USA Collectors

Linda Blondheim Art Collector Map
Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com
Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Wishing You all a Happy Holiday


Cypress Tree at the Polasek Museum
18x24 inches
Acrylic on birch panel


Henry and I wish you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful 2011!!

I have been busy in the Loft Studio this fall, getting it set up and arranged to be a cozy hideaway for my patrons. Please come anytime you are in the Gainesville area. I am usually there around Noon on Wednesday - Saturday each week. Henry comes with me on Wednesday to entertain everybody.

I continue to paint my favorite farms, and trees. In 2011 I will add some floral and garden paintings to honor requests from patrons.

My Web sites:
http://www.lindablondheim.com
http://www.lindablondheimlandscapeart.com
My Blogs:
http://lindablondheimartnotes.blogspot.com
http://linda-blondheim.blogspot.com

2011 Calendar

February

Linda's Annual Chili Party

March

Wekiva Paint Out
EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival Art in the Gardens Weekend

April

Evinston Paint Out
Winter Park Paint Out

June

Linda's Hot Dog Picnic

November

Canaveral Seashore Paint Out

Sunday, August 08, 2010

New Magazine Article


Landscape Paintings

Friends,
Enjoy this article published in the Haile Village Journal by Sarah Carey.



For more information or to obtain a photo of Linda Blondheim, e-mail: skcarey1@gmail.com
July 2010

Landscapes reflect artist's passion for capturing region's history
GAINESVILLE – Painter Linda Blondheim's work is a vibrant spectrum of North Florida life and land, rendered impressionistically in all four seasons, at all hours of the day and night.
From postcard-sized paintings produced quickly, when studio time is limited, to larger pieces that hang in homes throughout the country, Blondheim's work always contains undercurrents of yesterday.
Widely renowned for her Southern landscapes, Blondheim is respected by patrons and fellow artists alike for her commitment to land and water conservation in Florida and for her generosity of spirit, as well as for the painting skills she's honed for more than 30 years. Always original, Blondheim's paintings make thoughtful and interpretive use of color and composition and reflect her deep familiarity with “Old Florida” scenery as well as other venues in North Carolina and the Deep South.
Typical Blondheim landscape scenes range from public and privately owned pastures and farm fields that remain home to livestock and horses in the region, to coastal marshlands and pristine ocean and rivers. Her work captures Florida's rich agricultural history as well as its entrenched reputation as a tropical haven for visitors from Northern climes.
An honors graduate of the University of Tampa, Blondheim performed postgraduate studies in fine art at the University of South Florida before embarking on her painting career. She honed her reputation as an oil painter, but has recently shifted to working primarily in acrylics, although she still likes to occasionally use other mediums for effect and variety.
Local residents have likely seen her work at Paddiwhack, her primary Gainesville gallery, as well as recently in solo exhibitions at Books, Inc., the Vam York Theatre, Melrose Bay Gallery, and the Ice House Gallery in McIntosh.
It was in that gallery that 12 years ago, McIntosh resident Lindy McCollum Brounley, a communications specialist at UF, spotted a particular Blondheim painting...and fell in love.
“It was a vibrantly painted landscape of a stand of sabal palms in a grass prairie,” Brounley said. “Like most all of Linda's Florida landscapes, it evoked a powerful sense of 'home' within me.”
Brounley's mother purchased the painting and gave it to her daughter for her birthday that year.
Since then, Brounley and her husband have collected four additional Blondheim landscapes of Florida locations that are meaningful to them. As a Christmas gift for her mother this past year, Brounley purchased a painting of a dirt road hugging the treeline at the edge of a hilly, plowed field outside of Evinston, Fla.
“For us, Linda's paintings of our beautiful North Florida landscapes document the rural lifestyle and its unique ecological treasures that we love and hope to preserve,” Brounley said.
Although Blondheim has deliberately downsized her gallery presence in recent years, she has simultaneously expanded her Web presence, reaching out to patrons and potential patrons through a blog, Facebook and Twitter, in addition to the more conventional Web site.
“At one time, I would have never considered reducing my gallery presence, as that was how I felt artists became known, and I was not as confident in my own ability to attract sales in other ways,” Blondheim said.
To survive in today's market, she has had to devise more creative ways of marketing a broader selection of work at different price points to appeal to a range of clients – individuals who never thought they could afford to buy an original painting but quickly learn that Blondheim's art is actually quite affordable, as well as art lovers who pay top dollar for their favorite scenes.
Much of Blondheim's subject matter is captured off the beaten path and resonates with both Florida natives and others who have come to call Florida home. Among her favorite places to paint locally are Fair Oaks Farm, owned by attorney Rick Knellinger, and the Wood family's historic farm, both located in Evinston.
Blondheim visits Evinston whenever she can, particularly between October and April, before the summer's brutal heat sets in.
“I have been fortunate to have Linda spend considerable time and effort at Fair Oaks documenting the farrn in gorgeous paintings which preserve for all time, the nurturing nature of a vanishing landscape,” said Fair Oaks owner Knellinger, who has accumulated several Blondheim paintings in the past two years. “She wanders the fields finding views through which she captures the spirit of the farm and those who toil here.”
The Wood farm, which has been designated a Century Pioneer Family Farm by the state of Florida, is located on the shores of Orange Lake and holds a special place in Blondheim's heart because of her years-long relationship with the Wood family. Ashley Wood, a retired communications director formerly with the University of Florida's Food and Agricultural Sciences, said Blondheim is always welcome to visit the family's farms, lands and yards.
“It's always great to hear from our Evinston-area neighbors when we have a 'Linda Blondheim sighting', because we are so pleased to have her creative talents that so wonderfully capture the lands and environment that we all love, appreciate and work to protect,” said Wood, who has known Blondheim since she was hired right out of high school in the early 1970s to work in the IFAS print shop.
“She was there for about a year or so before she went back to school for her degree and career as an artist,” he said. “I recall seeing her several years later at the Santa Fe Spring Arts show where she was showing her work and talent for possibly the first time.”
Since then, Wood said Blondheim had developed into “one of the best, if not the best, plein air artists of Florida.”
“She can so uniquely interpret the North Florida environment, the wonderful Florida clouds and sky, the statuesque oaks and palms and the Southern landscapes,” Wood said.
Blondheim was the poster artist for the 2010 Evinston Paint-out, one of six invitational events she will have participated in this year – and that's a downsized schedule for the Lacrosse resident whose studio 11 miles from Gainesville is her late father's converted shed.
A founder of Plein Air Florida, Blondheim once travelled throughout the Eastern Seaboard to participate in numerous paint-outs, but she has come to a point in her life and career where she prefers to stay closer to home,so she can concentrate on studio work and be more available to her 87-year-old mother and to other family members.
That's one reason why she has devoted more time recently to Internet marketing, even gradually reducing her in-studio teaching and workshops in favor of “E-classes” she offers to her current students. Many of Blondheim's students are already aspiring artists seeking to reach their next level of achievement through professional consultation, but some have never previously picked up a paint brush and seek Blondheim's help to pursue their dream of learning how to paint.
“The logistics of travel, and the sheer physical demands of setting up, taking down and painting non-stop in unpredictable conditions can be very stressful, but most importantly I have come to feel that my strengths are better realized in the studio,” Blondheim said.
This year, she painted at events in Wekiva Springs State Park, Epcot Center in Orlando, Bartram Trail in St. John's County, and Winter Park as well as Evinston. The Canaveral National Seashore National Paint-out looms in November.
A self-described workaholic, Blondheim's friends know that she is also a “foodie” – an excellent cook who wouldn't consider having guests to her studio without putting out a spread of homemade munchies and dip, along with the requisite lemonade.
Her studio chili parties are something of a tradition for Blondheim fans. Patrons and others who are on her mailing list receive invitations to these get-togethers, which are Blondheim's way of showing appreciation to her friends and patrons.
At Art Salons – a concept Blondheim came up with for hosting groups of art aficionados at her studio – she whips up a fabulous lunch that might consist of spaghetti, salad and carrot cake.
Blondheim once worked as the personal chef for former McIntosh resident Louise Courtelis, a University of Florida philanthropist and former owner of Town and Country Farm. Courtelis and her daughter, Kiki, both of whom now reside in Kentucky, own several Blondheim paintings and have consistently supported her and her work over the years.
Town of Tioga resident Liz Brown discovered Blondheim's work after being invited to an Art Salon by her friend, Lindy Brounley.
“Lindy knew that my teenage daughter, Gracie, is an aspiring artist, and suggested that I bring Gracie as well,” Brown said. “We had no idea what to expect, and frankly I was a little intimidated. Would I be the only guest who knew nothing about art? Of course, I had been to art museums, and I had some haphazardly chosen art in my home, but I had never spent much time trying to learn about art.”
She added that what transpired was a lovely afternoon of lunching, laughing, and learning about one artist’s process and philosophy.
“Linda opened her studio and her home to us, fed our minds and hearts with her beautiful Florida landscapes, and our tummies with her delicious food,” said Brown, a staff attorney in the U.S. Attorney's office. “I grew up in the Florida Panhandle where 'beach scenes' are ubiquitous, but Linda’s paintings were like nothing I had seen before. Linda has a gift for capturing the essence of her subjects, so that you can smell the salt air, feel the cool spring water, and hear the palm fronds moving in the breeze.”
Blondheim asked the Art Salon participants to view the paintings in her studio, and to share which painting they liked best and why.
“There was no pressure to sound like an art expert, just an opportunity to reflect on why we are attracted to certain images,” Brown said. “Linda discussed how and why she chooses her subjects, demonstrated how she makes a painting, and answered our questions about collecting art and what advice she would give to a young artist-in-training.
“Then she told us that that she started giving her own children art to collect when they were young, and in that spirit I later bought Gracie some small florals that she especially admired to remind her of our afternoon in Linda’s studio,” Brown added. “This past Christmas, I put one of Linda’s paintings of Poe Springs on my 'wish list,' and I now enjoy looking at that refreshing scene at the end of a long, hot, day.”
Although Blondheim has deep roots in Alachua County, having been born and raised here, she can never mentally stay in one place too long. She constantly evaluates her business and marketing plans, while never losing sight of her personal need to evolve as a painter -- perfecting her techniques in a specific medium, for example, or experimenting with a fresh approach to value study.
“What I especially admire about Linda is her commitment to expanding her skills as a painter, ever immersing herself in the study of aesthetics while experimenting with color, mediums and other various techniques,” said Sharon Crute, an Ocala artist renowned for her dynamic equine paintings. “In this ongoing endeavor, Linda generously shares her acquired knowledge with her peers. As an equine artist, she urged me step out of my horse genre and take a try with plein air painting, something I would never have considered. This is how much she remains fully engaged as an artist.”
For more information about Linda Blondheim's work, or to purchase a painting, go to www.lindablondheim.com. Oh, and there will be a cake party (red velvet, sour cream pound and carrot cake are already on the menu) at her studio on September 25. Anyone interested is more than welcome to attend.

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The cake party locationhas been changed to Melrose Bay Gallery, State Road 26, Melrose, Florida

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Fun in the Studio


Summer Glory
30x36 inches
acrylic on Birch panel
Landscape Paintings

Notes From the Studio

I'm having a swell summer so far, working in my studio with the AC on. A welcome change from bugs,heat and poison ivy from the paint outs of spring.

I finished this large painting and now I am waiting for two canvases to be shipped, to start another large painting or two. They will be panoramic.

In the mean time I'm having so much fund with miniatures. See them on my Miniature Paintings Page.

I hope summer is going wonderfully for you too.....

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

I'm Back!!


Faye's Bald Cypress
18x24 inches
acrylic on panel
Landscape Paintings

I've been on the road for awhile doing more paint outs at Evinston and Winter Park. I had a wonderful adventure and you can see some of the paintings on my web site. Now I am settled into the studio for the summer to work on large format paintings. If you would like to come for a visit and see my work, please let me know by email: lindablondheim@gmail.com

I still have a "Make an Offer" painting each month, so check that out on my specials page at the web site. This month's offer is currently at 75.00 and will be available through 5 PM on May 31, 2010.

I also have a new "Miniature of the Month" club available. I will send you a 2x3 inch miniature each month for 400.00 a year or 35.00 a month. What a fun way to collect paintings or give paintings as gifts to friends!!

Enjoy your summer and I'll check in here about once a week.
Love,
Linda

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

The Wekiva State Park and Wekiva River Experience



See my Wekiva Paintings:
Landscape Paintings
Small Landscape Paintings

I've just returned from the Wekiva State Park where I painted with other painters for a week, living in the park. There is no other place in Florida more beautiful. At sunset, the lake behind our cabins has a neon blue color with pinks, salmons and yellows in the sky. The dark pines show as ghostly blues and dark grays in front of the scene. It is the perfect winter place to be in Florida.

For the next two months I will be traveling, first to Walt Disney World for the annual International Flower and Garden Festival in Epcot. I'll be painting in the World Showcase March 26-28.



I'll be off to my favorite Florida location, Evinston, Florida for a week to paint the farms and ranches April 17-24. Our paintings will be for sale at the Wood and Swink in Evinston and at the University of Florida president's home for a gala opening and sale on April 24th. Proceeds benefit the Wood and Swink restoration. It is Florida's oldest working Post office. The paint out is sponsored by CTF

After Evinston, I'll be off to Winter Park for the annual Paint Out sponsoring the Albin Polasek Museum. What a beautiful museum!! I'm looking forward to painting there from April 25- May 2. Polasek

I'll see you at one of these places and look forward to each one.

Love,
Linda

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Commissions For Farm, Ranch, and Rural Florida Landscape Patrons



Lane to Fair Oaks Farm
24x36 inches
acrylic on wood panel

As many of you know who read my newsletters and view my web site Landscape Paintings, my true love in painting subjects are the farms,ranches, and rural lands of Florida. I am always happy to do commissions for my patrons. If you have a farm or ranch, or land that you love in Florida, I'll be happy to paint it for you as if it were my own. I am devoted to rural land conservation and have a deep commitment to preserving images of ranching and farming in Florida. Trees, pastures, old farm houses,cattle and barns all are favorites for me.

Contact me at lindablondheim@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Wekiva Paint Out


Wekiva River Spring
24x36 inches
acrylic on wood panel
See at the Florida Museum of Natural history through May 2010

See my paintings HERE

Newest Press Release

For more information or to obtain a photo of Linda Blondheim, e-mail: skcarey1@gmail.com

Feb. 15, 2010


Noted Southern landscape artist to paint at Wekiva State Park March 1-6

GAINESVILLE – Southern landscape artist Linda Blondheim will return to one of her favorite painting spots at the upcoming Wekiva Paint Out, scheduled March 1-6. Artists paint in and around Wekiva State Park, including the Wekiva Island and throughout the Wekiva River Basin.

This is Blondheim's fourth consecutive year at the invitational event, which she says is her very favorite of all the paint-outs she participates in.
“I have never missed one,” she said. “I feel that I come home each year when I arrive, unpack the car and go out with my paint box each morning. This paint-out is unique because it is the only one that allows the painters to live together in cabins on-site for the entire week.”


Blondheim said the housing arrangements and free range artists are given to the park, the river and Wekiva Island (formerly known as Wekiva Marina) during their stay leads to an immersion experience unlike any other.


“The hospitality for the artists is first class,” she said. “We are pampered by the event director, the staff at the paint-out and by the owners of Wekiva Island. They bring in a pontoon boat with a captain who takes us out on the river to paint each day. We can paint wherever we wish to and on our own schedule.”
Artists are provided with meals each day, so there is no need for them to cook, Blondheim said, adding that the camaraderie among participating artists is both stimulating and fun.


“The park is absolutely beautiful and the river is wild and pristine, with many beautiful birds, reptiles and otters in full view,” she said.


Widely renowned for her Southern landscapes, Blondheim is respected by patrons and fellow artists alike for her commitment to land and water conservation in Florida as well as her refined painting skills. Always original, always exciting, Blondheim's work makes thoughtful and interpretive use of color and composition and reflects her deep familiarity with “Old Florida” scenery as well as other venues in North Carolina and the Deep South.


Her landscape scenes range from public and privately owned pastures and farm fields that remain home to livestock and horses in the region, to coastal marshlands and pristine ocean and rivers. Blondheim's work captures Florida's rich agricultural history as well as its entrenched reputation as a tropical haven for visitors from Northern climates.
Much of Blondheim's subject matter is captured off the beaten path and resonates with both Florida natives and others who have come to call Florida home.
Visitors to the paint-out will have the opportunity to purchase an original Blondheim work of art at a reasonable price, but also to feel good knowing proceeds from all paint-out sales will go to the Friends of the Wekiva River organization to better preserve and maintain the quality of the river and the state park.


Artists will be painting daily, from Monday, March 1 through Saturday, March 6, with most beginning at first light and painting until sunset. Finished artwork will be available to view and purchase in the Wekiva Island Wetroom/Art Gallery, which is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. To 6 p.m. And from 10 a.m. To 4 p.m. On Saturday.


Wekiva Island is located at 1014 Miami Springs Road in Longwood. Turn off Wekiva Springs Road and onto Miami Springs Road, which is the north side of the intersection with Hunt Club Blvd. And Wekiva Springs Road.
In these times, more and more people are choosing “staycations” over more expensive travel opportunities, opting to stay home and enjoy their own environments in more creative ways. What better way to support state land and wildlife conservation efforts, invest in original art, buy American and support a local artist than to nest at home with your favorite landscapes captured in an original Blondheim painting?


To learn more about Blondheim and see images of her work, go to www.lindablondheim.com.
To learn more about the Friends of the Wekiva River organization, visit www.friendsofwekiva.org.
For more information about the Wekiva paint-out, go to www.wekivapaintout.com.
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Monday, January 18, 2010

Wintering In


Wintering In at Fair Oaks Farm
20x24 inches
acrylic on wood panel

See my paintings HERE

Notes From the Field

This is that magical time of the year in North Florida, that so few appreciate. Most painters love spring and summer with all the flower blooms and emerald green fields. For me, Fall and winter are the magic. As I step outside I see subtle shades of gray, both cool and warm, many variations of brown, gold and purple in the landscape. Here and there are startling fields of winter rye grass, sharply green against the grays and rusts around them.This is north Florida at it's best, with the bite of winter chill.

Linda's Next E-Class

Southern Trees in the Landscape- February 15- March 22, 2010

Study the trees of the South and how to paint them, including canopies, trunks, mechanics of trees, light and shade, and color of trees.

100.00
HERE

Sunday, January 03, 2010

A New Year in the Landscape World


Brewster Farm
20x24 inches
acrylic on wood panella
See my paintings HERE

Thanks to so many for taking advantage of my December sale of small plein air paintings. 20 of those paintings have new happy homes!!

My January Browse Bin Special is in progress HERE through January 31, 2010. These are larger older paintings from my bin. All are 250.00 with free shipping.

This year will be full of activity and full of new work. I am focusing on wonderful trees and our rural lands of north Florida for 2010. I have changed my palette a bit and am tweaking that now. This palette has a more subtle color harmony with more rich grays and color accents for my new year.

I'll be on the road starting March 1st for a series of paint outs around north and central Florida. More about those later.

Happy New Year dear collector friends. I am so grateful for your support and interest in my work.
Love,
Linda