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

This 12 x 24 oil painting was from a houseboat trip on the St. John's River. It was quite an adventure! Gators everywhere, birds everywhere, and the sky was yellow at sunrise. Pristine wilderness surrounded us as were experiencing beautiful Old Florida. Palms lined the river for miles. Now on display at Leu Gardens in Orlando until July 9, 2014.

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.

Fall at River Walk, a Plein Air Impressionist Oil Painting by Judy Batterson

It was a big adventure for this Florida artist to go on a painting trip to North Carolina in the Fall. My easel was set up at Valley River in Murphy, NC, where I was surrounded by beautiful fall leaves with rushing water flowing over rocks. This 6 x 6 original oil captured what I experienced.

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

Pristine wilderness of Old Florida lines the sides of the St. John's River. As the longest river in Florida, it winds north through 12 counties. We took a houseboat into the middle basin part of the river where I was able to sketch and paint the palms, marshes and wildlife. Tall stately palms grew along the river. We anchored and woke up to a sky of light making everything lush and green against the tannic slow moving water. Old Florida is inspiration! 12"H x 24"W original oil on canvas. Price: $ 600.00

Osprey Over the St. John's River, A Small Plein Air Florida OIl Landscape by Judy Batterson, Florida Artist

Watching the osprey circle overhead, I was mesmerized. The large bird spotted fish in the tannic brown waters of the St. John's River and got them. Bright green aquatic plants lined the side of the river next to mangroves, cypress and grasses. I had my easel on a houseboat in the middle of the river with a great view. A great way to paint plein air, capturing part of the pristine wilderness! 5"H x 7"W Price: $ 75.00

St. John's River, Small Florida Oil Painting of Osprey, Fisherman and River by Judy Batterson, Florida Artist

With my easel set up on a houseboat deck in the middle of the St. John's River, I painted the wilderness around me. One lone fisherman floated by, looking for a catch. And so was the osprey that circled overhead. Cypress trees, mangroves, aquatic plants and gators were part of the river scene in Florida's pristine wilderness. 5x7" original oil, $75.

Island and Oyster Bed, a Plein Air Florida Palm Painting by Judy Batterson

Boaters on the Intracoastal Waterway in New Smyrna Beach know this island well. It is located between the south and north bridges. The palms grow straight and tall in rows behind the mangroves. Oyster beds can be seen at low tide. I set up my pochade plein air painting box across the river and painted part of the island. The ocean breezes were strong and nearly blew me over! The pelicans were cruising while boats of all sizes passed the island in the choppy water. 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.

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

Stillness On The Tomoka, Florida Oil Landscape of Palms, River, Egret by Judy Batterson

On the Florida east coast, the Tomoka River is a pristine wilderness river. I was asked by a friend who grew up there to capture this in a painting . I did site visits, sketches and took photos. There was such a sense of peace with the gentle flow of the river. Some areas had dense mangroves, palms and underbrush. Other mangroves opened up to the sky, allowing sunlight to reflect off of the water. A white egret stood out against the dark water while birds flew overhead. This river is "old Florida" appreciated by nature lovers everywhere. The commissioned 24 x 36" original oil is sold, but giclees are available ($425).

Channel Markers, Florida Coastal Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson

For all the boaters and sailors! This 8 x 10 oil on canvas shows the red channel markers in the Intracoastal Waterway along
the coast of Florida. Painted with color shapes to distinguish the islands, the painting recedes into the background with the red markers as the focus. When I saw another version of this, I decided to paint my own. www.judybatterson.com

Enlightened, a Florida Oil Landscape of Water, Boat and Palm by Judy Batterson

As I was walking along the Intracoastal Waterway after a storm, I stopped to look at a beached rowboat. The sunlight suddenly broke through the clouds, creating a cascade of light. I painted this coastal scene knowing it had a deeper level. Sometimes I need to beach myself like the boat, be still and wait quietly for the light to break through and bring hope to the soul. Original 16 x 20 oil on masonite. Chosen for Orlando Magazine's " Paint the Town" 8th Annual Exhibition 2010. For more Florida landscapes visit www.judybatterson.com

Lone Palm, a Florida Landscape by Judy Batterson

In Florida, clumps of mangroves and palms grow along waterways. This hammock had a single palm rising from the center of the foliage next to the water. Blues and greens dominate the composition, giving it a cool, verdant feeling. Naturalists enjoy exploring these tropical ecosystems. 16x20 oil on masonite. www.judybatterson.com

Serene Sunset, Florida Oil Landscape of Palm Islands by Judy Batterson

Islands of palms, trees and mangroves cast shadows in water as the sun sets. A Florida coastal sunset, alive with changing colors, can take your breath away. Kayaks and small boats seek the still water between the islands to see wildlife as well as the sunset.
16 x 20" oil on masonite. www.judybatterson.com

Coastal Escape, a Florida Oil Landscape by Judy Batterson

This is a scene along the Florida Intracoastal Waterway which flows along the coastline next to the Atlantic Ocean. The barrier islands make up the true beaches of Florida, and the waterway is on the other side. Captured in oil, the Florida sky adds so much dimension and movement to the overall landscape. The palms, palmettos and mangroves show the land in its natural form. And the water is like the anchoring factor which brings it together. Many layers of oil went into the depth of the painting. This painting was chosen to be in the "Simply the Best" book by Timothy's Gallery and Art-Exchange.com. It is an 18 x 22 original oil on masonite. Although the original has been sold, stretched, hand-embellished and numbered giclees are available for $400. For more Florida natural landscapes, visit www.judybatterson.com.

Eco Trip, a Coastal Florida Oil Landscapes with Kayaks by Judy Batterson

I am very excited about this work because it captures everything I want to say in a painting. I was in a boat on the Intracoastal Waterway when I saw four kayaks pulled up next to an old rowboat beached on a island. The bright colors of the kayaks were dazzling on the white sand. I took as many photos as possible and then started sketching the composition. This was natural
ecological Florida being discovered and enjoyed by modern explorers! The painting took much longer to paint than I ever anticipated because I had to let the layers of the sand dry before painting each kayak. What a joy to paint coastal Florida in this way! I felt like I was "on the island" with each brushstroke. Painting size is 24 x 36" original oil on masonite.
For more Florida natural oil landscapes, visit my website at
www.judybatterson.com.

Island Sunset, Tropical Oil Landscape with Palm Silhouettes by Judy Batterson

When the sun sets, clouds and moisture in the air break up the light into rich colors of the spectrum. Palms are silhouetted against the sky. This small painting captured an evening sunset along the Indian River on the east coast of Florida. For more Florida landscapes visit my website at www.judybatterson.com.

Stillness On The Tomoka, Florida Oil Landscape of Palms, River, Egret by Judy Batterson in a painting sequence.

The finished painting!! This is the sixth photo in a sequence of a painting of the Tomoka River. It is now complete with the foreground of an egret and large trees. The highlights of the palms are finished as well as the birds flying in the distance. The river twists and turns among the mangroves with the sun reflecting in the water. This is natural, untouched "old Florida". For more Florida oil landscapes, go to www.judybatterson.com.

Stillness On The Tomoka, Florida Oil Landscape of Palms, River, Egret by Judy Batterson in a painting sequence.

This is the 5th photo of a painting sequence of the Tomoka River. The next photo will be the finished work. Now the highlights are painted over the shadows, the reflections in the water are painted, and the tops of the palm trees are established. The light source is from the right side of the painting. Next, the foreground will be painted to complete the landscape. Stay tuned! For more Florida oil landscapes, go to www.judybatterson.com.

Stillness On The Tomoka, Florida Oil Landscape of Palms, River, Egret by Judy Batterson in a painting sequence.

This photo is the fourth one in a sequence of a painting of the Tomoka River. After starting with the background, now the foreground and underbrush along the riverbanks are painted using a stiff bristle brush to achieve the effect of foliage. These dark areas form the shadows before the highlights are painted in. For more Florida landscapes, go to www.judybatterson.com