Spring Peepers by Mary Beth Brath

Spring Peepers

Daily Painter of Pennsylvania Mary Beth Brath

9x12" Acrylic on Canvas

$150

Spring Peepers was started on site "plein air" and finished in my studio. If you look to the right of the tree, you will see little tiny green frogs. This was early spring and the peepers were so loud! The willow was just starting to bloom and the bushes all had that gorgeous new red growth (well...alizarin crimson in painter's lingo). The scene is from Lower Allen Community Park.

Solo Exhibit Reception March 9th, 2010 - 5:00 - 7:30pm

Charlie Krone Gallery inside the New Cumberland Library

Reception on Tuesday March 9th, 2010

Time 5:00 to 7:30 pm. Open to the Public.
Refreshments Provided.

During the month of March, I will have over 20 paintings on display in the Charlie Krone Gallery of the New Cumberland Library. The gallery is located on the second floor. There is a lovely room off of the gallery hallway for friends to gather and enjoy refreshments and music on March 9th from 5 to 7:30pm. Exhibit brochures are located on the podium shown above along with a guest book for you to sign. Exhibit will remain on display until the end of March.

Talking With Observers While Painting On Location

Gettysburg Festival Plein Air Event - 2009

Friends Painting Along the Auto Tour

Certain questions seem to pop up over and over. Sometimes, people don't know what to ask, but would like to talk so it is a conversation starter. To others, it is a deep question and they are searching for an answer that will connect them to their own dreams. Whatever the intention of the initial question, this is a chance to share your background...a little.

To me, the joy comes from watching hope appear on the face of the observer.
Perhaps they are thinking "Can I do this?" or "I always wanted to do this" or my favorite "If she is doing it then I know I can". That is just one of the reasons that I love to paint plein air in front of the public. While living my dream, demonstrating in front of others can get them to reach for their dreams.

Willow Tree at Pheasant Field Inn

Pheasant Field Inn B & B Willow Tree

20x24" - Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Soon it will be time to go and explore the grounds of the Pheasant Field Inn B&B located just outside of Carlisle PA. The pond will be taken over by families of turtles. Simply heaven on earth to watch them sun themselves on the fallen tree limbs. Birds singing in the trees. New foliage bursting on the willow branches that gently rustle in the breeze.
The owner of the Inn enjoys having plein air artists come and work on site. The Inn is a destination point on the "Route 15 By Way of the Arts" Pennsylvania Artisan Trail.

Cook Forest PA by Mary Beth Brath

11 x 14" Acrylic on Canvas

Every summer my husband and I vacation at our family cabin near Cook Forest State Park PA. Last summer, I painted this scene along the Clarion River.

Hunter's Valley Winery by Mary Beth Brath

Hunter's Vallery Winery and Vineyard - Liverpool PA

18x18" Acrylic on Masonite

One of the romantic locations along the Susquehanna River is the Hunter's Valley Winery and Vineyard. Every summer, the vineyard hosts a plein air painting event. Many artists from the region gather to paint and chat with onlookers. Live music was provided at the 2009 event by Jonathan Frazier, also a very accomplished painter! There is a lovely shop to purchase unique items and of course wine! This is all up on top of a...well...small mountain that overlooks the scenic Susquehanna River and the Millersburg Ferry.

The painting shown in this post is from the 2008 event.

For more information about the vineyard, go to http://www.huntersvalleywines.com/.

http://www.marybethbrath.com/

http://www.dailypaintersofpennsylvania.blogspot.com/

Plein Air in the Wetlands of Pennsylvania

8x10" Acrylic on Canvas with Satin Varnish

$125

These photos were taken while plein air painting in Mechanisburg PA. The weather was very cold and my hands were going numb. I am fortunate to paint with a great group of local professional artists. I used my "artist license" when I added in the flowers on the painting.

www.marybethbrath.com

Bellefonte PA Mini ATC - ACEO by Mary Beth Brath

Bellefonte PA Mini ATC - ACEO

by Pennsylvania Daily Painter Mary Beth Brath

Acrylic on an ATC - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"

$50

Located in the middle of Pennsylvania is a very charming Victorian town called Bellefonte. My husband and I have traveled through this town for about 25 years while going from one side of the state to the other. I did a larger version of this scene and recently created this mini ATC - ACEO.
There is something missing from the scene and that is the reason for the painting. A wonderful old hotel so typical of our PA towns was demolished a few years ago in Bellefonte. The hotel would have been in the top right section of the composition.

http://www.marybethbrath.com/

http://www.dailypaintersofpennsylvania.blogspot.com/

The Rest Of The Story To This Painting

In January 2011, I finally figured out what I still needed to do to this painting. I reworked some details, colors and added a man walking a dog. Funny thing, I put it in one of my brick and mortar galleries and it sold 2 hours later. I never even took a picture of the final outcome.

...and that is the rest of the story!

"Community Park" ATC ACEO by Mary Beth Brath

Community Park - Cumberland County PA

Artist Trading Card - ACEO 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Acrylic with Satin Varnish

"Community Park" was painted on site (plein air) last summer. My children played while I sat under the trees and completed this mini ACEO.

http://www.marybethbrath.com/

http://www.dailypaintersofpennsylvania.blogspot.com/

The rest of the story...

This painting sold at Gallerie 13 in December 2010.

Remembering My First Gallery Sale...

Sunflowers, 16x20" Acrylic on Canvas

SOLD

I so enjoy the week between Christmas and New Year's. I organize, plan, throw out, dream of the future and remember the past. This painting was the first Gallery Sale of my career. I came across the photo and decided to post it on my personal blog as a way of closing out the current year.

While living in the Lake Erie Snow Belt in Geauga County Ohio, I was basically "snowed in" from December through March. The year I started selling my artwork, I also had 4 young boys under the age of 8. My paintings from this period were mostly scenes of the French - Italian Riviera area. I was escaping to a warm and peaceful place.

There are still a few paintings left from that period and are available at the Vancura Gallery of Fine Art in Middlefield Ohio. The owner of the gallery, Donna Vancura has been such a wonderful encourager. See the gallery's website at www.vancuragallery.com.

www.marybethbrath.com

www.dailypaintersofpennsylvania.blogspot.com

IF I ONLY HAD MORE TIME...

Tritt's Butterfly Garden

Acrylic on Canvas, 11" x 14"

Currently Available at Gallerie 13

$190

We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week, 12 months a year. What we do with that time will determine where we will be when next December rolls around.

Carpe Diem - MB

Create as a Family

Gifford Pinchot State Park 2009

Acrylic, 5" x 7", plein air

Currently Available through Jeffery van Boskirk

John putting finishing touches on his piece.

We all have a life outside of the gallery scene. My husband and I have 4 boys. I share my home studio with my children so we can be together. While I paint or frame, they can do homework, play with legos, brio sets and army men and even paint/draw at their easel. We go hiking, canoeing, fishing and exploring together as a family. All the while, Mom has her camera and art supplies close at hand.


This day, the group of plein air artists that I paint with went to Gifford Pinchot State Park in South Central Pennsylvania. It was summer and the children were out of school...so...all of the boys came with me. We set up our area away from the other artists so we would not disturb their "right brain mode". It was an amazing day. We all had such a wonderful time. I sat on the blanket with one of my sons and completed a small work on masonite. He completed his scene on heavy paper for acrylics. The other boys fished and played near the water.


If you have never heard of Betty Anglin Smith and you think you can't start to pursue your artistic dreams until the children are grown, I encourage you to look her up on google. She has been such an inspiration for me the last 4 years.

CARPE DIEM - MB

DAILY PAINTER OF PENNSYLVANIA

http://www.marybethbrath.com/

http://www.dailypaintersofpennsylvania.blogspot.com/

Gettysburg College by Mary Beth Brath

Gettysburg College

11" x 14" Acrylic on Canvas

During the annual Gettysburg Festival held in June of 2009, my friends and I were part of a plein air event. We painted on the grounds of the Gettysburg College. This painting was blocked in on site and finished in my studio. Available for purchase by contacting me at mbbrath@verizon.net.

We have been invited back to the festival for 2010. Big plans are in the making!!

www.marybethbrath.com

www.marybethbrath.blogspot.com

Visions Exhibit at Lebanon Campus of HACC

This month in Lebanon PA. there is a very unique exhibit at the Lebanon Campus of HACC. The title of the exhibit is "Visions". Anyone that is spiritually inspired while creating artwork was welcome to enter. This is the first year for the theme.

I entered 2 paintings.

The field of flowers is titled Gettysburg Wildflowers and shows how the Lord covers our earth with beauty and gives us so much more than just the basics. This field is actually on the civil war battlefield auto tour!!

The waterlilies painting is titled God and Family. The lotus flower represents the Lord and the cluster of lily pads with the flower is my husband, four children and myself.

Brafferton Inn - Gettysburg PA

This painting was started on location at Jackie Mickler's shop on York Street in Gettysburg PA and was finished in my studio. The scene is of the Braffferton Inn; a lovely B&B just off the square. The painting is currently on display in Jackie's shop and is available for purchase. The Pomeranian is a rendering of my own dog "Nelson".