Painting Instead of Blogging

I have been busy painting and not getting around to blog for quite a while now.  I have been working on some larger pieces the past couple of months and now have been concentrating on a few smaller pieces too.  I enjoy working back and forth on several paintings at once, so that as one is drying I can work on another.  I sometimes will come to a stop on a piece and let it hang for days or even months before I decide how I would like to finish it.  Here is one of my recently completed larger paintings. 

Night Sky Painting Series - Under the Big dipper III

This night sky painting is the third in my "Under the Big Dipper" night sky series that I
started later last year. The first three of these paintings have already been sold into
private collections and the fourth one is currently available for sale.   I love how out in
the flat Midwestern country side, one can see for miles around and the big open night
time sky, full of stars at night.  I have painted these pieces with an iconic old red
and simple farmhouses, for the scenes that I enjoy painting so.   

Country Landscape Painting of an Old Midwestern Farm

This the most recent painting off of my easel.  I started this painting back in the winter, but then set it aside, as I was not sure what direction I wanted to go with it.  I looked at it one day in July and realized then what sort of farm landscape scene I wanted for it!  I sometimes do this with a painting and am always happy when the full idea finally comes to me.  I went with one of those blue sky days with a sky full of those "big marshmallow clouds", as a friend once described them in one of my paintings.  Just the kind of beautiful summers day that I love so much in the heartland! 

Country Landscape Paintings - American Road Trip Farm Paintings

 

Thank you to Ugallery for featuring my farm paintings in their new curated art collection "American Road Trip"

American Road Trip - Country Landscape Paintings 

A COUNTRY MILE

Serene in the expanses of the American Heartland, Sharon France paints captivatingly simple and bucolic landscapes that express the idealism of farm life. Through clear tripartite compositional divisions – background, mid-ground, and foreground – she creates a harmony throughout her canvas.

“I love to travel through the back roads of the American heartland during the summer. The young rows of corn and soybeans look like long ribbons of green with the dark brown Midwestern soil between them. By midsummer, fields of oats and wheat ripen to a beautiful, light golden-brown color. The combination of the corn, soybean fields and pastures, make me think of lovely old patchwork quilts. I find endless inspiration for my paintings on the back roads of the American Heartland.” 

Sharon

Original Little Farm Paintings

I like the challenge of painting in different sizes for my original farm & barn paintings.  Here is a selection of little paintings that I have done in a small 5 x 7" size, painted in acrylic paint on archival quality hardboard panels.  These little pieces easily frame up into a standard sized picture frame.

Please click here to view these original little paintings in my Etsy Shop.  

Modern Farm Paintings

Old Farm Under a Pink Sky

5 x 7" on archival hardboard panel.   

I am in the midst of working on a series of little country landscape paintings right now.  These study paintings are from memories and thoughts that I have of old country farmsteads.  I use them to work out ideas to possibly use for my larger canvas paintings. 

I have loved the country as far back as I can remember.   I look forward to painting and the peace that I find in it.  I hope that you may find that in viewing my original art work also. 

This painting has already been sold.  

Little Country Farm

For purchase info and to see more of my farm painting please visit the link below.

Farm Art Originals 

By My Little Country Cottage

This painting is a bit of an imaginary self portrait.  I have loved the country since I was a kid, visiting my grandparents remote Midwestern farm.  This little girl came from my imagination about a decade ago and finds her way into my paintings every so often.  In this scene she is headed towards a little white cottage in a quiet meadow scene.  This painting is currently available for purchase and measures 11 x 14" on stretched canvas.  

Custom House Portraits

Here are a few examples of my country style, custom house portraits.  The lower one was painted as a wedding gift, of the couple standing in front of the old stone house that has been in the family for several generations.  The middle painting shows a more distant scene of a iconic old white farmhouse setttled in a quiet meadow.  The top painting is of a historic Greek Revival style home in a spring scene with the cherry tree in full bloom.    For more information and ordering please see the link below. 

Custom House Portrait Information

Original Old Stone Farmhouse Painting

This is one of my recently finished paintings. A little cottage of stone, set under a early morning sky with an old fence line, and tiny farm scene in the distance. I like adding the tiny background scenes, and other finishing details to my paintings. Except for painting animals, and my commissioned house portraits, I quit working from photographs years ago now for most of my paintings. I find it much more fun to paint from my memories and imagination that way!  To see more of my art work, please visit my web site at www.francegallery.net.

Framed Miniature Farm Landscape Painting

I just finished up a commissioned house portrait last week and am starting on a new house painting this week.  I framed up several of my smaller 5 x 7" paintings, with a finished paper backing and hanging wire attached.  This size can make a nice gift for a birthday, wedding, anniversary or special occasion.    

Please click on the link below if you are interested in more information or purchasing this piece.  

 Little House of Stone

Old Farmhouse Original Miniature Painting

Chimney on the Old Farmhouse

The idea for this painting came to me a few weeks ago when we were driving past a little old house out in the country.  I quickly sketched down the basic idea and decided to use it for one of my miniature pieces.  This little painting is done on archival quality hardboard and measures 4"x 6".  It will fit easily into a standard sized picture frame.

  $95    This painting has been sold. Please watch for future miniature paintings on my blog and web site.  

My web site: FRANCE GALLERY

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Old Farmhouse Original Farm Landscape Painting

Farmstead in the Mist

I really like trying to capture the feeling of atmosphere in my paintings. The feel of a misty morning or evening, a bright, sunny day, or the heavy feeling in the air before a storm. I have always been intrigued by old, farm houses and painted this one with simple, gothic style to it. I hope that you will enjoy viewing my original quite, country landscape paintings.

My web site: FRANCE GALLERY

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Old Farmhouse Painting - By the Three Fence Posts

By the Three Fence Posts

My last post showed this painting on my easel with just a few more things to paint in on it yet to complete it. I added the tiny window panes and a little cloud work and my initials signature on it. This is one of my miniature pieces, measuring 7" wide by 5" tall. This piece is currently available for sale on my web site.

My web site: FRANCE GALLERY

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What Painting is on my Easel Today?

I am working on a couple of small paintings right now. This is the painting that is on my easel today. The original knob wore out on the easel years ago, so my husband added an old faucet handle, to use as a knob instead. I like it better anyways! This new piece is of an old farmhouse with a distant barn and shed, on a very small 7 x 5" board. This is near the window that I paint by, with an overcast winter sky outside today. I prefer natural light but on days like this need some backup light also to paint by. A juniper bush outside the window, that I planted years ago (as a very small bush), needs another trim in the spring. I am almost done with this painting as I just have a few things to finish up on it yet. I am starting to think about spring here already, especially with the unusual warm weather here this week.

My web site: FRANCE GALLERY

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Completed Old Farmstead Painting

This is the painting that I showed a couple close up views of recently, as I was working on it. I just finished it up earlier today and it is now available for sale on my web site. If you have followed my work you may have guessed, that I like showing smoke coming from old chimneys.

On a Remote Farm

This piece measures 16 x 8" and is done on stretched canvas. The edges are painted to match, so no framing is needed.

My web site: FRANCE GALLERY

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Does this House Painting Look Finished Yet?

I have been working on details on the old white farmhouse painting that I posted as a blocked in rough image, in my last post. Now I am showing the house after painting in the windows and while working on the flagstone foundations stones.

The next image shows the house with the window panes now painted in and wisps of smoke coming from the chimneys. I will do a couple of "tweaks" yet to the house, and then continue on with the rest of this farm landscape.

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Art Museum Exhibit

Several of my paintings are in the fall/winter 2012-13 Regional Juried Exhibition IX, at the Freeport Art Museum, Freeport, IL.  I received an Honorable Mention for this piece,  "Over the Old Fence Line".

Little White Farmhouse

I love seeing the gently rolling fields on the Heartland.  My inspiration for this new small 7 x 5" landscape.  A distant small farmstead is found on a ridge behind the Gothic style farmhouse.

Old Brick Farmhouse Barn Original Misty Landscape Painting

In an Evening Mist

 

sharon@francegallery.net

Old Farmhouse Poppy Field Original Landscape Painting

Beyond a Poppy Field

 SOLD

In Kishwaukee College permanent art collection.

sharon@francegallery.net

farm paintings, farmhouse painting, impressionist paintings, original paintings, art, old house paintings,