Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

[blondheim12]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/15-Jan-2012/1250-merriti_island1_700_linda_blondheim.jpg

18x24 inches
acrylic on stretched canvas

Sorry for the glare on the left side of the painting. This is my first painting from my residency last week. I got about 75 good photos and I'm looking forward to painting for quite a while. This is coastal Florida at it's best with amazing diversity in the wetlands. Huge palm hammocks, about 10 different marsh grasses, dozens of coastal bird species, ancient red cedar trees. There were Sea Grapes over 15 feet tall with 5 inch diamer trunks. The whole county is beautiful and amazing. More paintings from the residency to come.
Love,
Linda

[brookstream]

I like this Linda! I bet it would look great in a dark wood from with all of those high lights. :thumbsup:

[Esmeralinda]

I am attracted mostly by the beautiful design in the half bottom that you created with the tall grass and water :)

[Greatblu]

Beautiful job on this one, Linda. I love the treatment of the grasses and water. It sure looks like it could be full of many kinds of wildlife.

[4evrAutumn]

Beautiful. Love your color harmony. And those palm trees - sigh. So well done.

As another acrylic painter, may I ask, do you paint your skies first or last? Or somewhere in between finishing?

[oldradagast]

Nice job - it has a sunny, tropical look to it. Great place to visit, I bet.

[PETE K]

Beautiful work Linda.

[blondheim12]

Thank you all so much. It is framed in an espresso colored plein air style frame. I block in the sky and come back to it a couple of times during the painting. I like to work all over the painting, doing sections and working all over until it begins to complete itself.
Love,
Linda

[JoL56]

Das sieht sehr gut aus! Diese Art tropische Wildnis mit ihren Palmen hast du sehr gut getroffen!
Wonderful painting!

Joachim

[mollerman]

Wow! Those grass/reeds really pull the eye in but I like wandering into the back ground as well. What a beautifully done scene!

[blondheim12]

Joachim and Marcus,
I appreciate your kind comments so much.
Love,
Linda

[4evrAutumn]

Thank you all so much. It is framed in an espresso colored plein air style frame. I block in the sky and come back to it a couple of times during the painting. I like to work all over the painting, doing sections and working all over until it begins to complete itself.
Love,
Linda

Thanks for answering, Linda. At first I thought I needed to get the sky done before everything else, but I'm finding I like revisiting my skies, too.

[preranap]

simply beautiful!

[viking57]

Hi Linda,
Cool deal with the residency. That should be a great way to spend time collecting tons of ref pics, do sketch work and pa work too. Sounds like you really enjoy the beauty of the area so that should show up in your work too. Nice one here Linda.
Ron

[PrimaryColours]

Quite lovely combination of warm and cool colors between the tall grass and water.
Bravo excellent painting.