Ancient Middleton Oak Breaks Branches and Wedding Plans

The famous Middleton Oak , a 500 year old Live Oak tree at one of the oldest formal gardens in America made news this week when two of it's massive branches came crashing to the ground blocking garden paths .






Emergency measures are being taken to stabilize the remaining branches on this landmark tree which has been designated a "Constitution Tree", indicating it's status as a tree dating from that period in US history.



Throughout it's long life it has served as a trail marker for Native Americans, a shelter for early colonists and planters, and more recently a popular location for couples from around the country to have their weddings.

Today as I was at Middleton Place working on a commissioned painting, I met Shari and Matthew who were looking at the beautiful but now unsafe tree they had come all the way from Chicago to be married under this weekend.

They originally had been told the area under the tree would be cleared and ready in time for their weekend ceremony but recently found out that more time will be needed to stabilize the great tree.

So after a kiss for good luck, they were off to search for another live oak for their ceremony.

They were disappointed but agreed that it was better for the branches to have fallen sooner rather than possibly during their ceremony... and there are no shortage of other beautiful trees to be married under at Middleton Place.

"Lexye in Strawberry Fields" A Pastel Painting by Katherine M Schneider

"Lexye in Strawberry Fields"
Pastel on arches paper
12" x 16'
Commission

Spring in the Lowcountry is the time for picking fresh strawberries right off the plants in the fields of several farms open to the public.

This painting of a smiling young girl with hands full of newly picked strawberries buried deep in her lap for safekeeping, is a reminder of happy times spent close to nature.

An Ink Drawing of St. James Santee "Brick Church" circa 1768

A picnic under the old oaks on the grounds of St.
James Santee "Brick Church" (1768) is the subject of today's ink drawing. Since it was too cold and wet to paint en plein air today, I plan to use this sketch to develop an oil painting.

Although St. James "Old Brick Church" now "stands alone among the pines and oaks" of Francis Marion National Forest, once a year on the first Sunday after Easter ancestors of the original congregation and friends gather to worship in this place of " refuge and peace".

Today's beautiful and moving service was lead by The Rev. Jennie C. Olbrych, Vicar of St. James Santee Episcopal Church, McClellanville, SC . The Rev. Andy Morgan from Prince George Winyah Church preached a memorable sermon. Pictured are The Revs. Andy Morgan and Jennie Olbrych and Max Olbrych .


After the service, everyone braved the unseasonably cold weather to enjoy time together eating and visiting on the church grounds under spreading live oaks beside the colonial "Old King's Highway", now a sandy one lane road more often traveled by deer and wild turkey than cars and people.

"Keeping Watch" - A Plein Air Painting of a Biblical Garden on Easter Eve

The Biblical Garden at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is the subject of my plein air painting today.
Painting in this garden designed around images from the Old and New Testament and planted with plants mentioned in the Bible was a meaningful experience.

Today's painting, "Keeping Watch" shows a statue of Mary centered within a cross shaped planting bed divided into 12 squares representing Jesus' disciples. Beyond this is the Old Testament section of the garden with a reproduction of Michelangelo's David set within a boxwood hedge planted in the shape of a Star of David divided into 12 sections commemorating the tribes of Israel.

The garden is planted with plants mentioned in the Bible - Lily of the valley, roses, olive, apple, mulberry, quince, palm, oak, and fig trees, grape vine, pomegranate, and a Jerusalem thorn to name a few.

This Easter Eve, the 12 beds of the cross were planted with bright yellow pansies. What a beautiful sight they were in the afternoon sun with the statue of Mary keeping watch for the dawn of Easter Morning.


"Keeping Watch"
Oil on Birch panel
11"x14"


To see my charcoal drawing of the statue in 2009 click here.

The First Day of Spring - Garden Views from Charleston, SC

Today's blog photos are for Taylor in snowy Boston who blogged to fellow bloggers at Lowcountry Blogs: "Please Feel Free to Send Me Flowers. Springy Ones."

She writes from Boston on March 19th,"I'm looking out the window of my office and there is snow falling...I have had it with winter...I need my flowers to bloom or at least to look like they are about to bloom...".

Well Taylor, I hope it won't depress you way up there in cold, snowy Boston to know that the gardens back home here in Charleston are warm, sunny, and in full bloom.

Yesterday, I was out painting on location at Drayton Hall and Magnolia Gardens where bulbs, bushes and trees are bursting out all over.



Bright colors of red, purple, pink, yellow and Spring green are everywhere. The wind was blowing HUGE clouds of pollen around leaving a layer of yellow pollen on everything in sight.
Although my paintings of the gardens need a bit more work before I post them, I'm posting pic's of the flowers to brighten your day. Hope the snow melts soon.

All the best from bright and blooming Charleston,SC.

Katherine M Schneider Selected as "Artist of the Day" by Daily Painting Site

The Daily Painter's Webring, a website featuring the artwork of over a hundred daily painters, has selected Katherine M Schneider as a "Featured Artist of the Day" for March 13, 2008.




http://dailypainterswebring.blogspot.com/2008/03/katherine-m-schneider.html

"Reflections" Plein Air Art Work of Magnolia Plantation

"Reflections"
11"x14"
oil on birch panel
Price: Sold

The afternoon sun reflecting off the Manor house at Magnolia Plantation into a nearby pond is the subject of today's plein air artwork.

The nearby garden gazebo adds an interesting compositional element to that of the house and surrounding garden seen in the reflecting pond.

"In The Light Reading" A Portrait of Rose N. Muschick by Artist Katherine M. Schneider

A sunny spot and a good book are timeless pleasures. For this portrait, I used contrasting artistic elements to express a quiet, relaxed moment.

Warm red and orange tones in the sitter's face and hair stand out against cool blues and greens in the shadows.

The "hard" edge of the face in profile brings this area into focus as the softer, "lost" edges at the back of the hair cause that area to fade into the background.

The high value of the colors in the light adds drama and interest against the darker, lower values of the shadow tones.

Warm vs. cool colors, hard vs. soft edge treatments, high vs. low values plus the strong diagonal design of light falling across the picture plane are all artistic elements I used to add interest to this portrait of my mother.

"In the Light Reading"
Pastel on prepared panel
20"x17"

Cold and Flu Season for my Computer

My computer caught a virus several weeks ago. Don't know how or where, but there it was - my computer wouldn't get up and run.

No blogging, no email, no internet, nothing...



I called in the"Doctors" from tech support who after much hard work have finally gotten the ailing system up and running.

Thanks Dana and David. You guys rock!







Meanwhile, I've been working on portrait commissions and waiting for better weather to get back outside and paint "en plein air."

Hope to be able to post more frequently now that my system is well.

Some interesting new plein air painting and exhibiting opportunities are coming up in the next few months. More about those later.