Jekyll Island, GA Nov. 16 - 17,’08

Nov. 16 - 17,’08  Jekyll  Island, GA.

The end of November saw us taking a major road trip south in the RV.  The original plan was for Bruce to get in some warm water diving and me to do some serious painting.

We left home early Sunday morning and drove 5  hours south to Jekyll Island, GA.  The Island was once a privately owned turn of the century luxury resort community, but has since been declared a Georgia State Historic Park.   You can see why from the moment you drive in on a road lined with huge old landmark oaks.

  It’s a beautiful place, surrounded by marsh with beautiful vistas 
 with beautiful vistas and hiking trails everywhere

One  board walk  hiking trail leads across the river

then follow the river trough the marsh
affording us some great bird watching opportunities.

 Its beaches are magnificent.  One of them…” Driftwood Beach”,

 has been called one of the most romantic beaches in the world ( you can see  why from these photos.)

It used to be a maritime forest but the encroaching time has eroded the soil from under the trees  to create this beautiful "Boneyard"

You also get classic views of shrimp boats from the beach

I was so impressed that  I even worked up a quick watercolor sketch

 You can book a ride on a working Shrimp Boat

The Island also boasts of having: tennis courts, fishing, kayaking, three golf courses, lovely old Victorian hotels and its own active art community.   And their boast list doesn't even  mention all the  great birding, hiking and miles of bicycle trails.  Needless to say we will be returning for a longer visit one of these days. 

More Abstract Artworks 11 '08

My husband Bruce has been pressing me to paint more abstract work.  I actually like   art that is abstract, or at least abstracted, as opposed to decomposed graphic designs, so I decided to give it a try.  Its a lot harder than it looks

"Which way Up"

 First I tried  painting two different 24" x 30" acrylic abstracts on gallery wrapped canvases..    Both came out well, and the process held my attention,  but neither painting left me feeling the sense of tranquility I have after  painting a more impressionistic landscape

"Red Sky in the Morning"

Then I reverted to a more abstracted style city scape.  This style is closer to the way I painted when I was in college.  While I found the process and the product more satisfying than the first two pure abstracts above, it still does not speak to my soul  the way painting a beautiful landscape does. 

"Winter in the City" 16" x 20" Oil

So for awhile I will continue with more traditional  subject matter.  When the time comes for me to move in an abstract direction,  This experience should gives me the confidence to do so.