Florida Road, Original Oil Landscape Painting 10x8 Oil on Canvas Panel

This is one of my favorite places, North Captiva Island. It represents Peace. Relaxation. Beauty. Seclusion. Exquisite Beaches. Expensive Food (nothing's perfect). 

Carmen

Challenge for July, Florida Themed Art

Our challenge this month: simply, "Florida."

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Cindy: When the theme for the month was “Florida” I knew immediately which piece said it all for me:

Hanging now in my NC studio this piece is huge! About 48” tall and almost 30” wide, it was rendered right before I left the state.  It was from a compilation of photos I had taken while kayaking the Indian River with a liberal dose of imagination thrown in for good measure.  I love the mountains and its four defined seasons but when I feel lonesome for a good river paddle on a hot day I simply lift my eyes and visit Florida in my mind.  This was done for me, me, me and it never mattered if anyone else liked it or not!

Detail of my swirly colorful water....

Cindy Michaud

https://www.cindymichaud.com/

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Kathy: I'm on a roll painting leaves lately and Florida has some beauties! I was watering my brother's Monstera plant and its gorgeous giant leaves just begged to be painted. I trimmed one off that was hiding near the ground and past looking healthy, and photographed it. (This leaf is 30 inches tall and 27 inches wide!)

Monstera Deliciosa Leaf

Sometimes I experiment in Photoshop to see how I might want to paint something. If I don't get around to painting it before our Florida challenge is up, below is my digital version. By adding patterns and filters I can make a photo look like a watercolor. The background is created by "painting" with a "brush" made from the same photo.

Also Monstera Deliciosa

Kathy Garvey

etsy.com/shop/snailflower

spoonflower.com/profiles/kgarvey

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Carmen: There is an island in Florida that is just as good as being in the Bahamas, and it is called North Captiva. I am thinking of painting a large version of this lovely spot.

Paradise, 7x5

Carmen Beecher

https://carmenbeecher.com

https://carmensart.etsy.com

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I painted a familiar landmark in the area The Grant House.  It was built in 1916 in the town that is now Grant,  by the Benson Family, who were pioneers in the Melbourne area.  I have visited there several times and always marvel at the how small and isolated these early pioneers must have felt in this vast wilderness that was Florida.

The Grant House

Donna Vines

https://donnavinesart.etsy.com

http://donnavinesart.blogspot.com

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I have always loved flowers. When I first moved to Florida, I planted 4 hibiscus trees in my backyard. The blooms were a lively color between coral and pomegranate. And DOUBLE, which I love.  I have used one of my photographs of a single blossom multiple times. Below is the collage I made when my oldest daughter ask me to create my concept of God. You may notice that my two daughters as well as my four grandchildren are all tucked into the pedals.

24"x 30"

For this challenge, I again turned to this hibiscus and to collage. I think I captured the vivaciousness of the hibiscus, but my shadowed pedals are too dark. The  two leaves are from my handmade papers. If I try this subject again, I will use all handmade papers. 

9"x 9"

Fay Picardi
www.faypicardi.weebly.com

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FLORIDA!
Our theme for this month... fun and appropriate!

"Sandpipers on Melbourne Beach"

Watercolor, 8" x 11"

    These are two of the things I love about living in Florida, the ever-changing water, and the birds. Isn't it entertaining to watch the little pipers run along the surf's edge? I love how they stay ahead of you while searching for those elusive morsels in the sand.
Taking a walk on a beach will sooth your soul.

Jean Thomas
Ozworks22@cfl.rr.com

I had to post this image for my "Florida" challenge.  After living in Florida for over 40 years, my husband and I moved to Asheville NC recently.  We still spend three months, every winter, in Florida.

During those three months, I am now a snow bird, with no responsibilities.  We rent on the beach, and I get to enjoy the Florida I never knew as a resident.  That includes, a morning walk on the beach.

This painting is the path, I take, each morning.

Carol Schiff
www.CarolASchiff.com

Living on the beach in Florida is amazing.  Every morning the first thing I do is look out at the ocean.  
There is often the sun rising; sometimes so vivid it does not look real, but it is!
Pelicans are often flying above or congregating on the water.
This is a large oil painting that I did from one of my morning photos and a bit of imagination.

Mary Warnick

Everglades Spoonbills, Prints, Giclee on Stretched Canvas, Roseate Spoonbills

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When winter comes to Florida, I get that urge to go to the Everglades. Sometimes I get really lucky and get a picture like this. I love Spoonbills, with their luscious pink plumage and their comical faces.

This is a high-quality giclee print on archival canvas, from an original oil painting.

Carmen

Alligator Painting, Wildlife Painting, Small Oil Painting, Daily Painting, 6x8" Oil on Panel

These guys are not uncommon sights in Florida.  Sometimes you see them snoozing in the sun next to a road.  Golfer's here usually have a scary encounter to tell.

Purchase here

This was my third attempt to paint this fellow.  I had difficulty getting the drawing correct, as well as the color.  The image I worked from was not exciting. Eventually, I think I worked it out.

Go gators!

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Carol Schiff

www.CarolSchiffStudio.etsy.com

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Silver River, 10x8 Oil Painting by Carmen Beecher

After getting lost in the woods (perversely, I enjoy those kinds of adventures), Kathy and I finally found this beautiful scene. This river and Silver Springs State Park should be on any nature lover's bucket list. We passed through a gorgeous green swamp (on a boardwalk, of course) to get to the river. I was glad we were alone so I could ooh and ahh as loudly as I wished. Thank goodness Kathy had scoped it all out so we didn't miss this lovely sight.

Carmen

Daily Painting, Small oil painting, "Room with A View" by Carol Schiff, 8x10x1.5" Oil

Strange name for a landscape.....maybe.  When I opened to door to my hotel room, this is the scene that pulled me across the room and on to the balcony........the perfect Florida beach scene, the glorious view we all hope for when we rent that room!  I knew the day would be good....and it was!

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150 + shipping

I painted with on gallery wrap canvas with the sides painted, so no frame is required.
My challenge in this painting was to capture the beautiful jewel tones on the sea and suggest the strong tropical light.

I hope you have a "room with a view" on your next vacation!  Enjoy!



www.CarolSchiffStudio.etsy.com
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Seascape Painting, Small Oil Painting, "The Green Sea" by Carol Schiff, 8x10x1.5"

Living on the coast of Florida, I love going to the beach for inspiration.

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The mood and colors of the sea change drastically and often, so you never know which sea you will find.

Some days it is hot and hazy, or choppy or calm as a lake.  The color may be blue, green, turquoise or maybe muddy.  When a storm moves in, everything changes quickly.

The mood of my seascapes also change.  Some of  them are full of texture and color, some not so much.  This one was quite a challenge for me, I just couldn't mix the colors I wanted or make my brush behave.  It took a few tries, but eventually I created a painting I was happy with.

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