The prairie was an attemt to force myself to paint early Monday morning. I just needed to see what I could do if I made myself get out there. I think with all the emotional havoc going on, that I just haven't felt much passion for anything. But that particular field that I drive by everyday, just down the street from the entrance to my neighborhood needed to be painted. I was pleasantly surprised to see myself reaching for my old brighter colors.

Old Sear's Home
The second painting I did this week is the Old Sear's House. Beaten and delapitated , poor thing needed her dignity restored. She still shows the signs of her age and experiences, yet in the painting she has a second charm that an artist needed to bring out. I found solace and refuge while painting this home.

Just Under the Surface And then outcame this morning's work. I have no idea why. Maybe I needed to see if my abstract mind was still in me. This is how I've worked for many years - the plein air landscapes are actually a new venture, or a very old one that's resurfaced. I love the unapologetic relationship between the deep blue and the stronger orange. Not much holds this composition together - the black lines around the fish, and the white reflections on the water surface (more contrasts). And I see my butterflies peeking out at me! No, I'm not on drugs - look at the fish's tail and tell me you don't see the butterfly's influence there. Fish don't go through metamorphosis - but my physche is right now. Turmoil happens anytime life goes chaotic. I see harmony today - life coming together through the chaos, just like the blues and oranges coming together in this painting. In posting the painting, I didn't crop it entirely,leaving some of the siding on my house showing as a way to show scale (no pun intended).

Buying Direct From Me

My paintings are now available for purchase directly through me. You may contact me through my email Jeanette Sherritze. I've been asked about price ranges before: anywhere from $85 to $395 for most of the plein air paintings. I'm currently loading the photos of the paintings on a Flickr page
Artwork. Please keep checking as it is a work in progress.

A Break from the Rain

The rain has been relentless this week. I've not been able to get out to paint so little has been accomplished. Its fine, though, as life seems to be in a down curve temporarily and I need to find my balance again. Even though my work seems to be more low key than the vibrant colors of the spring work, I feel it is much more emotive and real. This new piece was done mainly from a photo (because of the rain) that I took earlier this weekend of a spot within the same vicinity of "Waist-High Grasses". Its a spot just up the road from where I live on the Hwy 20 side in front of the Presbyterian Church. I hadn't really noticed this place until last week when I parked my car and went up into it. It definitly is an example of my philosophy that beauty exists always right in front of us.

This piece is 16x20 and was just delivered to the Allure Gallery in Destin where all of my plein-airs and landscapes are offered.

Waist-High Grasses and Baytowne Village Fountain

Waist High Grasses

This week I've rediscovered John Singer Sargent. His exquisite use of color - bold and subtle - and those unapologetic brushstrokes. The work in both of these pieces shows influence from two of his pieces, Fishing for Oysters at Cancale 1878 and A Capriote 1878. I still don't feel I've come close to his ability to subtley move the eye across the canvas with the juxtaposing of warm and cool tones - those beautiful siennas and teals continue to daunt me....but I'm relentless. Today's work will probably continue in the same palette as last night's.
The first piece is what I did yesterday evening from a photo I took of Cricket some months ago at the bridge just down the street from our home. I remember how hurried we were that day, Arbor Day, to finish a clean up project. She stayed ahead of me and I could see all the evidence of her year's of ballet training in just simply how she walks and carries herself. She is so beautiful and confident - and so the woman in this painting walking on a rocky path through those same waist high grasses, keeping her balance and her confidence despite the hot Florida sun.

Baytowne Village Fountain

This second painting sold this past weekend in my first solo exhibition of my plein air work. I admit that this was not a plein air piece, but it was painted on Thursday of last week after Rachel's accident. I just couldn't leave the house that day but still needed to paint. I had visited this fountain the day before and taken its photo. What struck me about the location was the misty cool in that tiny area of Baytowne village (Sandestin FL) even though the heat that day had chased home most of the plein-air artist group who were meeting that day. Everytime I go out to Baytowne, I am always taken aback by the beauty of this little fountain way hidden in the backside of the village.