Friday, September 21, 2012

"Rural Road"

Oil on canvas
18" x 24"
Framed and ready to hang
This painting can be purchased at www.caroljosmidt.com

This painting was inspired by my childhood home state of Iowa. The farm country from where I was born is flat, fields are made up of grid patterns, and the tallest building in the small towns are the grain elevators.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Fall Arts Festivals and Shows

Ocala Arts Festival

October 27-27, 2010
Sat. and Sun., 10-5
601 SE 25th Ave.
Ocala, FL 34471

Greater Gulfcoast Arts Festival

November 2-4, 2012
Fri. and Sat., 9-5; Sun., 9-4
Seville Square
Pensacola, FL

Georgia Coastal Artists Guild Members Fall Show and Sale

November 9-10, 2012
Fri. and Sat., 9-5
Glynn Arts Center
529 Beachview Drive
St. Simons Island, GA 31522

MistleToe Market

November 17-18, 2012
Sat. and Sun., 10-5
Glynn Arts Center
529 Beachview Drive
St. Simons Island, GA 31522

"View From The Bridge"

Oil on canvas
18"x 24"
SOLD

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Matthew 11:6

"And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

I need not add my words to this verse.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Saturday, September 1, 2012

"Summer Shade"

 The Maggie Series

oil on canvas 
11" x 14"
Framed and ready to hang
This painting can be purchased at www.caroljosmidt.com

This painting starting as a process of laying on left-over color from my palette to see what would develop. To me, it looked like a pasture. I continued the pasture scene over the next few days. I painted in Maggie under the big shade tree.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

"Pasture Pals"

The Maggie Series

Oil on canvas
24" x 36"
Framed and ready to hang
This painting can be purchased at www.caroljosmidt.com

Maggie and pasture buddy, Magi, doing what horses do. There is beauty in the everyday.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

"Grazing In The Shade"

The Maggie Series

Oil on Canvas 
8" x 10"
SOLD

The Boys (my 2 poodles) and I were taking our morning walk when I saw Maggie grazing under the shade of a large oak tree. I was fascinated with how the sunlight and shadows kissed Maggie's form.


Thursday, August 23, 2012

"Just Grazing"

The Maggie Series

Oil on canvas
24" x 30"
Framed and ready to hang
This painting can be purchased at www.caroljosmidt.com
 
This is the next painting in the Maggie Series.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

"Maggie In The Pasture"

The Maggie Series

Oil On Canvas
18" x 24"
Framed And Ready To Hang
This Painting Can Be Purchased At www.caroljosmidt.com

The boys ( 2 poodles) and I were out in the pasture where I was taking photos of everything. Maggie lost interest in us and as she was walking away, this is the image that I shot.


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Painting Style


An artist friend was copying a painting from an art book in hopes of developing a looser style of painting. Someone on a blog, showcased a watercolor she worked on to become looser in her painting.

My question is why? Style is developed like handwriting; it develops over time. Your signature becomes you. Friends recognize your signature right away. Same way with a painting style. Style develops with mileage on your paintbrush.

Loose painting appears to be in vogue, but good art is always in. Become a classic; whatever your style.

A loose style is expressive painting. It is a bold stroke, laid down, and left alone. Contrary to what it appears to be, it is a thoughtful stroke; not applied haphazardly. Masters of this style have developed confidence in their painting method. That confidence can be evident in any style. I’m attracted to the confidences and boldness. It appears that that confidence may be more evident in a wonderfully loose painting style.

Walking around an art festival, I saw two tents side-by-side with the same style of painting and the same subjects. My first thought was that artist had two tents. Later, I learned it was two artists, an art instructor and her student. The student was developing her teacher’s style, not her own. Time for the student to break away. If you are always following, you are not leading. Give yourself the freedom to develop your own style. Be you!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Beauty in the Everyday

There is beauty in the everyday. I create to capture those memories in paint.

"A New Day" by Carol Jo Smidt

The Maggie Series

oil on canvas
24" x 30"
Framed
This painting can be purchased at www.caroljosmidt.com

An abstract version of Maggie celebrating new life.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

"Mother & Child"

The Maggie Series

9" x 12"
Oil on canvas
SOLD

This is the 6th painting in the Maggie Series. It is a fun and whimsical painting.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

"Racing Home"

"Racing Home"

Maggie Series

14" x 36"
oil on canvas
framed
This painting can be purchased at www.caroljosmidt.com

This is the fifth painting in the Maggie series. Maggie will come running when I call her home to eat her oats. The egrets around her will take off when she heads for home. I changed the egret to a heron. The egrets stick their heads straight while herons curve their necks.



Saturday, July 21, 2012

"Toby" by Carol Jo Smidt

www.caroljosmidt.com

The Maggie Series

16" x 20"
acrylic on canvas
SOLD

My dog, Toby, is the focus of this painting but Maggie is in the background.



Thursday, July 19, 2012

Creative Potential

I have this written on a scrap piece of paper; don 't know the author.

"Never under-estimate the creative potential of not knowing your destination." 



"The Pale Horse"

The Maggie Series

16 x 20
acrylic on canvas
SOLD


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

"The White Horse and The Bluebird of Happiness" 

The Maggie Series

www.caroljosmidt.com

16" x 20"
acrylic on canvas
SOLD

I went the whimsical route with this painting. Egrets follow the horses. eating the insects that are stirred up by the horses' grazing. The egret turned into a bluebird.



Saturday, July 14, 2012

"Maggie in  the Moonlight" by Carol Jo Smidt

www.caroljosmidt.com

The Maggie Series

18" x 24"
acrylic
SOLD

Maggie is my 20 year old American Warmblood mare. I bought her as a 4 year old untrained filly. This is the first painting I did of her.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

"The Secret to Success"

The secret to success is never giving up. We hear that many times, but the first step to success is "starting" the journey we know we should have been on.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

  Email From A Young Friend


Hi Carol!

I hope all is well with you since the last time we communicated. I don't know if you remember me, but I met you at the beginning of the year at Atlantic Coast High School. I had shown you my website, and you gave me some really good feedback! I'm actually still in the process of revamping it—I've even changed my entire focus, and have renamed it. We'll see what happens :)

I'm not done with my site yet, but I had to share this with you because I knew you would appreciate it. The thing you said that sticks out to me the most—well, there are two things:

1.) You told me to just do it. Don't spend any more money going to classes and getting instruction. Just start creating.

2.) You told me to educate myself. Find the topic that sticks out to me most at the time (I think you were focusing on color theory), and just STUDY.

Study and then do. So simple. So good.

I wanted to let you know your advice hasn't been lost on me. Last night, I hosted a few artists at my house, and we created (painted, drew, etc.) while listening to praise and worship music. Everyone loved it so much that they want to continue doing this every other week! Also, a friend and I are going to start doing Art Walk, not because we think we're going to make lots of money (haha), but we want to be FORCED to create regularly. We're holding each other accountable, and I'm so excited.

Carol, thank you so much. I know we haven't had much dialog, but your words are always in my head.

Maybe I'll see you soon :)

Take care!
Shannon

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Monday, July 2, 2012

"Greyhound"
5" x 7"
Oil on Wood Panel
Framed
$125
$15 Shipping



 "Best Friends"
5" x 7"
Oil on Wood Panel
Framed
SOLD



"Fishing Lure 1"
5" x 7"
Oil on Wood Panel
Framed
SOLD


"Fishing Lure 2"
5" x 7"
Oil on Wood Panel
Framed
SOLD


"Red Eye Fishing Lure"
5" x 7"
Oil on Wood Panel
Framed
$125
$15 Shipping




"Water's Edge"
11" x 14"
Pastel
Framed
$275
$20 Shipping