Mary Ellen Johnson

Big Chocolate Eclair

2012-02-01T15:02:00.006-05:00

Big Chocolate Eclair-2011

24x38

oil on panel

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Big Banana Split

2011-10-25T13:19:00.002-04:00

Big Banana Split-2011

oil on panel

32x38

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Big Food: Mary Ellen Johnson exhibition at Watts Fine Art, Zionsville IN.

2011-10-14T11:17:00.002-04:00

I am honored to be having a solo exhibition at Watts Fine Art in Zionsville IN. The exhibition runs from Oct.14 thru Nov. 5. The opening is tonight from 6pm to 9pm. If you get a chance, stop by!

Big Food:Mary Ellen Johnson exhibition at Watts Fine Art

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Elliot Fouts Gallery Still Life Invitational

2011-09-20T13:25:00.000-04:00

These are three new paintings that I have painted for the Elliot Fouts Gallery Still Life Invitational in Sacramento, Ca. - Oct 1st - Nov.2nd

Egg Benedict-2011

9x14

oil on panel

Poached Egg on Toast-2011

7x14

oil on panel

Deviled Egg-2011

10x12

oil on panel

Big Sticky Bun with Nuts

2011-07-14T08:08:00.001-04:00

Big Sticky Bun With Nuts-2011

Oil on Panel

38x48

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PB&J and Jelly Jar

2011-04-02T13:16:00.004-04:00

This is a commission that I just completed.

PB&J and Jelly Jar-2011
oil on Panel
24x48

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"Pop & After 1964-2010" exhibition at the Beth Urdang Gallery in Boston MA.

2011-03-17T18:47:00.000-04:00

I am fortunate to be included in an exhibition at the Beth Urdang Gallery in Boston MA.
Beth Urdang Gallery :"Pop & After 1964-2010"

There was also a mention of it in the Boston Globe!
Boston Globe article

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Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

2011-01-25T16:40:00.002-05:00

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake-2011

oil on panel

36X48

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New painting progress- Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

2011-01-20T08:59:00.000-05:00

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Big Smores

2010-12-12T17:09:00.005-05:00

Big Smores- 2010

oil on panel

33 x48

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Big Waffles

2010-12-11T19:55:00.002-05:00

Big Waffles -2010

Oil on panel

24x48

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New works in progress

2010-11-13T14:07:00.000-05:00

I have been trying something a little different and working two paintings at once. It is nice to mix it up a bit, and it allows for some drying time between layers. Smores is almost blocked in in and Waffles is closer to being finished, but not quite done yet.

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November's She Magazine article

2010-10-26T14:34:00.002-04:00

She Magazine was nice enough to feature me in November's issue.
You can click on the picture to read it.

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October's American Art Collector Magazine Article

2010-10-14T13:45:00.002-04:00

My work was featured in an article in this month's American Art Collector Magazine. Also in the issue is an ad for my work for Watts Fine Art Art in Zionsville IN.
You can click the picture to read it.

Big PBJ & Milk

2010-10-11T14:54:00.001-04:00

Big PBJ & Milk - 2010

oil on panel

24X48

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New Painting, a work in progress

2010-09-20T12:00:00.001-04:00

Progress shot of the new painting I am working on.

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Big Steamed Mussels

2010-09-08T11:01:00.002-04:00

Big Steamed Mussels - 2010

Oil on panel

48x55.5

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Work in progress: Steamed Mussels in Wine

2010-08-20T10:38:00.003-04:00

Here is a progress shot of the painting I am working on of mussels steamed in wine. It is larger than I have been doing lately. This has been a fun painting. I will never look at another mussel the same again after working on this. If you *really* look at them in light, they are jewels of hidden colors of the rainbow.

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My new studio is finished!

2010-07-25T14:28:00.000-04:00

My new studio space is finished! I am very excited about it. It has a big window, and is adjacent to the porch so I can easily move out there to paint if I want. It is downstairs and close to my family so it is not shut off from everyone. I love the storage cabinets with doors because I can close away all my messy art supplies neat at a pin. My desk is huge with lots of space for my palette and deep drawers to store my paints. It has shelves for all my art books and plenty of space to display my children's artwork. Dale put up track lighting for me and the lighting is perfect.

Watts Fine Art

2010-07-09T16:39:00.000-04:00

I am very pleased to have become represented by an additional gallery, Watts Fine Art in Zionsville IN. Here is a picture of the paintings I am sending them, waiting to be picked up by the shipper.

Big Blueberry Cheesecake

2010-07-04T17:42:00.004-04:00

Big Blueberry Cheesecake -2010

Oil on panel

48x36

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New Painting, a work in progress

2010-06-24T17:17:00.000-04:00

I have finished blocking in the blueberry topping of my cheesecake painting today.

Grey and Cheeto are posing with it. Both of them like blueberry cheesecake!

Shrimp Cocktail

2010-06-21T17:21:00.002-04:00

Shrimp Cocktail -2010

Oil on panel

36X48

Work in progress

2010-06-15T17:05:00.003-04:00

This is a work in progress shot of my new painting I am working on, it's shrimp cocktail. I had to make a new studio inside today, because the heat was just to much outside. I plan to paint a few hours outdoors early in the morning to take advantage of the natural sunlight before the heat escalates and then move inside. My husband is going to install track lighting for me to try to improve my indoor lighting.

Palmetto People

2010-06-11T12:41:00.000-04:00

I was interviewed this morning about my paintings for a television show, Palmetto People.
It was a pleasure to meet hosts Richard Green and Mary Anne Jacobs and thier great crew!

Palmetto People

Big Strawberry Shortcake

2010-06-07T17:09:00.000-04:00

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New progress pic and website

2010-06-05T12:09:00.000-04:00

I thought I would have been finished with this by now, but no.... not yet. Here is a shot of it this morning after getting the background blocked in.

I also have a new website maryellenjohnson.com

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Work in progress

2010-05-26T12:53:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of my new painting I am working on of a strawberrry shortcake. I almost have it blocked in and will soon start detailing. As I have been working on this, I have been thinking I need to go grocery shopping for ingredients to make this again.

Making the porch my painting studio has been a very good idea. The lighting out here is so much brighter than my indoor studio. I will have to work out how I will handle extremes of heat or cold, but for a good chunk of the year it should not be a problem.

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Summeryview Group Exhibition at OK Harris Works of Art

2010-05-26T12:31:00.008-04:00

We recently got back from a trip to NYC for the opening of the Summeryview Group Exhibition at OK Harris Works of Art. The exhibition is up until July 17th. It is such a thrill and honor to have my work included in the exhibition. Here a a few pictures from the show.

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Big Cherry Pie A La Mode

2010-05-12T11:35:00.006-04:00

Oil on panel 32x48

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Outdoor Studio: South Carolina in the Spring

2010-05-08T11:55:00.000-04:00

Our house is over 100 years old, and one of our favorite parts of the house is it's giant wrap around porch. On Saturday mornings, my husband and I sit on the porch and drink coffee on the swing. My husband made the swing for us last summer. It is made out of an old door, an old bed headboard, our children's crib rails for the armrests, and their crib mattress for the cushion. As we sipped coffee and discussed the day, it was so glorious outside I told him I didn't think it would be possible for me to leave and go upstairs to my studio and start work. Nothing is more glorious than a South Carolina Spring with all the honeysuckle in the air. I had to paint, so he helped me bring the studio to the porch! Now we can be outside all day. Later we are going to cook something out here in the smoker...maybe some chicken.

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Shortcakes

2010-05-03T09:58:00.001-04:00

One thing that I have been doing lately is making the weekends my time to work out ideas for paintings. That involves the idea, the shopping, the cooking, and the photo shoot. Getting imagery that I am happy with and ulimately paint, does not come simply. I have realized the best way to do that is a great deal of trial and error. That means photographing many different foods so I have a large pool to pick from. My goal is to shoot 3-4 different foods every weekend. That also means I have to learn how to cook any given food as visually perfectly as I can. I love food, and I love to cook, so I do have fun on this side of the painting process. My family also enjoys the spoils of the effort.

One dessert I worked on this weekend was Strawberry Shortcake. I had a previous shot of one that was not a "real " strawberry shortcake because it was not on a shortcake. This had to be authentic, so I found a recipe for a glorious shortcake, this was so good I could eat the dough raw. I used local strawberries from Mc Leod Farms in Mc Bee S. C. They were so red, juicy, and sweet for the filling, and of course lots and lots of whipped cream. When I put this dessert together, it was WOW. My poor family waited and watched until I took a zillion shots of it. Once I had confirmed I had winner shots, my family had the green light to eat it, and it was gone very quickly .I came back with my fork for a taste and I was too late. Luckily I made a back up shortcake, and I got to taste that, and it was the very best strawberry shortcake I have ever had!
Here is the recipe for the shortcake. If you make it, (you won't be sorry) make sure to use the sanding sugar on top before you bake it, it sparkles like a diamond when finished.

Shortcakes

1 C All Purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

4 Tbsp unsalted butter - cold and cut into little cubes

3 oz heavy cream

extra cream and sanding sugar for the biscuit topping

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and stir to mix.

- Add the butter and cut into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal

- Add the cream and stir to mix until the dough comes together. Use a light hand, and don't overwork.

- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and press together into a flat square shape, and roll out dough to 3/4 inches thick. Cut the dough into quarters, and place on the prepared baking sheet.

- Brush the tops with a little heavy cream and sprinkle with a little sanding sugar.

- Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Place on baking rack to cool.

NYC take two: The greatest Saturday

2010-04-26T11:13:00.003-04:00

We came back to NYC on Saturday to bring several of my paintings to OK Harris Works of Art. It was a very, very, ..... ( I think we need one more) very, happy day. The weather was like a Buck Rogers day, the perfect temperature and sunny. We spent a few hours exploring SoHo after dropping the paintings off at the gallery. We had such a good time taking in all the art, city sights, and smells. We had lunch in a great little Indian restaurant called Baluchi's. Then we started back home and that night my brother Richie made us the most incredible seafood and steak dinner you could imagine. While we were in the city Richie took my son Greyson fishing and he caught his first stipped bass, 28 inches long! Yes it was a very good day.

New painting progress.

2010-04-16T09:27:00.001-04:00

Here is the progress on my latest painting of cherry pie a la mode. It is all blocked in and now I need to sift through the details. I will post the finished painting when I am done.

update 2 days later somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 complete

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Poets and Artists

2010-04-12T08:48:00.001-04:00

I was fortunate to be featured in Poets and Artists May 2010 issue.

You can read the issue online here or order it online at Amazon.com here

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Yesterday I was in New York

2010-04-07T05:58:00.001-04:00

A couple of months ago, I sent some images of my Big Food Series to OK Harris Works of Art in New York City. Mr. Ethan Karp wrote me back, telling me that he was intrigued by them and would like to see some in person.

My family is from NJ, and we went to visit with them for Easter and brought some my paintings to NYC to show Mr. Karp yesterday.

We were very lucky that my sister Beth and brother in law Anthony came with us. Anthony was familiar with driving in the city and did a excellent job navigating us there. We were not sure that we could find a parking spot and it was a question as to how I would get the large painting to the door of the gallery. It worked out fine as we reserved a spot for the car in a parking garage close to the gallery. My husband built a cart we named "The Art Cart" for the paintings and we pushed it up the city block.

Meeting Ivan and Ethan Karp was a delight. It was such an honor to meet them. It was surreal to see my work leaning up against the walls that have had so many important artists hanging on them.

Ethan viewed the work first, and after a short while went and got Ivan to come and see them. They liked them very much and Ivan told me that he would write me down as a “qualified candidate for a show.” He said that he could not guarantee a show, but I am thrilled with potentially showing at OK Harris Works of Art!

Big Strawberry Ice Cream Cone

2010-04-01T10:56:00.001-04:00

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Artist Feature on Empty Easel

2010-02-10T10:41:00.000-05:00

Lisa Orgler wrote a very nice Artist Feature article about my Big Food series for Empty Easel.

http://emptyeasel.com/2010/02/10/delicious-oil-paintings-by-mary-ellen-johnson/

Ice Cream Grisaille Underpainting

2010-01-22T12:42:00.005-05:00

This is an underpainting for my newest painting Big Ice Cream a part of my "Big" food series,.

It will be strawberry.

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Big Pizza!

2010-01-18T15:45:00.010-05:00

Big Spaghetti and Meatballs

2009-12-09T16:27:00.004-05:00

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Big M&Ms

2009-11-27T15:09:00.001-05:00

Big bag of M&Ms

M&Ms with Seth

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"Big Pancakes!"

2009-11-12T11:29:00.005-05:00

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Big Sushi

2009-11-02T15:15:00.002-05:00

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"Big Cheeseburger !"

2009-10-20T16:50:00.004-04:00

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HOT DOG!

2009-10-14T14:12:00.006-04:00

This is my newest painting it is also 4' x 25.5"

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"Big PB&J"

2009-10-09T10:26:00.007-04:00

This is an experimentation with a larger pbj painting, it is around 4 feet in length.

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"Three Apples" [SOLD]

2009-10-03T13:05:00.001-04:00

"PB&J no.2" [SOLD]

2009-10-02T12:27:00.000-04:00

"Cracked Egg" [SOLD]

2009-10-01T20:06:00.001-04:00

Painting an egg is not as easy as it is cracked up to be.

"Fruit Loops"

2009-09-28T14:26:00.000-04:00

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Lifesavers

2009-09-26T15:22:00.001-04:00

AVAILABLE Contact Mary Ellen

Tomorrow's Fajitas

2009-09-22T16:18:00.000-04:00

"Nap in Charleston"

2009-09-22T10:46:00.000-04:00

"Kelsey No. 2" [SOLD]

2009-09-19T11:29:00.001-04:00

Goat on Burnt Branch Road, Darlington County SC

2009-09-13T10:27:00.006-04:00

This is another goat from the same pasture as the grinning goat, it's is nice to live somewhere that offers such diverse imagery in a few mile radius, it helps with my magpie aesthetic.

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"Present"

2009-09-11T11:03:00.000-04:00

I like the combination of red and fuschia together.

"Cupcake"[SOLD]

2009-09-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here is my cupcake painting. I am not sure what will be next, maybe the candy apple or the croissant.

"Grinning Burnt Branch Road Goat"

2009-09-10T14:39:00.006-04:00

The Johnson Family Art Show
Here is a slide show of pictures from our gallery opening at Black Creek Arts Council, in Hartsville S.C.
The exhibit is up through the end of September.

"Derby no. 2" [SOLD]

2009-09-08T20:23:00.000-04:00

"Chocolate Chip Cookies and Milk"

2009-09-06T16:18:00.000-04:00

Jumping Gully Cows[SOLD]

2009-09-01T14:51:00.001-04:00

Chocolate Cake

2009-08-27T10:51:00.000-04:00

Here it is. It was easier to eat than paint.

"Cisco" Happy Birthday Grammy!

2009-08-26T17:28:00.000-04:00

Click on picture to enlarge

This is a birthday present for my mother. This was an emotional painting to paint, we all miss Cisco very much. She was the sweetest most loving dog, we were lucky to have her be part of our lives.

Artwork by my son, Seth Johnson

2009-08-17T11:36:00.005-04:00

This is a large self portrait my son just completed, it is in oil.

This is another piece of his.

Strawberry Pie"

2009-08-15T12:19:00.000-04:00

"Chicken"

2009-08-02T15:45:00.003-04:00

"Reclining Fur" [Not Available]

2009-07-25T18:24:00.001-04:00

I painted two....yes two paintings today! I think the daily painting is going to finally help me to loosen up my painting style.
This is my dog Gizmo. She is a remarkable dog. She was a rescue. When we got her she was so small and had tiny little feet. Her head was gigantic for her little body. The vet said that she would be a small dog, 10 lbs or so grown. Now she is about 50 lbs. We call her the wake-em -up dog, because she just loves to wake you up when the alarm goes off in the morning. She pounces on top of us covering us in licks and and dances all over us until we get up.

The Billy Goat, Darlington County SC

2009-06-15T12:58:00.000-04:00

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Camelia is next.

2009-04-23T11:47:00.000-04:00

Here is another painting of mine.

French Press is next.

2009-04-20T08:14:00.000-04:00

Today I am working on a painting of my french press, full of what keeps me going...

Here is another painting of mine.

West Hartsville Baptist Church

2009-03-21T14:31:00.000-04:00

Our community has so many beautiful churches with beautiful steeples. The first in the steeple series is West Hartsville Baptist Church. This is a very special church, the one my husband and I were married in and my mother in law's church. She has been very supportive with my art and I hope she likes the painting.

"Kelsey no. 1" [SOLD]

2009-03-14T10:24:00.000-04:00

I loved this pose. Kelsey has such beautiful blue piercing eyes. The color of the blue backdrop made her blonde hair glisten.

"Sliced Lemons"[SOLD]

2009-03-13T07:28:00.001-04:00

"Easter Cookies" [SOLD]

2009-03-11T19:02:00.000-04:00

"Swan no. 4"

2009-03-07T14:07:00.000-05:00

A painting of a swan from Swan Lake in Sumter, South Carolina.

"Derby" [SOLD]

2009-02-28T08:38:00.000-05:00

This is a painting of our miniature daschund Derby. She is looking out the window at the cats on the porch. She hates the cats, but the cats are bigger than her and to her dismay pay her no mind.

I had a great day yesterday shopping for cool things to paint. It is funny, I used to have a terrible time making my mind up about what to paint. I have so many things planned, it is exciting. The produce section and bakery all have new meaning to me. I bought donuts and pastries, vegetables, cadbury eggs, a fancy dipped caramel apple, glassware, and cups. The possibilities are endless. My mantle is full of paintings, I have never been this prolific it feels good.

"Tulip"

2009-02-27T15:38:00.000-05:00

This was such a fun painting. This is of our cat Tulip. She is old as the hills but she still acts like a kitten. One day my husband and I were sitting on the front porch and we saw this blur darting around the front yard. It was Tulip playing very unlike a cat of her years.

Pastel [SOLD]

2009-02-12T10:10:00.000-05:00

This is an adorable little girl we spotted playing in the park in Charleston. I loved her yellow Crocs.

"Candy Apple"[SOLD]

2009-02-05T11:51:00.001-05:00

I was looking around for a fancy dessert to paint and I saw this candy apple. It is a Granny Smith, dipped in caramel and white chocolate and rolled in praline almonds.

"Tonight's Fajitas"

2008-10-28T16:27:00.001-04:00

More pastel

2008-09-23T18:44:00.003-04:00

You know, pastels are fun. My clumsy sticks sort of force a more loose style which I have been wanting to develop. It is frustrating the colors I need all seem to be off from the sticks I have. I need more variety of pastel colors.

More pastel experiments

2008-09-22T14:20:00.003-04:00

This one is done on sanded paper.

"Peppers"

2008-08-26T09:23:00.001-04:00

Siamese sketch

2008-08-02T10:41:00.000-04:00

"Gargoyle"

2008-06-18T13:54:00.003-04:00

This is a painting from a picture my son took for a digital photography class he took last week during The Digital Media Academy. He took so many beautiful pictures and he graciously said that I can use them for reference for my paintings.

"Azalea"

2008-04-29T09:33:00.002-04:00

"Yemen Mocca"

2008-04-22T18:41:00.002-04:00

"Kalmia Gardens no. 2"

2008-04-18T12:09:00.001-04:00

"Kalmia Gardens" [SOLD]

2008-04-08T18:34:00.001-04:00

" Midnight Rooster" [SOLD]

2008-04-06T17:14:00.004-04:00

This is a painting of the Midnight Rooster in Hartsville, SC.

"Apple no. 2"[SOLD]

2008-04-02T13:15:00.006-04:00

"Canadian Goose"

2008-04-01T17:35:00.004-04:00

A Canadian Goose from Swan Lake, Sumter, S. C.

"Prestwood Lake"

2008-03-30T17:45:00.002-04:00

This is a painting of Prestwood Lake in Hartsville, S.C.

"Cupcake # 2" [Not Available]

2008-03-26T09:17:00.001-04:00

"Landscape no. 1" [SOLD]

2008-03-20T07:42:00.005-04:00

"Swan no. 3" [SOLD]

2008-03-19T12:28:00.004-04:00

"Swan no. 2"

2008-03-18T12:51:00.003-04:00

This is a Whooper Swan from Swan Lake in Sumter S. C. This particular swan is loaded with personality. The first time we went to the lake, I was looking closely at a swan that seemed like it was disabled. This Whooper Swan started honking and swam up, got out of the water, and walked up to me honking away. I backed up from his buddy, and this swan proceeded to follow me around honking. Whoopers look very funny when they honk. He did not want me messing with his friend. Every time I saw him that day, he told me what he thought about me....I don't think it was very nice in swan speak.
I looked for this Whooper this weekend, and just when we had made the loop of the lake, there he was. He posed for many pictures.

"Swan no. 1"

2008-03-17T12:35:00.004-04:00

We went to Swan Lake in Sumter, S. C. this weekend and had a wonderful time. I have many more swans to come.

"Vintage Lady No. 1" [SOLD]

2008-03-14T12:00:00.006-04:00

I needed a little break from still life.