boutique and Garden & Home Decor store.  The red facade is eye-catching and I've desired to paint this for years.  I had to paint quickly as the cars began to park in front of me - ha!

"Philadelphia Alley" SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Linen Panel   sold

I may work on this more after I've gotten my eyes off of it for a day.  It's HOT down here in the LowCountry today!  Heat indices up to 110 degrees!  But despite the heat, it's still good to get out to paint.  This little alley offers wonderful cool shade from the heat and it is so beautiful too.  While painting this I was able to meet a couple who lives next door to this house and a very nice young family originally from England who now reside in NYC.  Good to meet y'all!

"Lil' Valley Shack" SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Linen Panel  sold

 

The Cashiers Plein Air Painters were privy to some of the most beautiful private property on which to paint.  The owner of this magnificent land allowed us to walk through her front door onto her back porch where we set up our easels.  The home owner's graciousness was the epitome of hospitality that we experienced all over Cashiers.  She owns a Highlands Cow named "Carolina" who happened into the scene but quickly walked to a more shady spot; too quick for me to capture.  However, I enjoyed her hillside pasture.  This one is also one of my very favorites of the week.

"Lifestyle Personified" SOLD

6"x8" Oil on Linen Panel  sold

We went back to Camp Merriewoode to paint one more time and along the road leading into the camp was this precious little scene.  The Adirondack chairs looking out onto the lake personifies the laid-back lifestyle of Cashiers NC.

"Sun Lovers" (aka: "Kristin's Sun Lovers)

5"x5" Oil on Gallery-Wrapped Canvas  NFS

Prior to painting "Snowballs in Summer" I found these lovely pink Cone Flowers against the dark green background and thought they'd work on the small canvas format I had.  When I brought it home from Cashiers NC, my daughter (who loves anything PINK) and I thought it would be an appropriate addition to her bedroom decor.

"Wolf Lake - Chinquapin"

12"x16" Oil on Linen Panel

This started out as a 16x20 but proved to be too much for me to handle Plein Air.  So I trimmed it down and the composition improved!!!  This was done en plein air and it is the largest plein air painting I think I've ever done in one outing (alla prima).

I'm told the lake is so named because when viewed from above its shape resembles a wolf.

"Snowballs in Summer" SOLD

8"x6" Oil on Linen Panel   sold

The Hydrangeas in Mountainous Cashiers were so beautiful!  They are still in full bloom where it's a bit cooler than South Carolina's heat.

"Lonesome Falls" SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Gessobord brand panel  sold

The gracious folks at Lonesome Valley residential community opened their arms and their hearts and allowed the Cashiers Plein Air Painters to capture the beauty of their neighborhood.  I've painted these falls before and I just can't get enough!  This was one of my personal favorites.

"Merrie-Woode Morning" SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Linen panel   sold

The Cashiers Plein Air Paint out brought us to a lovely place.  The all-girls summer campground, Camp Merrie-Woode, proved an enchanting place for me to paint. . . I fell madly in love with the environment, the atmosphere, the campers and counselors to the point that I'd like for my own daughter to attend.   This non-denominational Christian camp is a tough place to get into, so cross your fingers and pray for the best!

"Queen Street's Color" SOLD

9"x12" Oil on Gessobord brand panel sold

This was a hot day!  I tried not to melt as I painted this. . . we plan to meet back out here this week, however, I may plan to arrive as the sun rises to beat the 110 degree heat!

I do, however, enjoy being out-of-doors painting; there's nothing like it!

"Cool in the Shade"

12"x9" Oil on linen panel

The last of the Hydrangea blooms in the morning sun. . . . the color of the blooming Crepe Myrtle Tree together compile a colorful pallette

"By the Garden Shed" SOLD

6"x8" Oil on Linen Panel   sold

I'm back!!  My computer crashed and after a week or so at the "Computer Hospital" it's all better!  So I've got quite a few images to upload,  this one was from about three weeks ago.  After I painted "Southern Charm" the owners of that house invited us into their back yard which was a gardener's haven.  This charming garden shed with the chairs caught my eye.