Michigan’s unbearable winters have people fleeing regularly to the warmth of Florida. My childhood vacations were often in the sunshine state, and it’s a place with so many fond memories. I also attended the Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida, so it's a place that's very familiar to me.

Going back there for my grandma’s birthday with my newfound “plein-air eyes” was a delight! The first painting of the trip was right in my mom’s backyard, which overlooks a beautiful quiet pond. Here’s a little succulent.

We promptly went to visit and surprise my grandma and her husband, Bud. Visiting their house was something I used to do often, and their neighborhood has a comforting familiarity. This pond in the center of their community is brimming with wildlife. So many types of birds were there, and I tried to subtly hint at the pelicans nesting on the tree tops.

Houseplants are a new obsession of mine, and it was exciting to see my grandma’s husband’s orchid plants. He mentioned that he probably wouldn’t be caring for them much longer, so I knew it was important to paint them. This was given to my grandma as a gift for her birthday.

The jetty is a place we also frequented growing up. It’s a popular sunset watching place in Venice. The beaches are covered in beautiful shells that I’ve paid good money for before!

There were too many subjects to choose from, so I decided to paint the snowy egrets that hung around a busy spot by the parking lot. Really though, even though it was only day two, I was already feeling quite animal deprived.

My mom was being very supportive about giving me time to do a daily painting, and we drove around to find some scenic spots. These banyan trees are right in downtown Venice, and the way the light hit them at golden hour was magical.

The next day, we drove to the other coast to meet up with some of my art friends that I met at PACE last year. Ralph Papa showed me his amazing gallery in Boca Raton, and I got a chance to see so much work from Shawn Escott there as well. It was so good to see them, and we even snuck in a short painting afterward. Al Beigel was an excellent and entertaining spectator (he didn’t have his painting stuff)! I just loved the shadows the palm trees casted on this very Florida-esque resort. The open balcony doors told an interesting story too.

 

My mom introduced me to several of her friends, and one couple in particular were so excited and supportive about my work! Kay and Rob were just so kind, and commissioned a still life piece from me. They handed me the items, and I was able to take creative control and arrange them the way I wanted.

It was such a great experience, and is something I’d love to do more of in the future.

The gated community that my mom's house is in is beautiful. The area has been built up so much since I was last there, and they now have a clubhouse with a turquoise pool, and a pristine golf course. It was a warm day when I rolled my painting bag to the pool. The ultramarine swim lanes and the reflected light from the pool onto the palm tree really drew my eye.

Oh, and this wasn’t a small painting, either. Going big again with the 18"x24" paper! It feels great to have more expressive paint strokes.

The next day I painted the smooth putting greens.

The theme for the trip was “palm trees” (totally unplanned) and I couldn’t get enough of them.

My brother flew in from Portland for the occasion as well, and we would play cards with my grandma since it is one of her favorite things to do. This card game is called “Hand and Foot” and is wildly popular in the area. And yes, I know the clock looks like a giant minion eye, lol!

One of my favorite pastimes in Florida is to look for sharks teeth on the beach. It’s something I could do for days on end and not get bored of. Unfortunately the red tide was blooming, and it was a struggle to be near the coast without having coughing fits. After looking for some teeth, I went to paint this large 18”x24” piece. In the center is my mom and step dad on the hunt.

On the last day, we went to a very jungly place near the river called Snook Haven. I had come down with a cold at this point and wasn’t feeling super ambitious, but it was still nice to be painting the new scenery. These palm trees were weaving around each other like snakes reaching for the sun.

Overall, it was a great trip and I was so happy to spend some time with the family. It was also a very productive trip, and my portfolio is now freshly stocked with tropical images.

Oh! And I found this master copy painting that I did in college that I thought I lost. Turns out I gave it to my grandma and it now is in her guest bedroom. The painter is my absolute favorite, John Singer Sargent.

Thanks for reading, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA! <3