Alligator in the Sun -A New Painting by Charleston Artist Katherine M Schneider

"Beauty and the Beast"- A sunning alligator in a garden pond
Oil
Image size: 11" x 14"
Price: Sold Thank you.


The painting "Beauty and the Beast" shows an alligator relaxing in a warm, sunny spot by a statue of a young girl at a Magnolia Gardens pond.

Today's news story of two teenagers illegally binding and abducting an alligator with nylon rope and duct tape, made me want to paint an alligator in a natural setting.

With more and more of their habitat being destroyed for new development, alligators are more frequently being forced to seek new territory - often to their peril.

Thankfully, here in the Lowcountry there are still areas where these prehistoric survivors can live in the wild unharmed.

When seen from a respectful distance, there's an undeniable fascination and beauty to these wild creatures that we often mistreat out of fear.

Flowers from a Charleston Garden for Rose N. Muschick

Happy Mother's Day.




My mother likes flowers fresh from her garden.

Since she's had a fall and can't get out, I'm posting photo's of flowers from her garden for her to enjoy on Mother's Day.



Here's a picture of mom (Rose N. Muschick) in better health, enjoying the award winning camellias in her garden at our home place "Afterglow".













Lyre Leaf sage- Mom's favorite wild flower.








Garden angel with a Princess camellia blossom.





















It's good to stop and smell the flowers.






The "Hush Boy" bird bath with colorful pansies and camellias.













And one last camellia in the garden by a spreading palmetto frond.

Happy Mother's Day!

Charleston Artist Guild Annual Juried Signature Exhibition, May 4-9, 2008

Katherine M. Schneider has had artwork juried into this year's 2008 Annual Signature Exhibition of the Charleston Artist Guild (CAG).

The only CAG show open to all South Carolina fine art painters, photographers, and sculptors, the Annual Juried Signature Exhibition receives submissions from artists throughout South Carolina.

The Exhibition may be seen at the Charleston Visitors Center 375 Meeting St., Charleston, SC May 4-9, 2008. Everyone is invited to the Show reception at the Visitors Center Friday, May 9 from 6-8:00 pm.

"Hampton Plantation Portico" - A Plein Air Painting of a Historic Site

Hampton Plantation State Historic Site was a great spot to paint this afternoon. Recently I've been working inside on larger paintings but was drawn to paint outside today by the bright sunshine and mild spring weather.

The painting "Hampton Plantation" shows a view of the house's Adam style portico (porch) that was added to the original 1750 structure about 1790, shortly before a visit by President George Washington.
The Live Oak branch in the upper left of the painting is from a historic tree called the "Washington Oak".

My charcoal drawing of another view of the portico and other paintings of the mansion may be seen by clicking here.


During his visit in 1791, President Washington was asked if he thought this oak tree blocked the view of the new Portico from the front drive of the house and should be removed.
Washington reportedly said the tree should stay and the owners obliged by leaving it to grow where it remains to this day.

Hampton Plantation was a thriving rice plantation throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. After the War Between the States, it fell into decline until 1937 when it was restored by Archibald Rutledge, a descendant of the original owners who became South Carolina's first poet laureate.

The following poem was written by Rutledge about his garden at Hampton Plantation:

"The Garden I Made" by Archibald H. Rutledge

Whenever I Think Of
Life's Light That Must Fade
The Gleams And The Glow
That Must Pass In The Shade;
When Hopes That I Had
Now But Lave Me Afraid-
With Joy I Remember
The Garden I Made

The Redbuds And Dogwoods
I Planted Will Grow;
The Flaming Azaleas
Will Blossom, I Know;
The Chaliced Syringa's
Wild Beauty Will Show
When I Shall Be One
With The Long, Long Ago


The Glimmering Gardenias,
The Wildflowers Wan,
The Red Rose, The Lily
As White As A Swan;
The Garden I Made
Will Keep Blossoming On
When Life With Its Fevers
Is Faded And Gone.

The State of South Carolina purchased Hampton Plantation from Archibald Rutledge in 1971. Today the SC State Park Service preserves the plantation as a historic site and interprets it's natural and cultural history to the public. http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park

"The Middleton Oak" and "Angel Oak" - Live Oak Trees in Art and Science

"Angel Oak"
Charcoal on craft paper
Dimensions: 36"x 48"

This charcoal drawing is a study for an oil painting I was inspired to do awhile back of the "Angel Oak" after spending a night in a tent under it's ancient spreading canopy.

The experience left me with lasting impressions:
The beauty of stars seen through massive limbs and a leafy canopy swaying with Spanish moss.
The ethereal effect of shafts of early morning light piercing through branches like light streaming into a cathedral. The cool freshness of the air under the tree. This massive live oak tree has inspired all who have seen it through it's long life. Click here to see plein air painters painting at Angel Oak.

To see my painting of rural farmland near Angel Oak and recent (6/25/09) information about the ongoing development of the land around the Angel Oak, click this link.

For a charcoal/conte drawing of Angel Oak from a different viewpoint, Click here or in the "Live Oak " Art Category with a link here.

Live Oak trees are in the news here due to the recent breaking of massive limbs off the Middleton Oak at Middleton Place. Efforts to stabilize the Middleton Oak are providing scientists a unique opportunity to study the tree's age and climatic history. Artists and craftsmen have been asked to submit creative uses for the wood from the broken limbs to Pat Kennedy at pkennedy@middletonplace.org or to the Middleton Oak Project, 4300 Ashley River Road, Charleston SC 29414.

"Marsh Breeze" An Etching Of Live Oaks by Charleston Artist Katherine M Schneider

" Marsh Breeze"
Zinc plate etching
Image size: 4.5" x 6"
Paper size : 8.75" x 10"
Price: $50.00

To view all Live Oak artwork, click here.
The etching process used to create "Marsh Breeze" begins with a zinc metal plate covered with a tar like coating (a "ground") through which thin lines are cut with a diamond tipped stylus or other sharp tool. The plate is then put into an acid bath to etch or corrode the lines into the plate's surface.

The longer the plate stays in the acid bath, the deeper the lines. Deeper lines hold more ink, creating darker marks in the final artwork. This same process of coating the plate, drawing into the ground, and etching the marks is repeated numerous times to develop the final image for printing.

To print the artwork, the plate is coated with a thin layer of specially formulated "printing ink" which is wiped off, leaving ink only in the recessed lines. The "inked" plate is next placed between wool blankets and hand cranked through a press to transfer the artwork onto a dampened sheet of paper. The resulting artwork depends on the artist's use of ink, type of paper, pressing techniques and etching skill.

A well done etching is a combination of skill in drawing, processing the plate in numerous acid bathes, applying the ink, and printing techniques. It's a long process but worth the effort-an artistic image in the manner of old masters such as Rembrandt, Goya and Durer.

"Marsh Oak" An Etching by Charleston Artist Katherine M Schneider

"Marsh Oak"
Zinc plate etching on buff paper
Image size: 4.5"x 6.75"
Paper size: 8.5"x 10.75"
Price: $75.00

The excitement and concern over the health of the Middleton Oak this past week has lead me to post artwork of Lowcountry live oak trees.
To see more artwork of marsh scenes click here.

Today's artwork uses finely etched lines to create a tonal representation of a stately live oak with Spanish moss gently swaying in the breeze.
To see more of my etched artwork, click Etchings here or in the art category list at the right of this page.

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.