Capturing the History

"Murat House, St. Augustine, Florida" c. 1993
Watercolor by Krys Pettit

I am a frequent visitor to St. Augustine, Florida.  I enjoy strolling the quiet back streets of St. Augustine away from the crowds, snack food and cheap trinkets.  It's there I find many historic structures and my inspiration for paintings.  The image on the left is one of the first watercolors I did back in 1993 -- I was just starting working with the medium.  I incorrectly named the piece and in later years learned it was the Prince Napoleon Achille Murat House.  The Prince was the nephew of Napoleon and arrived in St. Augustine in the spring of 1824 but eventually left to reside in  Tallahassee.

I stay away from the heart of tourism, tee shirt and overpriced souvenir shops.  I prefer streets where I find gems like this one below.  The Marin House is on aptly named Marine Street. The property was acquired by a Minorcan colonist from New Smyrna Beach and the house is over 200 years old.

"Faded Beauty" c. 2000 Watercolor by Krys Pettit

Marin House, St. Augustine Florida, 2017

I love the unique coloring.  Much of the faded, mottled walls have been overpainted recently and the inspiration for my painting is long gone, along with some not-so-popular mold and peeling plaster.

Plaques like these are placed on historical structures all around St. Augustine, giving you a sense of how long these buildings have seen tourists and hurricanes come and go.

If you live close enough take some time to visit this wonderful city.  It may inspire you to learn more about the history of early Florida and perhaps even become an artist.

For more paintings and building portraits, please visit my website:

Krys Pettit - Artist

Hurricane Matthew, Daytona and an Art Show

"Treacherous Landing" Watercolor on Paper

"Shadowed Memories" Watercolor on Paper

If you live in Florida, you always keep an eye out on the weather between the months of May and December.  That's a long time to keep looking over your shoulder for a potential hurricane to hit the peninsula.  It never was a big fear until 2004 when within the span of 6 weeks Central Florida was battered by Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne.  We lived for 6 weeks with plywood and windows taped up, a little catacomb of sorts.  Waiting.  We were spared major damage during Charley and Frances with the worse happening during Jeanne when the power gave out for a week. And perhaps even eerier was listening to the rain and wind, the constant noise on the roof, the skylights and the windows.

Ironically, I was in an art exhibit back then in a St. Augustine art gallery.  And rain was so bad residents were able to paddle in canoes and kayaks down the streets of St. Augustine.  So the art exhibit, in a sense, was a wash.

This year we await Hurricane Matthew and I am again, in an art exhibit.  The paintings I have submitted are above (note the stormy seacoast -- thought it appropriate considering the current weather situation).  I am in a marvelous member show at the Art League of Daytona, a stellar art group founded in 1929 and located in the historic residential district of Daytona. The roster of members is impressive and I am honored to be a part of this exhibit.  As to whether it is a wash, it remains to be seen at this point.  I'll let you know next week if we got rained out or lost power. Creating art is a challenge and sometimes showing it is a bigger one.

You can visit the Art League of Daytona all year long rain or shine.  They have a number of excellent courses if you are looking to take on some artistic challenges. They also have a number of strong exhibits and art for sale.  Check out their site below (an bring an umbrella during hurricane season).

Art League of Daytona

Oil and Water Mixing in My Studio

"Red Gate St. Augustine" (oil)

"Red Gate St. Augustine (watercolor)

Oil and water -- well known not to mix in a recipes, on our precious open waterways, and yes, when working with a painting.  But I mix my mediums if only on completed pieces these days.
For 25 plus years I worked in watercolor.  I like the medium and as finicky as it can be I have grown accustomed to the quirks. I love the immediacy and freshness of a watercolor painting.  But, as with any relationship, things were getting a bit old, a little boring.  They (who are "they"?) say artists shouldn't switch mediums when they are successful.  I say bull pucky.  And I succumbed to the seduction of oil paints.
   I have a marvelous instructor who is guiding me through what seemed a trickier process than painting with watercolor.  I love oil paint for the texture, viscosity, and bright, vivid colors.  It has more body for me, enabling me to build, correct, and give my images a certain patina.  But in many ways I want to work it like a watercolor, not overworking and letting the light places "sparkle" rather than dulling a painting.
   I am reworking paintings I have done in watercolor with oil these days.  Attached you will find a current effort.   On the left is the recent oil of an entrance in St. Augustine, Florida.  On the right is a watercolor image done some years ago of the same scene.  I know which one I like better.  How about you?

Small Might Just Be Nicer

I have been very lucky to experience some of the top art museums in the world.  I've toured the Tate and the National Gallery in London.  Paris was a dream come true with multiple visits to the Louvre, the Orsay and the Musée Marmottan Monet (I can never get enough Monet so can I add my trip to Giverny on this list?). When in Rome I had to visit the Galleria Borghese and of course the Vatican Museums.  Florence, Italy offered the spectacular Uffizi Gallery and the Academia.  In this country I've toured the Guggenheim, MOMA and the Met in New York City, the National and Portrait Galleries in Washington and countless other museums in cities like Charleston, Savannah, Raleigh, New Orleans, Portland, Phoenix, not to mention wonderful art venues in Florida. I've logged many a mile in museum galleries with many a revered master's work gazing down on me as I navigated through hallowed halls.

But more than anything I love small museums in smaller communities. There is something special about an intimate museum or gallery that allows you to linger, examine and get close to some very special work by talented artists that do not show up in conventional art history texts.  These are the museums that offer a glimpse at hidden gems and allow you to experience art that you can truly call your own in an intimate, relaxed setting.  One such place in Central Florida is a the Lake Eustis Museum of Art in the charming community of Eustis in Lake County, Florida.

Fondly known as LEMA it is run by the very capable and talented Richard Colvin, its hard-working Director.  Susan is one of the volunteers that will greet you when you visit -- she's a talented fiber artist in her own right and if you are lucky you can catch her working on her intricate needlework.

Richard keeps the museum running smoothy and he curates truly wonderful exhibits featuring local artists.  He teaches various levels of courses and brings talented and capable instructors to fill out the class availabilities.   You'll find instruction in Realistic and Abstract Oil Painting,  Pastels and Portraiture, Watercolor, Kidzart for the budding young artist, even a Create and Critique session each week to help motivate you.  The Museum is located on Lake Eustis at the edge of Ferran Park right in downtown Eustis. You can tour LEMA, and then take time to get some refreshment from the pleasant eateries just down the street. All in all a delightful way to spend an afternoon.

When you visit take time to longer over the new exhibits or closely examine the pieces shown from the permanent collection.  Relax, ask questions, chat with the wonderful staff -- and enjoy the wonderful feeling of being in this small museum that truly big on art.

For more information, hours, and directions visit the Lake Eustis Museum of Art website below:
Lake Eustis Museum of Art

Visit my website, Krys Pettit Original Artwork, for a look at how I create when I am inspired:
Krys Pettit Original Artwork

Henry Flagler brings art to Florida

"Florida Sunrise" Martin Johnson Heade c. 1890-1900

(Courtesy Google Arts & Culture)

Sounds like a headline and it might have been back in 1888 in St. Augustine, Florida.  Henry Flagler, millionaire developer and Standard Oil co-founder took a liking to the sleepy, historic town of St. Augustine and decided he would make it a destination for the rich and cultured of the Gilded Age. To attract this type of clientele he built the magnificent Ponce de Leon Hotel.  Outfitted with all the best and latest comforts (like electricity) it attracted wealthy Northerners during the season and gave them a glimpse of the beauty of Florida.  From there Flagler moved his hotel empire even further south and the lure of St. Augustine was replaced by the glitz of Palm Beach and eventually Miami and the Keys.

But Flagler started a trend of artists coming to Florida to rest, create and share their art with a discerning and wealthy clientele. He outfitted the Ponce de Leon Hotel with a number of studios for artists where they were able to create, exhibit, and sell their works.  Martin Johnson Heade, a renowned artist at the time, is just one of the many who had a successful studio at the Ponce de Leon Hotel.  Flagler was a smart developer with a knack for what the public wanted.  Creature comforts are paramount but feeding the soul with art was also important.  To this day, St. Augustine has the reputation for being one of the major art communities in Florida with a remarkable amount of galleries and a thriving art association.

If you love in Florida, or have the opportunity to visit Daytona Beach, take an afternoon and make a stop at the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach.  Among their remarkable collection you will find many paintings from the era of the Ponce de Leon Hotel and St. Augustine.  They depict a lush, rich Florida, a Florida difficult to find in these days of the new developers who forget that art, like creature comforts, are also important for an exceptional quality of life.

Learn more about the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach by visiting the link below --
Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art

For a sample of some of my work and impressions of Florida visit my website:
Krys Pettit Original Artwork