Ponds Turn Into Prairies

Fair Oaks Dry Pond

8x10 inches

acrylic on birch panel

This dry pond on the Fair Oaks Estate has become a miniature prairie over the last couple of years. It used to be full of lily pads and water birds. Now it is a dry prairie. It is really a lot more interesting to paint as a prairie than it was as a pond. There are endless colors and textures in the grasses, and dips here and there. It is one of my favorite painting subjects. It is rimmed by cypress trees and grand old oak trees. I often see hawks and cattle egrets, shopping for dinner.

Linda Blondheim

Paynes Prairie State Park

12x16 inches

acrylic on panel

palette knife

There is an area inside the state park that I really love to paint. It is between the entrance and Puggy Road. It is full of weeds, tall grasses, and palms scattered among the giant oaks. In the fall and winter, the colors turn to blues, rusts, wheats, and olives. That's my favorite painting spot in the park.

Linda Blondheim

Angeline, Thanks so much for writing and I'm glad you like the blog. That was a fun workshops and I'm so glad I was able to be a positive influence for you in painting.
Love,
Linda

Kanapaha Prairie Trees

18x24 inches

acrylic on panel

One day a couple of weeks ago, I walked down this road with Mary Jane Volkmann while we explored Kanapaha Prairie. I have been fascinated by the differences in the prairies we all are studying and painting. They are exceptionally diverse and all beautiful in their own way. They are all lush with summer green right now. I look forward to painting them in winter with a more diverse palette.

Linda Blondheim

Tuscawilla Trees

5x7 inches

I've always been fascinated by portals or windows in nature which lead from space to space. Tuscawilla Prairie is rimmed by these gorgeous trees, which give me a peek out into the prairie. Fish Prairie is like that too and they both challenge me.

Linda Blondheim

Storm Clouds

18x24 inches

oil on stretched canvas

I have painted at the Florida prairies for years. Once I was painting along early in the morning at Paynes Prairie State Park, on a bridge that spans the edge of the lake. I heard someone approaching on the bridge. Often visitors stop quietly to watch me paint. I wanted to finish one spot on the painting before greeting the visitor. It took a few moments. I put my brush down to turn to my visitor with a smile. I stared into the face of a doe who was about 2 feet from me, watching intently. It was a thrill I must say. We watched each other for at least 30 seconds before she turned with a flick of her tail and took off running off the bridge into the bushes. One of the joys of my job are the encounters I have with birds and animals in the wild. Though I have had close encounters with alligators and snakes, most of my visitors are harmless and wonderful to observe.

Linda Blondheim

Prairie Tom

"Prarire Tom"

 acrylic, 16" x 20"

   Florida is a great place to observe birds. Turkeys are one of my favorites. I live just a stones throw outside Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach and our neighborhood is lucky enough to have deer and wild turkey walking about the streets. The males in our neighborhood, during mating season, will protect their females at all cost. I have seen folks riding their bicycles down the street, minding their own business, and from out of nowhere, a tom turkey will give chase! Turkeys are often in my driveway pecking at their own reflection in my truck bumper.

Scott Hiestand

Accessing These Beautiful Prairies

One of the increasing challenges we have as landscape painters is accessing pristine land, as so much of it is privately owned and fenced or difficult to reach through the overgrown vegetation.  During this project you will hear us asking around for help in getting to vantage points where we can paint and photograph these beautiful  prairies.  We so appreciate the offers of help from our conservation partners, friends and the public!  This past weekend friends took me to the farm of a kind, retired professor.  His property abuts Kanapaha Prairie. After walking under majestic overhanging oaks and dangling vines we reached the fence line.  How thrilling to stand there gazing at the panorama that opened before my eyes!  That part of the prairie is being grazed by cattle and is also home to countless birds. I made some new friends along the way, as you can see from these photos!  (I also learned that perhaps I should not have worn a green shirt around the goats...)
~ Mary Jane Volkmann

Observing in the prairies

Today I was looking back at the pictures I have taken during my walks and painting sessions in Paynes Prairie over the years and changing seasons, remembering how much I have seen and observed, often just by standing still and looking. I came across this lucky shot. Note the guy in the middle with the fish in his mouth! Well, I assume it's a guy... can anyone enlighten me? Ah, so much still to learn!

Mary Jane Volkmann

Prairie Bull

Paynes Prairie, one of the very few place in Florida where a hint of the wild west can be found. Buffalo and wild horses can be seen grazing throught the park area.

Scott Hiestand

A look back at a special moment....

When we moved to the lush, green, tree-canopied scenery of Florida from the wide open spaces of Namibia nine years ago, I found myself longing for a vista. One morning not long after the move I grabbed my paints and drove to the lookout tower at Paynes Prairie. It was windy and misty, but the colors and the feeling of space were revitalizing to me. This was what I painted in that short moment. I have returned often and will continue to do so ~ paints in hand!

Mary Jane Volkmann