Timucuan Preserve
Get out and hike the trails.
Fallen Cedar at Cedar Point
OK. There are no excuses. The weather is perfect. Bugs low. Sky Blue. It’s time.
For those who live in and around northeast Florida there’s a treasure to the north of Jacksonville that is truly the gold the europeans sought when they landed on the peninsula 500 years ago. The Timucuan Preserve, named in honor of the indigenous peoples who lived on the margins of the tidal estuaries of the Nassau and St. Johns Rivers, is a gift you will gladly relish.
The protected land is a combination of city, state and federal initiatives and is easily accessible by foot, bike and boat. Signature Art Gallery in Tallahassee, Florida and I have collaborated to bring you reproductions of a series of paintings I made several years ago about the Timucuan Preserve.
The original paintings were created using oils on paper. I was interested in showing that incredible golden glow we know in this part of the country. I began each of the paintings with graphite drawing and a series of vibrant transparent washes to achieve the dramatic depth of the light working its way through oaks, cedars and palmettos.
While making these paintings I traveled the short distance from my studio at various times of day. I loved the autumn light as it raked across the trunks of the palmettos. My idea in making these paintings was to approach the subjects with an immediacy and the brevity of the experience. I used various drawing and painting techniques to achieve the result I was after.
Late Afternoon at Cedar Point.
Some days I would go out to the preserve for a short visit. Others I took lunch and enough water to spend time hiking the trails. At times, I threw my kayak in the back of the truck to paddle out into the salt marsh.
Falen Cedar at Cedar Point
One joy I experienced in the preserve was the combination of smells. The salty breeze off the marsh combined with the intoxicating fragrance of the pine needles warmed by the low November sun is a memory I attempted to record in these works
Path at Tiger Point.
Oak and Palm at Tiger Point
Cedar and Palm at Cedar Point
So, do a quick search on the internet for the Timucuan Preserve near Jacksonville, Florida. Get out and visit the easily accessible sites. Visit Signature Art Gallery’s website to collect these paintings to add to your art collection. They will keep these idyllic days fresh in your mind.
Wow.