The Cummer Museum of Art Garden

Garden at the Cummer Museum of Art in Jacksonville, watercolor, 10" x 14."

On our last day of vacation, Herb and I went back to the Cummer Museum of Art in Jacksonville so I could paint in the historic garden. We arrived mid-morning and found a group of painters already there. While walking around to take in the gardens and decide which was the best view to paint, I chatted with some of the artists, who told me they were students from the nearby University of North Florida. Their class met at a different location every Friday to paint plein air and the museum's gardens were--quite understandably--a favorite.

Looking at the beautiful gardens on the banks of the St. John River, it was hard to choose what to paint, but to me the most outstanding feature was a gigantic live oak which appeared to be at least a few centuries old. Its venerable trunk had been sculpted by riverfront storms into a striking, contorted mass, and its spreading branches twisted and leaned down so far that some had supports built under them to keep them off the ground. A glass-topped table and some chairs had been placed on the lawn under the tree--there seemed no need to go any farther. I spread out my painting stuff and sat down to study this amazing tree.

It took me a long time to get the drawing right. Simplifying the masses of branches by eliminating some of the extraneous ones while keeping enough of them to give a sense of their size and intricate twining was the most challenging part, and it was well past noon before I was ready to start laying in any color. By this time the breeze had started to pick up and a gust of wind took my tiny metal water tin and brush holder and dumped them on the ground. After that I kept the brush holder on the ground and my spare hand on the water tin.

I felt confident that no one would steal my painting gear at the museum, so I left it on the table while we had lunch at the cafe (dynamite black bean soup and chicken salad) and then came back to finish my painting.

The botanical illustrations classes have helped tremendously with my watercolor technique, and I was able to put down the shapes of the branches and trunk with washes from the start. It's a time-consuming process that requires patience: wetting the paper, waiting for it to have just the right amount of moisture, putting the wash down quickly, manipulating it to get the darks to fade gradually into lighter shades, and so on. Herb was very patient and kept me company reading his book; when he got tired of that, he went into the museum and visited all the other exhibits we'd missed before.

I still wasn't finished when the four o'clock closing time was announced, but I had enough down on paper to be able to finish my painting later. We decided to make our way back to Amelia Island using the route we'd taken on our way in the previous time, but got a bit disoriented on the freeways downtown. Eventually, we found our way back to the scenic route just in time for a sunset along the coast--lovely ending to a wonderful day!

Annapolis Secret Garden Tour II - Dorsey House Garden

Dorsey House Garden, oils on canvas, 11" x 14" SOLD

The weather was a little kinder on Sunday and the shady garden of the Dorsey House on Prince George Street (now owned by St. John's College) more spacious; it was easier for me to work here. I set up toward the rear of the garden so I could feature parts of the house in the background surrounded by a variety of colors in the foliage: beautiful large American boxwoods, golden Crytopmeria, silver-edged grasses and dwarf golden bamboo (there were no flowers in this garden).

I started around one o'clock with the painting showing the dappled sunlight under the trees and one docent sitting on a bench. Lots of people trooped by with many positive comments and I managed to give away a number of business cards and gallery brochures. It started getting cloudy around four-thirty, as I was nearly finished. The breeze picked up, a hint of an impending shower, so I began to pack up my gear. I had everything else packed, but couldn't find the top for my turpenoid jar as the first drops fell. One kind docent picked up my painting and held it under her umbrella (bless her heart!) as I frantically searched for the lid. By the time I found it, the rain was coming down hard. We ran out from under the trees in the downpour to take cover at the Harwood-Hammond House, a block around the corner.

The rain passed as quickly as it had started, and I called the gallery, but it being after five, I got only the answering machine--Sandy had closed and gone home. So, I left my gear with the volunteers at the Hammond-Harwood House and walked to the gallery to get my car, then drove back to pick up my things. Another adventure-filled day painting in Annapolis! The painting will be at Gallery 1683 as soon as it's dried and framed. Please stop by to see it in person.

Painting at the Secret Garden Tour in Annapolis

Annapolis Secret Garden Tour

(image from last year's Chesapeake Life magazine article)

This coming weekend of May 31-June 1, I'll be in Annapolis, painting in two historic gardens that are part of this year's Secret Garden Tour, organized by the Hammond-Harwood House.

Gallery 1683 arranged for several of us artists to be able to paint in these unique private gardens during the tour. It will be interesting to be "on show", doing my painting while the public troops by. I just hope I can do justice to the gardens and have my paintings turn out well despite the added pressure. I also hope this will generate enough interest in our art so we may sell a few works. Please go on the Secret Garden Tour and stop by Gallery 1683 at 151 Main Street in Annapolis, one block up from City Dock. The gardens should be lovely this time of the year.