Autumn Evening

Autumn Evening  16x20   oil

Painted in my studio based on a photograph taken in North Carolina.

Marsh at Dusk

Marsh at Dusk   20x16   oil

Painted in my studio from a photograph; completed in the studio Autumn 2011

Juried into "Scope: the North Carolina Lanscape" show

I'm pleased to announce that "Carolina Marsh" has been juried into the annual, national "Scope: the North Carolina Landscape" show at Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh, NC. The show was juried by Allie Pitcher, Curatorial Assistant, Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, VA.

Join us at the opening on June 3, 2011 6-9pm at Visual Art Exchange during the First Friday Gallery Walk event in Raleigh, NC!

Grandma's Porch

12x18 Grandma's Porch  oil on linen

Painted on a quiet, lazy Sunday afternoon while a much-needed, soft, summer rain fell on my lawn and woods.   Inspired by the theme for an upcoming show "Down Home: Portraits of the Old North State", I chose an iconic southern farmhouse scene bathed in the hot, summer sun.  I love this joyous color.

Carolina Marsh

"Carolina Marsh" 16x20 oil on linen

This is a photo -- taken quickly -- of a painting I completed this weekend. I wanted to do a southern theme, and this scene of a marsh fit nicely. I believe this is my first painting where the sky was the primary subject! It came together fairly nicely. Once again I painted the entire surface yesterday. And then this morning, while the paint was still wet, I came back and softened some edges and unified some shapes. I'm starting to love this two-day process. When applying paint the first day, as usual, I get so excited that I use too much paint and too much color. Then on the second day, after I've calmed down, I can see what needs to be done to give the painting more structure and less chaos, i.e not quite so much emotion from me. After I'm done there's still plenty of emotion but also a bit more depth and what I like to call "presence".

For this scene I used a few reference photos taken years ago for some ideas but then ended up inventing the details - or lack thereof, actually.

Local Color Paint Out and Show, Raleigh, NC

On April 18, 2009, Local Color Gallery in Raleigh, NC will hold their annual Local Color Paint Out competition with a show of the paintings created that day. The photo above is of a painting I did at the event last year on Boylan Avenue. And the photo below is of me while I was painting it.

I will be painting in this event again this year. The official paint out locations have changed this year to the southern area of the neighborhood, and I'm excited to paint these historic areas of Boylan Avenue in Raleigh, NC for the first time. Let's hope for great weather like we had in 2008!

Along Boylan Avenue

Along Boyland Avenue 16x20 oil

This painting is from an April 2008 plein air event and Gallery Show that I participated in called Local Color Paint Out. This coming Saturday Sept 27 '08 there is another paint out event here in Cary, NC called Cary Gallery of Artists Paint Out. I'll be out there painting somewhere in our Cary downtown area! Look for me!

First Place award

North Harrison Ave, Cary, NC 30x40 oil

I am pleased to share that "North Harrison Ave., Cary, N.C." won first place at the "New Beginnings" show in Raleigh, NC held at Crossroads Campus, Grace Christian School. This typical Carolina farmhouse is the lone remaining sign of the agricultural tradition in my area. It stills stands near our neighborhood, noticeably out-of-place on a new, busy 5 lane suburban road - a road that was a quiet country lane only a few short years ago. I painted this in early spring before the towering oak trees sprung their leaves.

Local Color Gallery Paint Out, Raleigh, NC

"Boylan Avenue Afternoon"

"corner of Boylan Avenue and Hillborough Street"

On April 26, 2008 Jana Van Wyk participated in the Third Annual Local Color Gallery Paint Out in Raleigh, NC. This paint out is held in an 8 block area in the Boylan Avenue neighborhood of Raleigh near the gallery. The paint out was a great success, due in part to the wonderful weather. Jana completed two paintings; the show opens May 2, 2008 with a reception from 6pm-8pm. The show is part of the First Friday art walk in Raleigh.