Florida Keys and Islands,Deciding on the right sized painting for your home,

Wood Farm
Evinston, Florida
12x16 inches
acrylic on birch panel
Wired and ready to hang unframed
700.00
shipping 20.00
You can purchase this painting HERE


I've started a new series about Florida's Keys and Islands. Everyone thinks of the Florida Keys south of Miami, but I mean the Keys from Tampa north. Most visitors have no idea that these beautiful places exist in North Florida. I have painted and photographed many of them over the years, so I think it is time for me to pay homage to them with this series.

At this time, I am doing research on the islands I have in mind, including Horseshoe Key,Shired Island, Honeymoon Island,Hontoon Island,Chicken Island Pine Island and several others. When I start a new series, I like to learn something about the history and legends of the places I paint. If you know of a Key or Island you would like to have me explore and paint, please comment about it and I'll check it out.

I have begun to paint 5x7 studies in acrylic of some of the compositions. These small paintings are warm ups for larger works. They give me feel for the location and allow me to refine the palette and composition for a larger painting later.

Stay tuned for more about this lovely project. I'm looking forward to it.

Sizing your painting

You visit my studio but can't decide on the size you need for a painting. Before you come, buy a roll of brown craft paper and some painter's tape. Measure and cut out several templates of the sizes you may be interested in out of the craft paper. Be sure to add about 4 to 6 inches to the paper in both directions to include framing. Tape them up on the wall, trying several sizes, and also two or three smaller templates hung as a grouping.

Stand back after you tape up each one and this will help you decide what size painting to look for or whether two or three smaller hung together would work just as well. This will make your decision in the studio or on the web site so much easier. You will know exactly what you need in size and orientation, whether it be vertical or horizontal. I'm always happy to do custom sized commissions and colors to match your decor.



This Week's MAKE AN OFFER painting. Type OFFER in the subject line and email me at:
lindablondheim@gmail.com

A great film about Florida,Collecting Art

Rawlings Home
24x24 inches
oil on canvas
SOLD

I love north Central Florida and was born and raised here. Back in the late 1980's I lived in the little town of Micanopy. I ran a small restaurant there for a year or two. At the time, the film called Cross Creek was filmed in the area. It is one of the great films about old Florida, starring Mary Steenburgen,Peter Cayote, and Rip Torn. I met them all, and made the pecan pie in the movie. It was a wonderful experience to watch them film segments in Micanopy. I consider it to be a real art film, with fantastic scenery of Florida, and a beautiful sound track. It is one of Rip Torn's finest performances. If you love Florida as I do, buy the DVD or rent it. You won't be disappointed.

Collecting Art

Getting your basic art education may sound like all work and no play, but quite the contrary. If you like art, learning about it by going places and looking at it, reading about it, and meeting interesting artists in the process is pure pleasure. And the fringe benefits are that the more you do, the better informed you get, and the more discriminating you become as a buyer. Visiting an artist's studio is a wonderful way to learn more about art.

Don't forget to enter the contest here on the blog!
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This Week's Make an Offer Painting

Send offer to lindablondheim@gmail.com Put OFFER in the message line.

Horseshoe Key, Choosing Quality Art

Evening at Seahorse Key
Cedar key Florida
12x16inches
acrylic on birch panel
wired and ready to hang unframed
700.00
shipping 20.00
Purchase HERE

My research tells me there are over 600 Cotton Mouth Moccasins living on Seahorse Key. I will need to be very careful on the island if I go there to paint and photograph. The photo for this painting was taken from the boat on my recent tour.

Don't forget to enter the contest on this blog to win a 50.00 gift certificate toward art on my web site. See the contest widget at the top of this blog. http://linda-blondheim.blogspot.com


Choosing Quality Art

Here are some guidelines and questions to use for measuring the quality of the artwork you are think you would like to buy.

Is it obviously a creation of a skilled craftsman or artisan?

Is the finish and the medium likely to last more than a few years?

Has the artist used high quality paints and an archival support for the painting?

Does the design have an effect on your emotions?

Most importantly, do you like it?

If you want to brighten your world and enhance your environment, stick with well designed, quality artwork.

I will get in trouble here with some friends because I am going to recommend that you purchase original art rather than reproductions.

The commonly used word "print", is actually often mis-used. Real Prints are hand pulled original art, which is made from wood blocks, lithograph stones or metal plates, done by hand one at a time on archival, high quality, rag papers. Each original print is slightly different because of the pressure on the press, or hand pressed paper.

Reproductions are facsimiles of original paintings, sometimes called Giclees ( pronounced Gee-clay), color copies, or offset prints. They are machine made reproductions and not original art.

I’d rather save up for the real thing. There is nothing like an original painting, drawing or print. To know that the artist put paint to canvas, using their emotion and love to craft a fine work of art is important in this world where fine craftsmanship is lacking in most things.

Affordable, Original Art. That's my motto!!





This weeks "Make an Offer" painting. Send offer to lindablondheim@gmail.com Type OFFER in the subject line.