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

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?

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