Fair Oaks Farm View
20x24 inches
acrylic on panel
wired and ready to hang unframed
1600.00
shipping 95.00
Purchase HERE
Linda Blondheim Art Studio
Landscapes of The South
http://www.lindablondheim.com
lindablondheim@gmail.com
Studio: 386.462.5726
Please forward my newsletters to your friends. I need to grow my business. I'll
reward you with a tiny abstract painting.
Don't forget that I offer 10% of the sale cash referral rewards when you send a
new patron to me who purchases a painting.
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June/2009
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It's All About Melrose in July
Come have a hot dog and see my North Florida Muse Show in July at Melrose Bay Gallery
Melrose is an old town here in north Florida. It is a lakeside, bedroom community
for Gainesville and quite artsy in populous and style. Well known architect/author
Ron Haase and Florida mixed media painter Harriet Huss live there along with several
local artists. There is a lovely little local gallery on State Road 26 called the
Melrose Bay Gallery, and another called Bellamy Road. They seem to be connected
in that they often have themed shows together. I am to have a one woman guest show
there next month, featuring my North Florida Muse Series.
There is a fair amount of Victorian architecture there with a couple of nice parks
and the lovely lake Santa Fe dotted with old cypress trees and boat houses on stilts.
It is a scruffy old town full of character, with some newer upscale homes carefully
landscaped. There is a quaint little strip shopping center with a coffee house,
some gift shops, bait and tackle shops and two or three restaurants, around town
from down home, to pizza, to the elegant and interesting Blue Water Bay Restaurant.
By elegant, I don't mean the facility, which is a typical looking seafood restaurant.
What I mean by elegant, is the attention to detail, with white linen cloths, real
linen napkins, fresh flowers at each table, outstanding bar and restaurant service,
and delicious and interesting cuisine. I took my mother and sister there a few months
ago. In the fall and winter we like to go on day trips around north Florida. They
are able to see the places I go to paint and live those experiences with me for
a day. We had shrimp and Grouper with sides of Mango cole slaw and red beans and
rice, both absolutely delicious. The fish and shrimp were cooked to perfection,
just done. The plate presentation was nice, the dessert key Lime Pie was excellent
and tart with real whipped cream, and the coffee excellent.
They have a full bar, separate from the main dining room, which is a nice idea.
The bar is dark and cozy, with booths for dining as well. I was also quite impressed
that the wait staff was very knowledgeable about local activities, and the restaurant
history. Our server was attentive without being annoying and very solicitous to
my elderly Mother. I appreciated that so much.
The walls were decorated with art from local artists and that made me happy that
they support the artists in their community. There were colorful and interesting
stained glass fish in the windows to brighten the restaurant with splashes of color.
It was an outstanding dining experience.
Melrose History
Although the Bellamy Road was built through this area in 1822, settlement was very
slow until after 1842, with the conclusion of the Indian Wars. The original settlement
was about a mile south of present day Melrose around a mill site on Etoniah Creek.
It was called Banana as there were many banana trees growing along the creek banks.
A post office was established prior to the Civil War. Mail was brought via boat
up the St. Johns River to the Oklawaha and to Orange Springs. Then it was brought
overland to Banana. This post office was closed during the Civil War and reopened
later.
Sometime after the Civil War, families began to settle around Melrose Bay, an inlet
off of Lake Santa Fe. Initially, the new community was called "Shake Rag". This
name came from the many horse races they used to hold. To start or end a race, they
shook a rag, hence the name, "Shake Rag." On May 10, 1877, a plat was recorded in
Alachua County naming the community, "Melrose." It has been speculated that the
area women desired a more dignified name for their community and named it for Melrose,
Scotland.
As settlers found Melrose, new ideas abounded. In the early 1880's, a group formed
to build a canal between Lake Santa Fe and Lake Alto to the west with another canal
from Lake Alto to Waldo which was located on the railroad. This gave them transportation
to northern markets for their crops. In turn, northerners found Melrose a delightful
place to spend the winter. Soon, Melrose was a lively and bustling community. Until
the great freeze of 1894 winter, this area had been the center of the citrus industry.
After the freeze, this area practically stood still for many years. However, we
are fortunate that many of the homes from Melrose's heyday have survived. We have
72 structures contributing to our Historic District which is on the National Register.
http://melrosefl.com/mbca/
http://www.melroselanding.org/
http://steelesherbgarden.com/
http://www.visitgainesville.com/attractions/item.aspx?id=78
http://www.thebluewaterbay.com/
http://melrosebayartgallery.com/home.html [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=jmvlu7cab.0.0.ejtjo9cab.0&ts=S0404&p=http%3A%2F%2Fmelrosebayartgallery.com%2Fhome.html&id=preview]
http://www.bellamyroad.org/
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Tips to Beat the Heat
I'm not much of a summer person. I don't like yard work. If I had a boat, I would
enjoy fishing and boating. I force myself to mow the yard about ever three weeks.
My sister and I do it together with an old fashioned electric mower. It really works
great. Studio Dog doesn't handle heat well at all. He has trouble breathing when
it gets hot, so I can no longer bring him to town with me or out to paint anywhere.
I feel tired in the summer for some reason and not highly motivated. I suppose
it is a down time for me. I spend the summer hiding in my air conditioned studio
and work on large paintings. I'm not complaining mind you, it's just not the time
of year I enjoy the most.
This year is especially brutal with temps over a hundred already. I did some research
on the Internet about Beating the Heat and came up with the following I want to
share with you:
From www.ehow.com,www.associatedcontent.com and www.everydayhealth.com
Cook your meals outside on the grill. This is a great way to beat the heat and stay
cool. You can get some charcoal and lighter fluid for under ten bucks at most stores.
Keep yourself stocked up and cook your food outdoors. The oven going inside a house
makes it really warm and in the summer time this can be uncomfortable. You will
also save a little on your electric or gas bill. Make a plan to cook your meals
at least a couple times outside on the grill every week this summer.
Eat cold cuts instead of hot sandwiches. If you plan to cook inside, try to make
meals that you don't have to use your oven to stay cool. Better yet, plan meals
that don't require the food being hot at all, like sandwiches and salads. Leave
the warm food to the grill on outdoor cooking days.
Stock your freezer with plenty of ice and your fridge with lemonade, sweet tea,
and water to stay cool and beat the heat. These are the best things to drink in
the summer time and keeping your body refreshed can help keep you stay cool.
Stock your freezer with ice cream and popsicles too. Instead of having cake or pie
for treats have popsicles or ice cream for a less filling, more cooling refreshment.
You could even make some fruit smoothies.
Don't rely on just your air conditioner. Break out those fans to beat the heat and
stay cool or go pick up a couple. This will also help your electric bill out and
keep the air flowing through the house. You can even raise your temperature a couple
degrees on the thermostat and with the fans rolling the air around you'll save some
money and you won't even notice.
Don't wear black or dark colors. It's summer time anyway, time to be happy, cheerful,
and energetic. The darker your clothes are the more attracted the sun will be to
you and make you hotter. White, yellow, orange, blues, and greens are great colors.
Make sure when you go summer shopping to beat the heat you keep these thoughts in
mind and purchase light colored clothes made out of thin material to stay cool.
You may also want to pick up a pair of sandals or flip flops so you don't have to
wear socks.
Take advantage of the windy or cooler days to stay cool. Keep up with the weather
so you can plan your outdoor events accordingly. It would be much more fun to have
a picnic when it is 75 outside instead of 85 and trust me, just a five to ten degree
difference will make a difference.
Open the windows on cooler summer nights and turn off the air conditioning. Keep
your fans going for a nice refreshing evening. This will also give your house a
chance to "air out" and it always feels so peaceful when you wake up hearing the
birds and smelling that fresh morning dew throughout the house.
Stay downstairs to beat the heat and stay cool. Since heat rises, the lower part
of your home will be the coolest. If you have a finished basement you may even
want to plan family fun time down there.
Turn off the lights. Lights also put off heat so take a look around and turn off
any excess lights. Use natural light from the windows during the day, this will
also save you some money.
Summertime means swimming, golfing, boating and trips to the lake. All of these
things can contribute to heat exhaustion if you are not careful. When your having
fun, especially swimming, it is very easy to realize you are getting overheated.
There are several precautions you can take to
One of the most important things you can do is use sunscreen when you are outside.
A sunscreen with a high SPF is the best. Wearing a hat is also a good idea. Don't
forget the lips! You can buy lip balm that has SPF in it.
Try to avoid being in the sun at the hottest part of the day which is usually 12:00
p.m. to around 3:00 p.m.
Drink plenty of fluids. Water preferably. Sodas and even sports drinks are high
in sugar and sodium and is not the best choice for hydration. Simple water is the
best.
Keep cool! Try to stay cool when you have to be outside. Have a fan or something
nearby to keep you cool. You can even by a handheld fan that sprays water. I use
that a lot when I am laying out by the pool.
Be sure to make time for a break. It is important to rest and get cooled off and
drink plenty of water. I know it is hard for some of us, but it is really important
to pace ourselves when working outside. You can buy a cool wrap at your local store
that you wet and wrap around your neck. It is a great way to keep cool.
Do things in early morning. When you can, it is a great idea to do yard work and
other activities in the morning when it's not as hot. Try to avoid doing your outside
activities during the hottest part of the day.
Symptoms of Heat Stroke
Heat stroke can come on suddenly, but warning symptoms often appear first. They
include:
Abdominal cramps
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Headache
Dizziness
Weakness
Heavy sweat or a lack of sweat
When heat stroke starts, neurological symptoms can include:
Odd or bizarre behavior
Irritability
Delusions
Hallucinations
Seizures
Coma
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E-Classes for Artists
As many of you know, I am making a transition from real time to virtual teaching
for 2010. This is the last year I will be teaching art camps in my studio or teaching
workshops. My focus is on my own painting and teaching students online. There are
many advantages to teaching online. I can schedule time for myself and my students
at both our convenience. I can devote more one on one time to my students, giving
them a better understanding of the subjects we study. There are no geographical
barriers between us. I have students in North Carolina, Texas, California or anywhere
for that matter.
My classes are designed for 6 weeks. I have a private blog for students and we post
on that blog together. There are four lessons for the first four weeks and the last
two weeks are used to catch up on assignments, discussions, critique and Questions
and Answers.
My upcoming class, beginning July 6th, is for acrylic painters or other medium
painters who want to paint with acrylics. It focuses on my research on making acrylics
look like oils.
I schedule a new class after each class is completed.
Linda Blondheim E-Classes-
Color Mixing the Southern Landscape for Oil Painters
Color Mixing the Southern Landscape for Acrylic Painters
Values in the Landscape I
Composing and Design in Landscape Painting
Values II- Notan and Design in Values
Painting Basics for Acrylic Beginners
Painting Basics for Oils Beginners
All E-Classes are designed for a 6 week schedule. 4 Weekly Lessons and Assignments
with 2 extra weeks for catch up, Q&A and discussion.
All classes are designed for either beginning or Intermediate painters.
If you have ideas for more E-classes please request them.
Six Week E Classes are 100.00
http://www.lindablondheim.com/publications.php
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Notes From the Pochade Box
An Adventure With Two Friends
Sunday I took my two friends Sarah Carey and Lindy Brounley to Fair Oaks Farm for
their first painting adventure out on location. My two friends Buddy and Joy, the
farm dogs, came to greet us and we settled in to do a painting each. They did a
better job than I did, but the fun for me was simply being with good friends. We
enjoyed painting and then packed up to tour the farm in a golf cart. Studio Dog
would be furious with me if he knew I went to Fair Oaks without him. He loves the
farm so much, especially riding round in the golf cart and running beside it. Don't
tell him I went without him. While we were on safari, we saw a beautiful doe hiding
in the woods, and lots of beautiful wild flowers growing in the fields. Lindy knew
the names of all of them. She lives on a farm and is quite knowledgeable about plants.
It was the first time I've driven around the farm since summer, so I was surprised
to see how it looks in summer. Lush is really the best description. The fields
are full of tall grasses and lovely colored tall lavender colored flowering plants.
We finished our lovely day together by eating at Blue Highway in Micanopy, a delightful,
funky restaurant with outstanding food and service, located on US 441. Great Food!!
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How About a Recipe?
Latin Chicken Stew
1 fryer cut into pieces
Marinate for 15 minutes with lime juice, salt pepper and chopped garlic
Dice:
one green pepper
one jalepeno pepper,remove seeds
2 tomatoes
1 small onion
1/2 small pineapple with skin and core removed
Saute in EVOO
Add chicken to saute pan.
Add 1/4 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup browned chicken stock
simmer until tender
add :
1 T chopped cilantro
1 T chopped parsley
Combine 2 T corn starch with 1/4 cup browned chicken stock + 1 T dark rum. Blend
thoroughly and add to stew. Stir stew to make sauce.
Serve with rice pilaf
Cook's Tip:
Make browned chicken stock with chicken bones. Place bones in a roasting pan and
roast them with salt,pepper and thyme until they are crusty and brown. Roast at
about 300 degrees. Deglaze the pan with water and put bones and juice into a pot
of water, simmering for an hour. Strain stock into zip freeze bags and store in
the freezer.
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Linda Blondheim
Linda Blondheim Art Studio
Join Our Mailing List [http://visitor.constantcontact.com/email.jsp?m=1102546521380&id=preview]
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July Special Celebrates Plein Air
My plein air studies are featured for July. You can find them on the small paintings
page at the bottom, on my web site.
8x10's- 110.00 ( Normally 125.00)
6x8's- 65.00 (Normally 80.00)
To purchase the special, email me lindablondheim@gmail.com [mailto:lindablondheim@gmail.com]
and write special in the subject line.
Offer expires July 31,2009
