Trying to start painting again. Haven't been doing much lately. I just learned if you don't  use it you loose it. (Your blog, I mean.) This was Sonia, a fellow painter in my old group in Ft Myers. Which I miss. Probably why I'm not painting lately' no Community.

Michigan in Fall

 

 We went to Michigan a few years ago to visit our relatives . Took lots of pictures while visiting the parks we used to go to. MI is a riot of wildflowers in the fall. I painted this with pastel then did a larger piece  in acrylic.

Bahia Beach,FL

 

 

This was a beautiful day at Bahia Honda Beach between Marathon and Big Pine Key in Florida. I took pictures and painted this a few years ago but this time I did it in pastel. We haven't been back there since hurricane Irma. I heard the campground we went to has been sold to a resort firm. Oh well. Now that Fort Myers, where I live now, has been devastated by Ian, I'm sure the same thing will happen to the beach area here.

 

St Augistine

 

We went to St Augistine a few months ago. It's the oldest city in Fl with an long history going back to the Indigenous people and Spaniards. We took the trolley the first day, getting off at the spots of interest. I like historic cities that do that, don't you. You see more attractions and and the drivers share interesting  information about each site. The architecture is very European.
 

Off I75

 

I see these wetlands every time I drive up tp my sister's house in Sarasota. I painted this from memory which is something I think I can't do but I guess I can. I'm going to try to do more of this. It's just a matter of thinking positive.

6 Mile Cypress 3

Pastel on board. A nice quiet spot in a pond in 6 Mile Cypress park. I go there by my self to sketch and take pics. Lots of wildlife even an alligator.

 

Algiers Beach

First post in a long time. I had my knee replaced in March and it took awhile to get back to normal. Didn't even think of painting for two months. Then all I could think of was how I couldn't think of anything to paint. But I'm back to it now.

This was Algiers Beach on Sanibel island. My plein air group went there last week and had a great time.  We even enjoyed the Gulf for a while after our critique. BUT it was damned hot. Too hot to be standing outside painting!

 

Alex's House

 

 

This is my neighbors house. It took me months to finish this painting and this was my second attempt. The first try was on gessoed masonite and the overall finish was very slick and shiny. I didn't like it so I redid the exact painting on canvas. I learned two things. Always paint on canvas and it's a lot harder to copy exactly a painting you've already done. Won't do these things again.

1809 Butterfly St

 

Beautiful morning to paint in Downtown Ft. Myers. This House is on a back street near the Butterfly house. But I forgot to get the name of the street.

Castaway

This cottage was at a colorful resort on the beach at Sanibel Island. All the units were different colors. It was there for seventy plus years. But, no more. These were a sad casualty of hurricane Ian. Many places like this including Ft. Myers beach are gone. Sad sad sad. We are big regular beach people, part of the reason we came here seven years ago, but we haven't been able to go since the storm.The beaches are mostly closed due to damage, debris or bad water. I can't wait for them to be back. 

Hospital Garden

 

 Haven't posted since last October. I thought it was much longer than that. I've done a lot of painting but have not been able to finish much. Why??? That's my big question. But I'm on a kick to finish everything. And I''m working on new things all the time.

This was painted on a beautiful morning at the Gardens at the Naples Hospital. Truly a gift for the patients, employees and the public. Tried to capture the quiet morning light but I don't think it was successful.

Some Beach

This was done plein air on Sanabel Island with the group of painters from Ft. Myers Beach Art Assoc. Since then, we have had a catastrophic hurricane here in south west Florida. My city and surrounding areas were hardest hit. Whole neighborhoods have been wiped out. All the places we painted, wiped out and beaches, also wiped out. It will never be the same. The Art Association building is gone. What will become of the vibrant art community in this area?

Koreshian State Park

 

This was a beautiful morning at a state park. I just went crazy with the paint. But I loved the process and the finished piece.

Untitled

 

Matalacha . This small painting was done with pastels on panel. I've been making my own surfaces for pastel. My dear craftsman Husband cuts thin birch plywood to size and I finish them. Several coats of gesso and a coat of Golden Fine Pumace Gel. I think it's toothier than the pastel ground which I like.

Wonder Gardens

 

Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs , FL have been there since the 1930's. They rehabilitated injured wildlife from around the area. Today they have mainly a lot of birds and  are developing the gardens more. This was a lovely garden area but it was right next to the flamingo cage. You know, that's a smell I never want to paint around again.

Untitled

 

I don't know what to call this one but I am open to suggestions. It was painted at a posh high rise in Estero which was attached to it's own marina with mega boats. Does someone use a shopping cart to move supplies to the boat??

I need to find a way to take better pics of my art. The cell phone isn't getting it color wise. Most of the photos are washed out. On Instagram also. Oh yeah, jfletch838 on Insta.

Edison's Walkway 3

 

    Haven't posted in awhile because I've had Covid. Even though I've been careful the last two years and am fully vaccinated and boosted. But, I can say it wasn't too bad. Just like a bad cold and headache. Because I have a few things at my age, it could have been much worse. Be vaxed, be boosted. That's all I can say.

   I've painted this scene several times but I still find some view I like along this stretch of the Caloosahatchee River.

  

 

Island Wines

 

Another building in Matlacha. Now it's a jewelry shop. The stores frequently change hands so it's s good reason to go back each year you vacation here.

Untitled

 

This is one of my recent pastel paintings. I haven't worked in this medium in 10 years . Some of the plein a painters I go with have been doing beautiful work and I forgot how much I loved it. The colors are always so luscious and stimulating how can you not. I have a way to go with waves and clouds but I'm diving right in and trying them.

Over Water

This is from a few months ago. I redid the bridge a few times in the beginning because I couldn't get the angle right. I like the finished painting but it's awfully green. So, maybe it isn't done yet.