Work in Progress for Winelight by Mary Beth Brath

This is still a work in progress, but just about complete. I see some tweeking here and there. The painting is acrylic on 30x40" canvas. The wall was done with a palette knife and heavy paint. The vineyard was inspired by a photo I took of a local winery while painting plein air last summer.

www.marybethbrath.com

Shy...Yet Seductive Found a Home Today by Mary Beth Brath

Shy...Yet Seductive sold this morning at the gallery. I loved this painting and am so happy that someone will now enjoy it in their home.

As 2012 comes to a close, it seems this was a year of sunflowers for me.

Quilt Art by Mary Beth Brath

"Quilt Art" by Mary Beth Brath

14x11" Acrylic on Board

My son Andy "helped" me hang an exhibit in the Majestic Theater for the Gettysburg Festival Plein Air Paint Out and Colony in June 2012. He decided to lie down on this awesome cushioned bench and patiently wait for me to finish. I had to take his picture of course.

This painting was completed in my studio using the photo as inspiration for the Daily Painters of PA October Challenge to paint something with a Quilt theme. In the photo, the wall hanging is just an advertisement. I decided to make it a quilt.  The carpet and the bench are very similar to the actual decorating in the theater.

The actual painting is very vivid and full of texture. It is a must see in person for sure.

Busy Bees by Daily Painter of Pennsylvania Mary Beth Brath

Busy Bees by Mary Beth Brath

8x10" Acrylic on Canvas

Bees are amusing in the fall.  They seem lethargic, yet still goal oriented. Interesting.

I am too tired to think any deeper.

Fungus Among Us by Mary Beth Brath

So many fascinating forms of fungus, so little time to paint.  I created this from one of my own photos taken while hiking in Northwestern PA. The Daily Painters of Pennsylvania Challenge Blog has given me a reason to paint different subject matter.

 

"Fungus Among Us" by Mary Beth Brath

6x12" Acrylic on Panel

Sunflower Commission by Mary Beth Brath

In May 2012, I was commissioned to create a large Sunflower painting. The entire process was so much fun. The canvas was 5x4 feet and was delivered to my gallery on a semi truck.

 

 

The request was for sunflowers in a blue vase. I drew out a few ideas on paper and blocked in the painting one evening after the gallery closed.

Next came a very busy June with the Gettysburg Plein Air Colony,Paint Out and Quick Draw and the Daily Painters of PA Annual Capitol Exhibit. I did manage to continue work on the sunflowers.

 

July brought more wonderful events including an exhibit in New York City. The work on the sunflowers continued to completion and the painting was picked up by the happy client on July 7th.

 

Steve's Sunflowers

5x4' Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Why Do I Paint? by Mary Beth Brath

Pinchot State Park (plein air)

5x7" Acrylic on Canvas

Sold

Hmm...Why do I paint?  Let me count the reasons...millions.

When I painted this scene at a local State Park in 2009, I was not alone.  My son John, then age 11,  sat with me on a blanket and we painted together. It was a wonderful day that I will never forget.

In 2011, a tragedy happened on the lake when a man drowned.  Someone I know tried to save him but it was too late. It deeply effected many people.

Last week, the wife and daughter of the man that passed away were at my gallery.  His wife bought the painting to remember how much her husband loved the lake.

Life moves so fast.  As an artist, I paint and paint and paint. Then I paint some more. It is very time consuming and leaves me mentally exhausted.  I could be getting a regular paycheck and paid vacations if I would just conform to the corporate world.

The thing is, I am an artist. Why do I paint? I must paint. It has been in my soul since childhood when my Mother sat and colored with me. I have many personal reasons that I paint, but when I realize that total strangers share in my paintings...that seems to be the ultimate purpose.  I have found the true reasons are much larger than myself.

G-Man by Mary Beth Brath

G-Man by Mary Beth Brath

8x10" Acrylic on Canvas

Sold

I started this painting in the spring of this year during a Wine Tasting Walk in the town where I live. It was finally finished in August in preparation for the Fall Architectural Stroll in our town. The painting is currently on exhibit in my gallery until the end of September.  It sold on opening night.

It has been a very busy year and I have worked from deadline to deadline. Sales have been wonderful.

Union Church in Mechanicsburg PA by Mary Beth Brath

The Union Church in Mechanicsburg PA by Mary Beth Brath

11x14" Acrylic on Canvas

I have been working on a series of paintings for the upcoming Architectural Stroll taking place in Mechanicsburg PA in September.  I started this painting en plein air (on location) during last year's Stroll.  I finally finished the painting this month in my studio. The painting will be available for sale at Brath and Hughes Fine Art as part of the featured "Local Scenes" exhibit.

Painting during the 2011 Architectural Stroll while Barb Marbain gives a short talk about one of the buildings on the tour.

 

For more information email brathandhughes@gmail.com

 

Work in Progress - Street Scene of Mechanicsburg

Work In Progress.

20x16" Acrylic on Canvas

Dentist on Market

I am working on some local street scenes for a special exhibit at the gallery in September to co-inside with a town wide "architectural stroll". I thought I was done with this painting until I took photos and put it up on my computer screen. Now I see some walls that need "shored up".  Back to the easel I go.

One of My Favorite Artists - PA Artist Fern Coppedge

Fern Isabelle Coppedge

(image from google images)

Pennsylvania Artist Fern Coppedge is one of my favorites. Her courage and use of color inspires me. I found this image on google and decided to share it. I felt a connection to this artist as soon as I saw her work about 6 years ago.

Funny, in high school art classes in the 1980s, I learned about the French Impressionists.  I never knew about the Pennsylvania Impressionists until many years later.

www.marybethbrath.com

Kristi and Friend by Mary Beth Brath

Kristi and Friend by Mary Beth Brath

20x10" Acrylic on Canvas

My plein air friends and I enjoy painting at a local farm. This was painted from a photo I took of the owner of the property. Kristi has the most friendly turkeys I have ever met.

Peace Lily in Mom's Art Pottery by Mary Beth Brath

"Peace Lily..." by Mary Beth Brath

6x6" Acrylic on Strathmore Canvas Paper

Limited Palette Study - Alla Prima

One for my bedroom series.

Three Koi going to Manhattan by Mary Beth Brath

Three Koi by Mary Beth Brath

30x24" Acrylic

Three Koi has been juried into a year long installation at an international law firm on Wall Street in NYC. An opening reception is being planned for September 2012.

SOLD - "I Want Some More" by Mary Beth Brath

SOLD

"I Want Some More"

Acrylic on Museum Wrapped Canvas

This sweet little painting sold last weekend at the gallery.

Early March at Codorus State Park by Mary Beth Brath

The weather this year is extremely mild. My husband and I already took the boys fishing at Codorus Park in South Central Pa and it was only early March.

I completed most of this onsite, but today it was finished in my kitchen. I cleaned up my sky and added some faint tree trunks to break up my greens.

Sold - Laurel Lake End Of Summer

14x11" Acrylic on Canvas

by Mary Beth Brath

May the buyer enjoy this painting as much as I enjoyed painting it.  Most was done on location last September.

Wildwood Sanctuary Painting...Sold!

Wildwood Sanctuary Plein Air

11x14" Acrylic on Canvas

SOLD

I received a call today that my Wildwood Sanctuary Plein Air painting sold through the Art and Soul Gallery in Lemoyne PA. May the buyer enjoy the painting as much as I enjoyed painting it this past August.