Ft. Smith's Springtime Show

(Wave Watching - oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce). Spring Artul Weekend is almost here. This is a show at Ft. C.F. Smith Park at 24ll North 24th Street in Arlington, VA. It's the weekend of April 12-14. Please put it on your calendar!

(Daffodils and Vinca. - watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce). I had to paint some spring flowers for the show. I love daffodils. So I set up a little still life with Vinca (the purple flowers) and daffodils and put them in by blue and white vase.

(Cherry Blossoms oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce). I also did some Cherry Blossoms because this is the time of year they bloom in DC. Everyone around here is crazy about cherry blossoms. The crowds around the Tidal Basin where they bloom are enormous. It brings in lots of tourists from all over. So come to Ft. Smith and avoid the crowds! The show hours are: Friday April 12 from 4 pm - 8 pm , Saturday, April 13 from 10am - 6 pm and Sunday, April 14 from 10 am-4 pm.

Trip to Japan

I apologize for not posting on my blog in a while. I went to Japan in May. I had a job teaching watercolor on a cruise ship. Tom and I went over early and toured Tokyo on our own. Then we boarded the Queen Elizabeth and went around the southern coast of Japan.

Here are two paintings I did as a demo for my students, many of them who didn't speak English. It was a challenge. Cherry blossoms are a big deal in Japan, just as they are in Washington, DC.

Spring Show at Ft. Smith this weekend

This weekend, the Arlington Artists Alliance has their big show at Ft. C.F. Smith. The hours are: Friday, April 14th from 4 to 8 pm Saturday, April 15th from 10 am to 6 pm Sunday, April 16 from 10 am to 4 pm The opening reception is on Friday, April 14 from 6 - 8 pm. The reception is always fun. You feel like you are at a party. Come share some wine and food with me. I'll be there on Friday and also on Sunday from 10 am to noon.

View of National Cathedral from Rosslyn

Here's a watercolor I just finished recently of a view of the National Cathedral from the Virginia side of the river. It was a rainy day, and I loved the misty feel the whole scene had. It's small,11x14 inches, and it's in the March show of Gallery Underground in Crystal City (Arlington, VA)

South Africa

Tom and I are in South Africa getting ready to teach on another cruise ship for the next 15 days. We are so excited to be here. We were supposed to do this cruise 2 years ago, but Covid hit South Africa, and they closed their borders. Luckily, we got the assignment again so here we are in Cape Town. It is a beautiful area with white sandy beaches and turquoise water. We board the ship today and begin our journey along the coast of South Africa. Above is one of the paintings we will be doing this week. Looking forward to turning people on to watercolor.

Merry Christmas 2022

White birch trees in Winter. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone. The weather is frigid here and I've heard that across the county, many people are not only getting the cold temperatures, but also heavy snow. Stay safe and enjoy your holidays. Try not to venture out if possible.

The Snowball Fight. If you get snow, I hope you can enjoy a friendly snow ball fight.

White birch trees by the Lake. Otherwise, stay in and catch up on movies or bake cookies.

Snow Shadows. Snow can be beautiful just to look at (and also paint.)If you don't paint, then photograph it. Enjoy this cold time with your family and friends and I hope all of you have a great Christmas/and or holiday.

Best in Show Award at Watercolor Exhibition

Painting to the left: Rooftop View of New York-watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce I am so thrilled to have won the Best in Show Award at the "The 28th Famous Artists of the 21st Century, a watercolor exhibition held at Hollin Hall in Alexandria, VA. The show runs through tomorrow from noon to 4pm. The address is 1500 Shenandoah Rd, Alexandria, VA. There are many beautiful paintings, and I'm honored that I won the top award. If you see the show, you will see that there were many paintings that could have won this award. Stop by, if you can.