Whispers of Serenity-A Painting Journey

Sold

 

This is a new floral from my latest series. It sold but I still haven't posted all of the others.

I have frames for two of them and one has painted sides. I wanted to share them as a collection and I'm still working on that. I'm thinking about creating a new website with my old name. It was JenBeaudetArt.com . I have the domain name back in my possession but haven't parked it yet. I'm wondering if I should just make a new one with my whole new name. It's a bit long though...Jen Beaudet Zondervan.com Maybe... JBeaudetZ or JBeaudetZArt. 

Old one from 2013 (Sold)

I posted my painting "Upcountry in Bloom" because I was just reminded of it when I saw someone use it as their profile photo on Facebook. She credited me Jen Beaudet which was my name when I painted it. Now, I'm Jen Beaudet Z. Names are important. Branding is important. 

This painting was an amazing time in my art journey. I have been to Maui several times and took photos of this area with the jacaranda but I was never there when they were in full bloom. It's my favorite area. I love the green rolling hills. So, when I saw this photo from https://fineartamerica.com/featured/jacaranda-explosion-of-color-as-a-jacaranda-tree-bloms-nature-photographer.html Nature Photographer on Fineartamerica, I asked his permission to paint it. (He doesn't share his name on there, so I won't) We got to know each other and met in person. I handed him the painting and it made a journey to Maui! I sold it online to someone in Alaska and he shipped it there for me! I will never forget that great memory. I still hope to get over there again and say hi. Maybe, the trees will be blooming! 

I'm trying to only paint from my own photos or from life now which limits me to only scenes that I capture. I'm tempted to paint another one of these from my own photos.

This was how I did the other one. I used google maps and found the spot, then used the colors from his photo. 

Below, is my photo that I took while in Maui. It's actually not that bad for an old camera, while driving. 

The painting I made from it is one of my favorites. I remember, it was one of those magical moments when it seemed to just appear effortlessly onto the canvas. 

Kula (sold)

 

This is a new one from my visit to Martha's Vineyard! I think you can see my style. It really hasn't changed.

Available here on Etsy

New Dana Point Harbor Art

 

Available here on Etsy

close up of the painting above

Here's my latest painting using the new technique that makes acrylic paints look like oils. I'm really enjoying the process and exploring new ideas. I have so many photos to paint from around here. Something about this technique has renewed my love for landscapes! I can't wait to do some more florals too! 

 I am still framing them. I ended up with 5 for the new series but I know it will grow to be larger. I don't think many people are seeing this, but thank you if you are seeing it! It's funny how things change over the years...But I'm still here making art! 

From France to Dana Point, California

 

available here

available here 

Here's two paintings I just completed. For some reason I'm not able to load one more right now. Anyway, I'm loving these little works. Just fun and fresh. Free to explore. This is just want I needed. I hope you enjoy them too! 

Jen

Field of Sunflowers and Peonies

 

available on etsy

Available Here

Working on more landscapes this week and also framing my new flower series! I have to paintings to go though before it's ready to reveal.

I'm doing a workshop to learn how to make acrylics look like oils

 

Field of Peonies in Provence 
Available on Etsy

This new 6x6 painting was inspired by my trip to France last May. My husband and I went to Provence and The French Riviera! It was amazing and I'm still pinching myself. I can't believe the things I've seen in the last two years! I'm living in a fairytale. 

Right now, I'm doing a workshop by Melanie Morris to learn more about acrylics. I've been an oil painter since 2007 and although I always have acrylics around and do use them on occasion, I never seem to get the same feel as oils. I think I have it now! I've looked back to some of my old landscapes that I used oil on, and I think this has a similar feeling. I have some health issues and I think it's time for a change. Also, space is limited here and I don't have room for oils to dry before starting another. This is a small piece and I will have to test it out on larger one, but I'm excited! 

(this painting was from 2012 but you can see it has a similar feel to the new one)

I'm also still working on my floral series (also in acrylics). I set out to complete 10 but might cut that down to 5 for my limited space. I've taken over the house...I just asked my hubby if we can add a leaf to the table. The florals are all medium sized canvas and I've purchased some frames for them so storing them is a challenge. I will get them listed when I have them framed. 

Speaking of listing, I have been going back and forth from Etsy and my website. I know it's not consistent  and may be confusing. It's just the problem of getting it seen. It's been a challenge lately. Hopefully, I can figure it out and just have one platform, but until then, just know that I offer my originals for sale on my etsy and my website jbeaudetstudios Thank you for sticking around through all these years! 

Busy on a new series of florals

 I've started a new floral series focusing on "unfocused", if that makes sense. I have 3 done and plan on completing 10. I felt that my work was feeling stale and wanted to bring freshness to it so I thought doing a series would help that. I'm definitely energized and I hope that shows through! I've realized what I enjoy the most in a painting is the unknown. The less detail the more I like it. That's what the palette knife achieved for me but for some reason it's starting to feel stiff or stale for me. Maybe it's because I've been at this since 2009 and things changed. I changed. So much has happened in that time, in my life, in our world. It's not surprising that my art would change. I need to feel intrigued and invigorated. 

These new pieces are starting to help me feel newly inspired. Two years ago, my world was opened up when I visited Europe for the first time. We went again, this year. We actually talk about moving there. Who would ever think someone coming from where I was would be experiencing life like this! Not me. It has reshaped my thinking in so many ways that of course my art would be influenced by this. I am, like many, constantly seeing art from old masters to new ones, inspired and intrigued. 

I have enjoyed seeing Melanie Morris' art over the years and finally jumped in on her yearly Fearless Landscape course! It hasn't started yet but I'm eager to start. I think I mostly need some direction and to focus. I feel this course will help me with that and I've started to use more acrylics instead of oils (will see how ling that lasts). Lately, I've also been enjoying Anne Blair Brown's work and was able to see some in person in Charleston, SC. I love her fresh approach to painting a landscape. I am also following Ingrid Christensen and have taken one small course about edges (I wish I could have saved it! It was a few years ago and my memory is lacking sometimes) I love her figures. I have also taken a small course with Christine Lafuente. It was about her method of drawing and again I wish I could save it and watch it again. I have been a fan of her work for years now. I think it was 2013, or around that time, when I discovered her juicy, fresh work. I still haven't figured out how she does it though. Maybe I will be able to take on of her workshops soon! 

Anyway, I haven't written anything for a while and thought it was time to update you all (or I should say "ya'll" after our trip to the South! Oh my gosh! The food was amazing! 

below are just some paintings I did over the years that possess the fresh quality I'm trying to achieve. When it just happens it's great but trying to do it again is where the challenge begins. (most of these were from 2014-15)

These two are more recent

Practicing Figure in Red

 I've had this photo for a few years now. I took it in Dana Point when I came upon a couple taking wedding photos. I'm practicing getting the figure down fast without any real drawing. I "drew" it with a large paint brush and carved out the figure by focusing more on the negative space. It's not exactly correct but this is the impression I got from it. Another thing I'm working on here is the color of her red dress. Since the original was white I did this from memory or what I thought red would be in bright sunlight. I should take a look at another reference photo for that but I was in a hurry, only had about an hour to play.

Now that I see this, I'm wondering if I should take the groom out so that she's alone. 

About the Facebook dilemma, I am still trying to have the fake account taken down. I don't think anyone will actually believe it's me. Take a look at the friends and details. It's just disturbing and the Facebook people don't are not very helpful. Why can't we rate their service? 

 

Facebook Sucks

 Facebook sucks. I know you already knew. Some evil person (I have a hard time calling them a person). Some evil being is stealing my art, my name, my photos, and made an account. And after I changed my photo they stole that the next day! They are obviously watching my page. I reported it to Facebook. Friends and family have reported it. Facebook says the account doesn't go against their "community Standards"... So I went through all these hoops, filled out an intellectual property theft report and they did take the photos that I reported down, but the account remains with some of my photos that I didn't add links to. And they just stole different photos of mine and put them on their page again. 

Me from a few years ago

The way I found out about it was suspicious too. Some woman that I had never seen before came on my personal page and wrote in a comment that someone was impersonating me. I thanked her but I wonder how she knew. Because now when I post about it I am bombarded with "nice people" trying to help. They want me to click on a link or type in someone's name who can help me with hacked accounts, etc. 

I'm not that naive. I know a scam when I see it. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I may be deleting my Facebook business page. Maybe both, I'm not sure. 

If the Facebook people don't take this serious yet they take all kinds of things down about politics or nudes that might offend a certain group. They have their priorities all wrong. I am an artist. That's it. And I started sharing my paintings in 2009. First, on this blog. You guys actually saw me and encouraged me. You are why I kept going. Then I went on Facebook and shared more receiving more encouragement. It was a great time. It's not the same anymore. It has been overcome by malicious people, trying to ruin it for others. Facebook should have been on top of this instead of trying to be so accepting of all. Evil people have no place in my world. 

sold

It's been too long...I've been loving Renoir

 

Poppies Delight
by Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan
sold

Does your life fly by? Mine sure does! How does time go by so fast? I just returned from another amazing trip to Europe, and now summer is quickly approaching. It's my favorite time of year. You know how they say the older you get, the faster time goes by? It's the truth! I'm only 53 now, I can't imagine what it will be like when I'm 70 or 80. It makes me realize that every moment is precious, and will never come again. When I'm painting, time stands still. I am entranced in the moment and all of my thoughts and senses are given to my work in front of me. It's a magical gift. I often tell people who don't paint, that they should try it,  just for this reason. I am so fortunate to have been gifted this passion. My art has gotten through many trying times and will always be there for me. 

I painted this Poppy painting around 2012 but It's still a favorite. My love of the impressionists and my passion shows in this piece. I try to convey that with each piece and although my work has evolved over the years, it's still in me. When I was about 16, I did a Renoir copy of  his "Dance in the Country". I wish I still had it. It wasn't a total copy of course, and I used pastels back then; but it symbolized my love for beauty, romance, history, fashion...everything I loved. Out of all the art I could choose this was the piece that resonated with me the most. I feel a closeness to Renoir's work. So imagine how ecstatic I was to find myself in Renoir's home! We didn't research very much before our trip, just stumbled upon what cam in our path. Anita, a long time blogger friend, recommended St Paul de Vence (an amazing village that I have to post about later) Since we were in that area I noticed Musee Renoir, so we drove up to it and happily paid 6 Euros to get a glimpse of where Renoir lived and painted until he died. It was amazing. Walking the property that he painted, I was overwhelmed with inspiration. The olive trees are gorgeous! I felt as though he was there among them. 

me with Renoir's Painting

the gorgeous olive groves

another bather of Renoir's

My painting (revised and sold)

My painting (sold)

My painting (sold)

My painting from a challenge on Dailypaintworks (sold)

Renoir's Home

My love for Renoir's art is forever and I feel closer to it than ever. I can't forget my love for Van Gogh and Monet, and more recently loving John Singer Sargent. Those are just a few, and I admire so many living artists! But for now, I'm trying to focus on when I started my art journey and why. So going back to when I was 16, in my art class helps. I could go back even further. I have memories of being about 5 or so, drawing on computer paper with my sister. My dad was an engineer and would bring home stacks of computer paper for use to draw on. Our world came alive with those blank pages and we would spend hours drawing and cutting out paper dolls. Fashion was one of my first passions. It shows up often in my art. 

by Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan
sold

by Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan
sold

by Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan
sold

Now off to paint my passions! 

by Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan
sold

by Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan
sold

by Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan
sold

So many paintings, so little time!