Florida Prairie - Original Acrylic on Paper by Marcy Brennan

Florida Prairie - 11"x14" acrylic on paper - $80

This is a scene from west Fort Pierce.  I took the reference photo in late afternoon, thus all the warm colors in this painting.

You can purchase the original painting on my Etsy site here.

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"Flip Flop Weather" - New Oil and Cold Wax Series by Marcy Brennan

"Flip Flop Weather" - New Oil and Cold Wax Series

I created this new series about two months ago for Delray Beach's Cornell Museum of Art & Culture Third Annual Extraordinary 6x6 Art Sale.  The show begins July 1, 2016 and remains on exhibit the month of July, culminating in the sale of the works on Thursday, July 28, 2016 from 6-8 pm.

I had decided that I would create oil and cold wax paintings in my normal abstract style, but as I began painting, I decided to go with a tropical look, so abstracted palm trees and pink flowers took over.  I used Liquid on top to give the paintings a nice sheen.  The paintings are on cradled wood panels and the sides and back are painted black.  They are wired and ready to hang without a frame.

The museum is located at 51 N. Swinton Ave, Delray Beach, FL.  If you're in the area, I hope you can be there for the sale the evening of July 28th.

Here are the paintings I created which I titled, Flip Flop Weather.  It was still cold and windy in March when I painted these little guys and I was dreaming of warm weather when I could again wear my flip flops and shorts.  (Yes it gets too cold for us wimpy Floridians to wear flip flops during some of the winter months in our area.)

What about you?  What does the temperature have to be for you to wear flip flops?

Feel free to share on Facebook and Twitter and Pin the pictures (but please give me proper credit).

Peaceful Morning Plein Air Oil Painting by Marcy Brennan

Peaceful Morning Plein Air Oil Painting - oil on 10" x 8" canvas panel - $150

This was painted en plein air at a lady's house in west Fort Pierce. She was so gracious to invite our plein air group out, and we had gorgeous weather and a lovely morning of painting.

Purchase original and prints here.

Sun Bathers by Marcy Brennan

Sun Bathers - 12"x12" acrylic on canvas - NFS

When I was looking through my photos of beach scenes I'd taken in the past, I came across this one of North Beach that I've used on my real estate website for several years.  I wanted a beach scene to paint as a wedding gift for a young lady I've known since she was a little girl -- my previous pastor's daughter.  They've since moved to Kentucky and a different church, but this young lady fell in love before they left and now they are getting married and she'll be living in Florida again!  Her whole family lived close to the beach and spent lots of time there during the many years they lived on the Treasure Coast.  So happy for Katy and Smith and wish them many happy years together.  Hope they enjoy this painting for a very long time!

Brush With Nature at Adam's Ranch Plein Air Paintings by Marcy Brennan

Brush With Nature at Adam's Ranch Plein Air Paintings

I was at Adam's Ranch Jan 24th with other plein air painters to paint this beautiful Florida ranch.  My plein air paintings generally take me about 2 to 2-1/2 hours to complete, with more work needed in the studio to "tweak" them.  There were two spots I wanted to paint, so I had to get in there and get right to work.  In the morning, I stopped fairly close to the entrance, just around the bend from the main road to paint this nice open pasture.  I especially loved the trees in the distance.

"Peaceful Pasture", 8"x10" oil on canvas panel - $150

Buy Original and Prints here.

"Chasing Light" - 10" x 8" oil on canvas panel - $150

In the afternoon, I painted with two artists from Palm City and my friend and studio mate, Judith.  We sat under hundred year old oaks that protected us from the winds that were kicking up that whole day.  I decided to include one of the artists sitting in front of me on the banks of the sulfur spring in my painting.  I was painting in my usual oils and she and her friend were doing watercolor.  Judith was working in her favorite, acrylics.  The artist in front of me did two beautiful watercolors!  I wish I'd gotten a photo of them to share.  What attracted me to this scene were the palms on the left.  I really loved how they were intertwined, sort of like doing a dance with each other, and the way the afternoon light was hitting them, turning them a warm orange color.

Buy original and prints here.

Have you ever just sat in a peaceful spot and watched the way the light moves and changes and enjoyed the colors change with it?  It's a great way to spend some time in nature and enjoy creation.  It's pretty awesome!

Art Mundo's Brush With Nature Day at Adam's Ranch to Plein Air Paint

Art Mundo's Brush With Nature Day at Adam's Ranch to Plein Air Paint

It was a gorgeous and magical day of painting at Bud Adam's ranch with fellow artists today!  Bud is so gracious to allow us to come out and enjoy the beauty of his ranch, the animals and the incredible natural scenery.  By the way, Bud is an accomplished photographer, and the Indian River Magazine features one of his photos on the last page of each edition.  He's known for conservation and good stewardship of his land, and his landscape and wildlife photos attest to that.

I didn't take as much time to take photos this year as I took scads of photos last time I was out, but didn't get much painting done my first time out either.  It's a big area to drive around and scope out. After my first experience, I knew pretty much where I wanted to set up this time and so I got to painting.  But I thought I'd share the photos I did take today because it was just so GORGEOUS!!!

Since I paint in oils, there is always something to tweak and/or clean up before showing them off. Lots of little pieces of gunk stuck to my last painting, so it's going to have to dry so I can clean it off. Once the oil is dry, I then add a coat of Liquin to make the colors pop and give the piece a bit of a sheen.  Then that has to dry before I can scan it for a good photo to post.  So I will share my two finished paintings in a week or so.  For now, here are the photo.

This is the first scene I painted this morning.  Rain was predicted and it came and went before I even started.  This is a huge pasture and ideal for painting.  However, as the morning wore on, the wind picked up and about blew me away.  It was rather exciting, though, to paint some gray, moody skies to add atmosphere to my painting.  After finishing the first painting, I cleaned up, loaded everything into my car and headed to the oak hammock farther in for my second painting.

The sun was out by noon and it was gorgeous, though still windy.  I would have loved to set up and paint here, but there was literally nowhere to park my car to get it off the road.  Since it's a one-lane road, that wasn't happening.  A studio painting is in order for this one!

This is a closeup of horses in the huge pasture where I did my first painting.  I've never painted a horse!  Maybe I will give it a go with these beauties.  :-D

This is actually where the ranch we are allowed into begins.  That's a primitive old cabin, and it has the only bathroom out there.  Beyond that, it's the woods baby!

This is a closeup of the cows in the big pasture I did for my first painting.  They are simply blobs of burnt sienna and orange in the distance in my painting.  I absolutely LOVE the grayed greens and naples yellow in the trees in this photo.  Another painting perhaps!

The one-lane road along the canal - took this on my way back out at the end of the day.

Same one-lane road along the canal on my way out to the oak hammock.  Another nice shot for a studio painting!  I love the contrast of the reddish color bushes in front of the green trees in the scene!

Looking back before the last bend to go out toward the rustic cabin this afternoon.  It was becoming the "golden hour" with long, beautiful shadows.

More horses at play in the pasture of my first painting.  They kind of disappeared once I set up to paint.  Hmmm

Last bend on the way out this afternoon.  Good one for a studio painting.

Another of the last bend on way out.

On the way out the gate to the ranch offices and entrance.  Love the lone palm tree!

Oak Hammock where we were painting in the afternoon.  All the trees protected us from the wind and it was an absolutely lovely couple hours of painting!

Huge old oak in last pasture before going out last gate to ranch office.

Palm thicket - not something I'd try to tackle painting!  But I thought it was interesting.

Canal area off oak hammock where we were painting.  I really wanted to set up and paint out here for my second painting, but it was way too windy, and I'd had enough of that for one day.  ;-)

Brenda,  an artist I met today from Palm City was sitting next to the sulphur pond doing a plein air watercolor.  Her work is amazing, and my friend and I are wanting to set her up to teach a watercolor workshop at Art Mundo.  She teaches 5 acrylics classes a week at the Stuart Art Store.  I decided to put her into my second painting and it turned out great.  Plus she was happy to oblige! She was with her friend Jennifer and the so the four of us linked up, had our lunch and painted away. 

Making the left turn onto the east loop that goes to the oak hammock and tree house.

Another photo of the spot on the canal off the oak hammock.  There's so much color out there!!!

I hope you enjoyed touring Adam's Ranch with me.  Let me know what you think of our Florida habitat.  It's taken me about 20 years since leaving the beauty of the mountains and high desert of New Mexico behind, but I've finally grown to love painting palm trees and the wild beauty of my native Florida!

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes Plein Air Oil Painting by Marcy Brennan

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes Plein Air Oil Painting - 8"x10" - $150

I've always loved the look of the Cobb's Landing Restaurant (mainly because it's aqua, my favorite color), and I'm a sucker for a tiki roof!  I finally got to paint it during Main Street's plein air paint-out downtown.

My friend, Judith, and I set up across the street from the restaurant the first morning of the paint-out and braved the cold and wind all morning.  You can "see" the wind in the palm trees in front of the restaurant.  It was an unseasonably cool day for April in South Florida, but I'll take the cool over hot and sticky any day!

Buy original and prints on my website here.

Autumn in Florida by Marcy Brennan

Autumn in Florida - 10" x 8" oil on canvas panel - $150

I painted this with my plein air painting group last November. We sat in the shade of a lovely oak hammock at Savannah Recreation Area and painted this scene. There's a small pond in the middle ground that I couldn't actually see from my sitting position.  It was a beautiful day, just perfect for painting outside.

Buy original painting and prints at my website here.

100% Pure Florida Juried Show in Melbourne FL

100% Pure Florida Juried Show

So excited to be juried into this 9th annual Florida-wide show!  The opening reception was Friday evening, Sep 5th at the Fifth Avenue Art Gallery in Melbourne, FL.  There was a great turnout in spite of a really rainy night.  Melbourne people love their art!  The show runs through Sep 28th.

Marcy with her painting, "Secret Garden 1" - This is one of a series of six paintings inspired by the lovely Florida garden planted by my husband in our backyard.

Marcy's painting with others at the show at Fifth Ave Art Gallery

Fifth Ave Art Gallery, 1470 Highland Ave, Melbourne, FL

Souvenirs of Downtown Day 3

Day three started with rain, clearing, rain, clearing, wind, windy-er, then sunshine.  It was a crazy weather day.  Most of the morning, I spent as much time moving my chair and all my painting stuff back and forth from the sidewalk to the porch of the PP Cobb building for shelter.  But it finally cleared and I was able to get one painting done by 3 pm. 

My friend, Judith and I went to Art Mundo and framed our pieces and turned them in by 3:30.  There was a good crowd last night and in total 30 pieces of art sold.  Rather disappointing, when there were 37 artists doing 1-2 paintings per day over three days.  There was some phenomenal art created this week!  The paintings will be at the Backus House through May 7th, so if you didn't make it there this week, there's still time to stop in and see and/or purchase the work.

I was so impressed by the number of people eating at the little general store in the PP Cobb building that I took my husband there today for lunch.  The food is wonderful!!!

Here's my pieces of potted plants, appropriately titled "Potted" and my friend Judith's piece - don't know what she ended up calling it.

Souvenirs of Downtown Day Two

Day two turned out pretty nice, especially since there was a 60% chance of rain predicted for this afternoon!  The sun actually came out.  Got a tiny bit of rain this morning, but we continued painting and it went away.  My friend Judith and I painted Colleen Becht's little Love Shack on N. 2nd St this morning - well a vignette of one of her bougainvillas.  Here's my 8 x 10 oil on canvas panel of it:

Here is my friend Judith Sharpe Levy's 12 x12 acrylic on canvas rendition of it:

This afternoon, Judith went to Art Mundo and finished this painting and the two she started yesterday and got hers framed.  I went a bit farther north on 2nd Street and painted a section of the O'Connell house:

Here's a reference photo of the house - I struggled with all the angles, but I sure love turquoise and pink, so this house called to me.  Just as I finished, I notice a little bird perched on top of the chimney and so I painted it in as a final touch.

I had no time to add the palms and other greenery - this little sucker took me 3 hours to do.  Then I did something I've never done before -- I sat on the sidewalk and framed both paintings -- awkward, but it's required as we have to turn our paintings in at 4:00 so they can be hung.  But the weather was perfect and it was peaceful sitting on the road behind my car facing this cute house and painting all afternoon.

Here are Judith's two that she did yesterday.  I LOVE her style and use of color - so free and painterly - oh to paint like this!!!  The first painting is of Cobb's Landing Restaurant and the second painting is of Palms Health and Wellness backyard. 

There was a wonderful artist's reception from 5-8 pm tonight at the Backus Hosue with music, drinks and great food.  If you didn't make it tonight, be sure to come out tomorrow night, same time.  It's a real treat, and tomorrow will bring lots more wonderful art.  A number of pieces sold tonight - my friend Lori McNamara's painting she did today sold.  Judith and I are looking to paint something close-up at the PP Cobb building - something with the colorful flower boxes included - some sort of vignette, not the whole building.  Signing off for now - pretty worn out - but in a good way.  ;-)

Souvenirs of Downtown Plein Air Paintout Day One

Today was the first day of Main Street Fort Pierce's "Souvenirs of Downtown" Plein Air Paintout.  We had a fun and busy day.  The morning started out windy and chilly.  My friend Judith, two other artists and I painted the Key Westy style Cobb's Landing restaurant and tiki bar.  I've been wanting to paint this forever.  The photo below was taken inside after framing (never advisable) but it's all I had time to do.  I'd love more time to tweak it as I see lots of things that need fixing/changed, but the rule is they have to be turned in by 4 pm and framed and ready to go.  Ugh!

My second painting was in the tropical little backyard of a sweet little turquoise early 1900's cottage that is home to Palms Health and Wellness.  We went to do the yard, but I was so taken by the cottage, I was drawn to paint it instead.  Here's me holding my painting in the tropical setting:

Here's a close-up of the painting:

Tomorrow and Friday will bring more paintings of the charming little old homes in Edgartown on North 2nd Street and perhaps more of downtown.  We are operating on whim and inspiration.  ;-)

There will be artists receptions Thursday and Friday evenings from 5-8 pm at the Backus House, corner Backus and 2nd St, just north of downtown Fort Pierce.  There are 37 artists out painting over this 3-day period and there is some fabulous art - and it's all FOR SALE!!!  My pieces are all priced at $150, they are 8" x 10" oils on canvas panels and framed in gold-leafed plein air frames - ready to hang on your walls.

Plein Air Art Show Last Week

Marcy with all the plein air paintings she did this past fall and winter.  Our friends generously welcomed my plein air group to showcase our work at our social gathering at the clubhouse last Wednesday.  There were supposed to be three of us showing our work, but one of the artists fell and hurt her ankle, so was unable to attend.  (wish they'd had me straighten my blouse on that one side -- it looks like something growing out of me ;-p)

My neighbor and fellow plein air artist, Roger Conrad from Manitoba, Canada, displaying some of his plein air and studio work.  Roger only started painting in the past year or so, and he's become quite an accomplished artist!

It was such a fun evening!  The neighbors had never set up something like this before, but we've inspired them.  This month's social will have some wood carvers displaying their work.  Should be great!

Art Shows

I was a busy girl this past weekend.  Friday evening was the "Our Beautiful Waterways" show at Gallery 14 in Vero Beach.  This is me with my abstract painting, Shoreline:

Saturday evening was the Art Mundo Calendart Show at the Navy Seal Museum.  It's Art Mundo's big fundraising event of the year.  Each Calendar artist put two larger paintings in the show.  Here I am with my two, Inlet Sunset and Exuberance:

Below are my twelve abstract paintings (5" x 7" oil on gessoed paper) for the Calendars for Calendart. Art Mundo displayed them rather uniquely, I think.  This display was at Art Mundo in October:

This afternoon was the White show at Harbor Community Bank in St. Lucie West.  Here's my painting, Caramel Latte in that show.  I know I took a picture there on site but can't seem to find it now:

Earlier this month at Art Mundo was the Brush with Nature show.  These are paintings either done on site at various venues this past spring or done later in the studio.  The first one is a large 24 x 24 oil painting of Immokolee I did in the studio and donated to the Realtor Association of St Lucie County.  It was silent auctioned and the owner is now Wally Swords of First International Title Company. The other two are 5" x 7" watercolor on paper.  Immokolee house was done onsite and the anthuriums were done in the studio from photos:

The next photo was also in the Art Mundo Brush with Nature show and was from our trip out to Adam's Ranch.  I had two paintings from that venue at the show but got only one photo. They were both done in the studio on 16 x 20 canvas in oil:

It's been a rather busy and hectic month, but it's really great to get my work out there and seen by the public!