Land Surrounding "Angel Oak "To Be Residential/Retail Development

The land surrounding one of Charleston's most beautiful and inspiring natural treasures "The Angel Oak" will be cleared for a development plan endorsed by Mayor Joe Riley and the Charleston City Council. Recently released plans call for the land immediately surrounding the small Angel Oak Park to be developed into "low end" housing and commercial/retail space.

A reader sent the following comment about The Angel Oak which I would like to pass on:

"... I am currently working to save The Angel Oak from being developed around. The City of Charleston and Mayor Riley have approved development on 3 sides of her to include "low end" housing and commercial/retail space. The construction, destruction of surrounding forest and high density population will be devastating for her. Can she survive it?
Please sign our petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-the-angel-oak-
on-johns-island-sc or click this link>
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-the-angel-oak-on-johns-island-sc
Thank you everyone!"

Although I realize the development plans for the land surrounding Angel Oak have already been approved by Charleston City Council, I have signed this petition in the hope of saving a few more "Grand Old Trees" at the location from being destroyed. I hope you will consider doing the same.

For a recent (June 23,09) update about the Angel Oak Village Development and a new painting, click here.

Studio Palette Color Choices for Landscape and Still Life Painting

Recently, I've been experimenting with different color choices on my studio palette for landscape and still life painting. Here's a photo of my studio palette "tube" colors (upper left corner) and mixtures. I especially like the bright, transparent red that results from mixing permanent rose and cadmium orange. French ultramarine blue and perm. rose make beautiful variations of purple and mauve.

The tube colors shown on the palette are: permanent sap green, cerulean blue, French ultramarine blue, permanent alizarin crimson, permanent rose, burnt sienna, cadmium orange, cadmium yellow pale, a mixture of cad. orange+cad. yellow, and titanium white. I also use warm and cool tinting whites mixed from these colors.

With so many rich colors, it's tempting to "use every crayon in the box", but using complements and well mixed grays will always make a stronger painting.

"Marsh Sky" A Monoprint Painting by Katherine M Schneider

The monoprint painting process provides a degree of spontaneity that often produces work with a loose, free flowing feel. The summer clouds in the sepia painting "Marsh Sky" are a good example of the loose handling of paint on the monoprint surface.
In this painting, the subject and artistic process combine to create an evocative impression of a traditional Lowcountry scene.
For more oil, plein air and woodcut marsh scenes click here.

"Marsh Sky"
Sepia Monoprint on Reeves BFK Paper
Image size: 17.5" x 24"
Matted size: 24" x 30"
Price: $250.00

American Flags on the Fourth of July

American flags flying in the summer breeze are a familiar sight on the Fourth of July in the Lowcountry.

Our family's back porch is a favorite place to celebrate the USA's birthday 232 years ago.

As we enjoy hot dogs, watermelon, and corn on the cob, we'll be thinking of the men and women who are serving in our country's armed forces to preserve the Founding Fathers ideals in the Declaration of Independence ."...We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness..."
Happy 4th of July.

"Moonlit Trawler" A Woodcut Printed Painting by Charleston Artist Katherine M Schneider

"Moonlit Trawler"
Woodcut hand rubbed painting
on Oriental rice paper
Image size: 6" x 8"
Paper size: approx. 9" x 10"
Price: $125.00

The woodcut printed painting "Moonlit Trawler" is derived from the woodcut "Marsh Creek Trawler" which I posted yesterday.

Work on the water never stops day or night. I liked the mood of a trawler returning home safely on calm water in the moonlight.

A Woodcut Painting of a Trawler and Marine Researchers at the Landing

"Marsh Creek Trawler"
Woodcut hand rubbed painting
on Oriental mulberry paper
Image size: 6" x 8"
Paper size: 9.5" x 11.5"
Price: $125.00

I hand cut this picture of a shrimp trawler in a marsh creek into a block of wood, then inked and transferred the painting by rubbing it onto thin oriental mulberry paper. The resulting woodcut print is a reverse of the design on the original woodcut block.
More of my trawler paintings may be seen by clicking this Link.


As I sketched and took reference pictures at the Robert Ashley Boat Landing in the fishing village of McClellanville, I enjoyed talking to researcher workers with the US Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Sea Turtle Project and the SC Dept. of Natural Resources Mink Restoration Project. Both projects are finding populations on the rebound this year. What great news.


Here is a picture of native wild minks on a mat of sea grass and driftwood. Minks live in the marshes of the Lowcountry where they build nests on floating mats of dead sea grass. They are highly susceptible to environmental toxins and have been a "species of concern" due to their dwindling numbers in the northern coastal areas of SC.
South Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources researchers are monitoring the newly reintroduced population of wild minks in the Cape Romaine National Wildlife Refuge.

Pictured (l to r) are Clemson Grad student Michael Waller and tech Will Chaplin back at the landing after a day doing mink surveys.




They ask boaters in the CRNW Refuge to not disturb their survey equipment that has the pictured label attached.





US Fish and Wildlife Dept. BioTech Allan Dawson (center), Rebecca Gallagher (left), and Jerry Tupacz secure their boat after a day on Cape Island working on the USF&D Sea Turtle Project. They report they're finding more sea turtle nests this year (2008) than last year. If nests continue to be found at the present rate, there may be over 1,000 documented nests in 2008 compared to 800 nests found in 2007.



It was a busy day of painting trawlers and working on Jeremy Creek in the historic fishing village of McClellanville SC.

Rainbow Over Charleston

Rainbows are one of nature's best surprises. This rainbow appeared in an afternoon shower over Charleston yesterday.

I thought about painting it but decided the photo captures the moment better.

It brightened my day. I'm posting it hoping it will remind you of rainbows you've enjoyed too.

"Flag Day on Sullivan's Island" An Ink Drawing by Katherine M Schneider

"Flag Day on Sullivan's Island"
Ink Drawing
8" x 10"

I like the look of this cottage on the beach at Sullivan's Island with the sun on the roof and the American flag waving in the sea breeze.

I may use the ink drawing to do an oil painting. I've got lots going on right now but it would be fun to paint - the bright blue sky, red beach house, and American flag above it all.

Flag Day on Sullivan's Island - A Photo Essay by Charleston Artist Katherine M. Schneider

American Flags were flying all over Sullivan's Island as I painted on the beach today. This island that has seen so much military action in it's history, is proudly celebrating Flag Day 2008. I'm posting photos from Sullivan's Island where flags can be seen flying on street posts, in yards, on the beach, porches and harbor side flag poles.


Near Fort Moultrie, the"Stars and Stripes"waves in a strong sea breeze among a group of palmettos, the state tree of South Carolina.







The afternoon sun highlights flags on the road to Fort Moultrie, one of two historic forts that make up Fort Sumter National Monument,
a division of the National Park Service.











Sullivan's Island Baptist Church reflects the bright afternoon sun while a flag billows in the sea breeze.











This Sullivan's Island beach cottage displayed the original SC State Flag (blue field with a white crescent in the upper left corner) along with a Colonial era American flag on the front porch. A contemporary US flag is seen on the street in front of the home.






Another island home sports porch bunting, red, white, and blue bows and an American flag on the street.











One Sullivan's Island resident displayed a variety of flags in their yard.





The flags on display represent some of the many branches of the military that have served on Sullivan's Island over the years.










These are pictures of the flags in the yard shown above.





























"Oh say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave 'ore the land of the free and the home of the brave..." The Star Spangled Banner composed in 1814 by Francis Scott Key.

Our country is facing many complicated and deeply challenging issues but I still feel fortunate to live in the USA where we have more freedom and opportunities than many in other parts of the world.