J Hicks Fine Art » canvas prints

Pennsylvania Peonies inspires painting

jhicks — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:48:40 +0000

In 2009 while traveling through beautiful Pennsylvania I was able to collect lots of information for paintings. Following is a scene I’ve wanted to paint for quite some time. I hope you will enjoy my interpretation of a scene that seemed quite ordinary at first, but the old red house and pink peonies soon became all the inspiration needed.

Peonies I Saw in Pennsylvania 18x24

The scene that inspired the painting

Peonies I Saw in Pennsylvania sketch

New 9×12 Watercolor Study

jhicks — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:15:46 +0000

Last House Past the Peonies Study 9x12

Last year we had the most wonderful time traveling through some amazing country with irresistible scenery. Below is a photo of an old red house and pink peonies that caught my eye. It was a flat, over cast day, but not a problem as I can always imagine some sunshine and shadows. First my artist’s eye did away with everything unessential, leaving a simpler but more dramatic statement. It is my practice to always make sketches and take notes then once I pull this information together I can almost imagine being there again. I hope you will enjoy my version of that scene….

Last House Past the Peonies Sketch 9x12

The scene that inspired the painting

Painting Chosen for Magazine Cover

jhicks — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:47:36 +0000

Just found out and I’m thrilled! My painting Out Santa Rosa Creek Road will be on the cover of the April/May 2011 issue of Watercolor Artist Magazine. There will also be a full length feature story about my work inside. Visit my Blog to read more about the inspiration for this painting and the day we stopped in Cambria, California as we traveled down the Pacific Coast Highway.

Time To Go Home

jhicks — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:19:33 +0000

On the road since November 12th, but now it’s time to go home! We’ve had an absolutely wonderful time seeing some of the most incredible sites you can imagine. I’m so inspired to paint beautiful places and have lots of great new photographs, small sketches and studies to help me step back in time to recall all I’ve seen. In the coming months I’m looking forward to painting the new visions I now have stored in my minds eye. We hope to find ourselves home by January 16th if all goes as planned, and we’re looking forward to it. Thanks to all who have come along to share the beauty with us……

Sun sets on a glorious day!

A Buggy Ride Through Old Town

jhicks — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 01:14:11 +0000

Saint Augustine is the oldest city in the United States so walking through it’s Old Town was like stepping back in time. We walked down cobbled streets at our own leisurely pace instead of taking one of the many guided tours. For a ways we were able to follow along behind a horse drawn carriage as the old guide pointed out some of Old Towns most historic landmarks. What a beautiful horse and what a great day….

Thumbnail Sketches

jhicks — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 01:52:32 +0000

Following are just a few of the many sketches I’ll be doing for possible future paintings.

Merry Christmas from Saint Augustine

jhicks — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 01:57:01 +0000

We were greeted with a gorgeous sunrise on Christmas morning as we walked on the beach at Saint Augustine.

Tropical Captiva and Sanibel Island

jhicks — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:08:49 +0000

Sanibel and Captiva are known for their great shelling, so I was looking forward to finding pretty new sea shells to add to my collection. Unfortunately the sea shores and beaches of this spectacular place are pretty much closed off to the public, are very crowded and require a fee to even step on to. Even though I didn’t find new shells I did enjoy seeing the islands tropical and lush beauty with it’s colorful coastal cottages, Bougainvillea, palm trees and turquoise shores. The closer we get to Key West the more commercial and congested it’s becoming making it hard to see the natural beauty this part of the country is known for. So we are considering changing our plans to cut across Florida and travel up the Atlantic Coast possibly spending Christmas in Saint Augustine…….

Cedar Key Island Community

jhicks — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:24:06 +0000

Cedar Key is an Island community with small town flavor where it is said time stands still. It is located three miles out in the Gulf of Mexico on Way Key, the largest island in the “Cedar Keys“. It has a rich history with natural beauty and is also one of the oldest bird and wildlife refuges in the United States. We have fallen in love with the area and it’s laid back feeling and plan on spending about ten days here before moving on down the coast….

Local Color at Apalachicola, Florida

jhicks — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 13:21:09 +0000

If you love seafood then Apalachicola, Eastpoint and nearby Carrabelle is where you’ll find the freshest ever. It’s oystermen and shrimpers go out daily in small boats to harvest some of the best to be had. Their bounty is sold “fresh caught” from small shacks along the roadways or served up in a variety of delicious ways at the areas many local restaurants. We were able to temporarily satisfied our appetite while looking forward to our next destination known for their clams and for Tony’s Famous Clam Chowder in Cedar Keys, Florida…..