I Believe in Discovery, A Florida Coastal Landscape with Palm, Dunes, and Ocean by Judy Batterson, Florida Artist

This paintings is a compilation of what Ponce de Leon saw when he first discovered the peninsula of Florida 500 years ago. This is also part II of a complete diptych tying the sailing explorers together with the land they discovered. Bold in color, it emphasizes the boldness of Ponce and his men. I hope this encourages others to keep Florida's natural beauty the way they found it long ago. 18x24 oil on board.

I Believe in Discovery, a Florida Oil Landscape of the Discovery of Florida by Ponce de Leon, by Judy Batterson, Florida artist

This past year the state of Florida celebrated the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Florida by Ponce de Leon. A replica of his ship, El Galeon, sailed from Spain to Florida to retrace where Ponce de Leon had gone around the peninsula. I toured this beautiful sailing ship while it docked at Port Canaveral. After visiting the coastal areas around the state where Ponce and his men explored, I painted a large diptych to honor them. This is the first part. 18x24 Oil on board.

Palms Along the River, Florida Oil Painting of the St. John's River by Judy Batterson, Florida Artist

We rented a houseboat from Holly Bluff Marina near DeLand, Florida, and took it on the St. John's River for the weekend. What we found was total pristine wilderness with beautiful tall palms lining the river's edge. I took my sketchbook and paints to capture the water, birds, and trees. This painting has been chosen for the 2013 Artists Registry Exhibit which shows two works of art by 80 artists from around the state. 12x24 original oil.

Reeds and Red Boat, Soft Impressionistic Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson, Florida Artist

Central Florida has so many beautiful lakes. This was painted at Lake Jessamine in Orlando. Across from where I set up my easel, was a small cove where a little red rowboat was pulled up into the reeds. The early morning light made soft atmospheric blocks of color. And the lily pads made a peaceful scene. 9x12 original oil.

Palm Afternoon, A Florida Coastal Landscape by Judy Batterson

In homage to the Florida Highwaymen! I found a scene that would be similar to what they painted. This 16 x 20 original oil captured a prominent palm along the coast of Florida. The sun was setting, the waves were lapping and it was the end of a beautiful afternoon.

Old Florida, Original Oil Landscape of Palms and Lake by Judy Batterson

Take a trip into the heart of Florida along trails next to lakes and creeks. There is dense foliage along the edge of the water. The lake reflects the blue sky and palms. Patches of sand and reeds are dotted along the water's edge. This is "Old Florida", a vast ecosystem of marshes and lakes. This is the old Florida I remember as a child when my friends and I would "go exploring" in the woods. In this painting, Florida's wild beauty translates into color and light. 8 x 10" framed original oil.

Anastasia Palm, an Old Florida Stately Palm Plein Air Oil Painting by Judy Batterson

On a beautiful afternoon, I set up my plein air easel in Lake Mary in front of a stately palm tree. With the sun shining on one side, the tree cast a shadow on the grass. Palms are my favorite trees because each one is so different, as if each has a different personality. This one sent out an Old Florida vibe. Tall, stately, and perfectly "coifed", the tree seemed more like a tropical sculpture. 12"H x 9"W

Morning at Little Econ River, a Florida Plein Air OIl Painting by Judy Batterson

I arrived at the Little Econ River early in the morning and set up my pochade box easel next to a small tributary of the river. Birds were fishing and flying as the water flowed quietly. It was such a peaceful experience of capturing misty light and shadow on the canvas. I ended up with a feeling of impressionism. 5"H x 7"W Price: $ 75.00

Stillness on the Tomoka, Oil Painting of Old Florida by Judy Batterson

On the east coast of Florida, the Tomoka River is a pristine wilderness that has not changed. I was asked to capture this in a painting by a friend who grew up on the Tomoka. I did site visits, sketches and took photos of this beautiful river. There was such a sense of peace with the gentle flow of the river. Some areas had dense areas of mangroves, palms and underbrush. Other mangrove clumps opened up to the sky, allowing sunlight to reflect off of the water. A white egret stood out against the darker water while other birds flew overhead. This river is "old Florida" appreciated by nature lovers everywhere. Original oil on canvas 24"H x 36"W.

Garden Path at Cypress Grove Park, a Contemporary Impressionism Florida Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson

Painting en plein air on such a beautiful day made time pass so quickly. Before I knew it, the sun was making distinct shadows of the large bamboo and camellia bushes on the path to the rose garden. The shadows were a cool blue while the grass reflected the warmth from the sunlight. A large mossy oak cooled off the background. Capturing light and shadow gives the viewer the impression of the path setting at that point in time. 9 x 12" original oil.

Plein Air Morning at Cypress Grove Park, Contemporary Impressionism Oil by Judy Batterson

The weather was perfect when I set up to paint in the middle of the field at Cypress Grove Park. The morning sunlight hit the large oak trees and the grass with intensity. This painting is all about the dramatic darks and lights that I saw before me. I loved mixing the oils and capturing the morning on canvas! I would call this style Contemporary Impressionism. 9 x 12 oil on canvas.

Mead Garden Palms, a Florida OIl Plein Air Landscape by Judy Batterson

Painting en plein air on location at Mead Garden, I set up my easel on the west side of the turtle pond in the back of the Garden. This area is almost jungle like with so many moss covered trees, palms, reeds, as well as otters, turtles, gators and water birds. The sun hit the palms and highlighted the back of the pond. My focal point became the trio of palms in front of a mossy oak with dark shadows in the underbrush. This spot captured the true essence of natural Florida! 9 x 12 Oil.

Florida Hammock, a Florida Coastal Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson

Palms and mangroves are painted in detail as they grow out of the foliage along the waterway. This hammock, with abundant wildlife and strong reflections, is typical of the marshy hammocks along the low coastal areas of Florida. A cool palette of blues and greens make a calming scene. Very natural and tranquil. 16 x 20 Framed Original Oil on canvas.

Moon Shadows, Tropical Florida Night with Full Moon Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson

When a full moon is in the night sky , the reflection on the water sparkles like diamonds while the moonlight creates palm shadows. This painting captures the moment of night light tranquility. The whiteness of the moonlight and its highlights contrast against the darkness of the night. The value contrast has high drama and creates a surreal world. The full moon creates patterns of light while it illuminates the clouds, the water and the shoreline. The dark values keep everything still. Framed 16 x 20" Original Oil on canvas $1500 (Giclee available $325) Chosen by Orlando Magazine for "Paint the Town" 8th Annual Exhibition, Chosen for "Simply the Best" book by Timothy's Gallery, Available at Let Us Frame It in Orlando, FL.

Smyrna Dunes, a Florida Coastal Landscape of Palms and Sand Dunes by Judy Batterson

On the Florida east coast at New Smyrna Beach, the Intracoastal flows into the Atlantic by the jetties. The area there, known as Smyrna Dunes, has sand dunes punctuated by clusters of palm trees. People love to walk around the dunes, going from the ocean side to the river side and back. As I was walking there, I studied the brightness of the sand against the palms. The sunlight made every detail of the palm trees stand out as it reflected brilliantly off of the hot sand. I used lights and darks to show the contrasts. Original Oil on masonite. Chosen for "Best of America Oil Artists Vol. ll" book by Kennedy Publishing. (Giclees available $120, matted prints $65)

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, a Small Oil of a Famous Lighthouse by Judy Batterson

This small oil painting of the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is a companion piece to the Ponce Inlet Sailboat. The lighthouse is on the north side of the Inlet where the river and ocean meet between Daytona and New Smyrna Beach. I climbed it once and the view was amazing! It is still a working lighthouse and a landmark in this area. 4 x 4" oil on canvas with easel $55

Ponce Inlet Sailboat, Small Florida Oil Painting by Judy Batterson

Ponce Inlet is where the river meets the ocean between Daytona and New Smyrna Beaches. Boat traffic is heavy in this area, and on a good day, numerous sailboats are heading out to sea. I like to paint them from the south side of the inlet. This small painting is
oil on a 4 x 4" stretched canvas which sits on a small easel. $45 www.judybatterson.com

Purple Rain III, a Florida Springtime Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson

The 8x8 oil paintings side by side give the image of a large landscape. The tabebuia trees and oaks are balanced, but the stream is off balance to give the effect of depth. The pink and purple impasto blossoms slowly rain onto the ground. The foreground flowers heighten the spring colors. When framed and hung horizontally, the eye closes the gap between the frames, creating one large scene. 8" x 16" plus frames, $400 for the set.

Purple Rain II, a Florida Springtime Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson

This is the other part of the total landscape joining Purple Rain I. Purple and pink tabebuia trees bloom profusely in the spring in Florida. And then the blossoms fall to the ground like rain! Impasto oil strokes accentuate the blossoms. I painted one large landscape of tabebuia trees, water and oaks as a diptych. Framed in beautiful floater frames, each painting can stand on its own, Or side by side they portray a large landscape in a small area. 8 x 8" oil framed, $225.

Purple Rain I, a Florida Springtime Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson

Purple and pink tabebuia trees bloom profusely in the spring in Florida. And then the blossoms fall to the ground like rain! Impasto oil strokes accentuate the blossoms. I painted one large landscape of tabebuia trees, water and oaks as a diptych. Framed in a beautiful floater frame, each oil painting can stand on its own. Or side by side they portray a large landscape in a small area.
8 x 8", $225 Framed.