Fair Oaks Residency- Day 6

Waves

24x26 

Oil on canvas

Notes From My Residency Journal

The painting above isn't Fair Oaks. :-) it is a canvas I brought to work on. Today was quite cold and overcast until about 2:00 PM, so I painted in the wonderful studio listening to NPR and staying cozy. I often bring partially finished paintings with me to this studio. It is such a great space and I paint up there most of the summer when it is hot and buggy outside. 

I took a ride around this morning as I love to do, checking the fields. I like to keep an eye out for trees down or the occasional litter that blows in from time to time. I want nothing but footprints left behind.

It rained a bit again yesterday, so there are still places too wet to go and I am trying to mend my old habits of getting the golf carts stuck constantly. 

This place is old Florida at its best. There are so few left. Most lands have livestock and they do a lot of damage to the trees and fields. That is one of the great things about Fair Oaks. Only the pups Buddy and Shane roam the land. I'm happy to have them as friends and companions. 

Fair Oaks Residency- Day 5

Palms

8x10 inches

Oil on panel

East Hay Field

12x12 inches

Oil on canvas

Notes From My Residency Journal

The fair weather is over for a couple of days. I struggled to get two paintings despite the dreary day. Tomorrow I will paint upstairs and stay warm.  I have a large seascape painting waiting for me, and the studio has heat and a nice radio. A wonderful place to hang around in to paint. I love the old house. It is charming and cozy. It always feels like home for me. 

Today was dark and atmospheric, always a challenge to me. Some painters love that look but I am a high contrast painter by nature, and I like a warm palette. The cool grays, blues and greens are harder. This climate is good for me because I must paint out of my comfort zone. I love the challenge. 

It is already mid week. Where does the time go? 

Fair Oaks Residency- Day Three

Pond View

8x10

Oil on panel

Oaks and Palmettoes

12x16 inches

Oil on canvas

Notes From My Residency Journal

The best thing that ever happened to me was my discovery of Fair Oaks almost seven years ago. For a north Florida native, there is no better place. It has all of the elements that touch my heart. These giant Live Oak trees and Cabbage palms reach deeply into my soul. 

I've been watching and listening to the cranes circling up for there migration soon to come. I wish they would stay year round. There is a pair who live here year round. I love to creep up on them slowly. They know I'm behind them and stay just ahead of me, then burst into flight!

Last night Mark, the land  manager and do everything man, hauled in a trailer full of new trees, including several kinds of oak trees, long leaf pines, and a red cedar. They look so pretty bundled together, standing tall and proud.  He has an idea to put my favorite field three into planted pines and native grasses. I think it will be so pretty and I love to paint pines. I hope he will leave the path around the edge of the field for me. 

One of the things I love the most here, are the hidey holes, portals between fields, and the lanes hidden from casual observation. They are like the secret spaces of my childhood in my parents' yard. I would have stockpiles of food and toys hidden away there and spent hours exploring. 

I have gotten used to a new golf cart now that old blue is gone. This was the first one I used when I started painting here. This afternoon Chris and I did some repair to the holes in the seat and it is tip top now! It has my official paint on the seat so I am happy. I need to find a new head ornament. It used to have a cow scull wired on but it fell off at some point. I will need to find something. 

The time is racing by. I wish I could slow it down. I always hate to leave paradise. 

Fair Oaks Residency February 9-16

Notes From My Residency Journal

The Barn

At last, paradise for a whole week.  I'm sitting at the picnic bench in the yard, next to the old barn. I have had two spectacular days of painting. This is the climate that we Floridians suffer through long hot summers to receive as a reward. It was cool enough for a sweater and the light was spectacular all day. I will take some photos of my paintings to post for you. I have had good production so far with two paintings a day. 

My habit at this residency is to do one painting in the morning and one in the afternoon. I take a break for an hour mid day to wait for the afternoon light. Four-six PM is the magic time here and that gets later as the spring arrives. As long as the weather holds, I'll be painting outside. If it changes I'll be up in the studio working on my new big wave painting.

It sure is nice to have Buddy and Shane with me each day. I leave Henry at home. He is not an outdoor dog and I am here to work. I worry that he might get lost. 

I've been listening to and watching the cranes prepare for migration. They have been circling up all day. I love their calls. I saw 4 Kites today and the Kingfishers were diving for fish at the little pond
late yesterday.

When I arrive at Fair Oaks in February each year, I leave all of my stress behind me. I have no desire for anything except emersing myself in its culture and beauty.

Fair Oaks Mini Residency February 2

http://www.lindablondheim.com

Notes From My Residency Journal

I had a marvelous day in the studio at Fair Oaks today. I finished the two above paintings, enjoying the cozy space I love so much. I did a bit of dusting and sweeping to tidy up the studio. I like to keep it nice in case other artists want to come in and paint. I keep a log book there so we know who comes in to paint. I'll spend the week of February 9-16 at Fair Oaks so I'm really looking forward to my time there. 

Lunch was terrific. We had a full house with the staff and a very nice guest, Chris' beautiful girlfriend. She looks like a model and is so nice. She is an audiologist, very smart like everyone at Fair Oaks.  As always we have very interesting conversations and wonderful stories. One of the things I love the most are our lunches. I always learn from these friends. We enjoyed lasagna, green salad and cheese toast. Yummy!

Homage to my old friend the blue golf cart. I am so sad that I have lost the use of my favorite cart. I personify my favorite things, and the blue cart is like a beloved companion to me. Due to age and illness, I can't use it anymore. Something about brushes.  The other carts are used by the staff for work, so I will often be without a cart. There is plenty to paint around the house, so I will still be able to paint, but I will sure miss my blue friend. 

I climbed into Leroy and headed to my studio after a marvelous day at Fair Oaks. I am so blessed to be there. 

Fair Oaks Mini Residency

http://www.lindablondheim.com

Notes From My Residency Journal

Today was topsy turvey  in weather.  I left my studio for Fair Oaks in sunshine and mild temperature. When I arrived the weather changed to cold and dark almost immediately. I shivered through the above painting until the rain arrived, sending me scurrying upstairs to the cozy studio. 

Lunch arrived from Blue Highway and we enjoyed flatbread sandwiches and salad and then carrot cake for dessert. Yummy! Suddenly the storm was gone and the sun revealed a splendid afternoon for painting.

Linda

Harold

Margaret

Kay

Pat

Betty

At 2 PM my mentor students began to arrive and we sorted ourselves out. They set up to paint all around and I went back and forth to enjoy watching their lovely paintings develop. At 4:30 PM we packed up and showed off the paintings to each other.  It was a wonderful day and I'm very grateful to the staff at Fair Oaks for making the adventure possible for me and my friends. 

Mini Fair Oaks Residency- January 12, 2014

Left to Right

Sue, Rick, Freddie, and Kate

Notes From My Residency Journal

I was so delighted to wake up to cool sunny weather today. I headed for Fair Oaks right away. I bought a new paint box and I was anxious to use it this morning. After some adjustments I got down to work in the East Hay Field on this 12x12 painting of trees. The back lighting was very good in the field so I enjoyed that challenge. 

In my adjusting to a new box, I managed to spill all of my medium on the cart floor, having to stop and clean that up, and then managed to get paint all over my hands. By the time I cleaned it all up it was time for lunch. I was so happy that the blue cart took me around the farm nicely today. I love that cart so much. We are happy partners. 

I was greeted by my friend Kate at the cottage and we settled into lunch, a community effort. Mark, Rick and Chris created pork roast with yellow rice and biscuits. Kate brought spoon bread and I brought a savory chutney we put on the pork roast, a fine pairing. 

After lunch was cleaned up, we continued with artist shop talk and then were surprised by a visit from dear friends Freddie and Sue who brought homemade lemon pie from Sue's kitchen. What a fine afternoon. I enjoyed listening to stories about Evinston and Cross Creek and marveled at how lucky and privileged I am to know all of these special and good souls gathered around the table. I am so happy That I understand how special these times are and how much they enhance my life. I'm so grateful to be a part of the magic of Fair Oaks. 

The afternoon ticked away and it was time to climb into Leroy and point him toward my studio. Another day in paradise.