Dupuy's in Abbeville

I headed out Friday, April 25 to meet "Happy Medium" friends (Denise Broussard and Andrea Schellman) to paint in Abbeville, Louisiana. We decided to paint Dupuy's Oyster Shop on S. Main Street in Abbeville.  It's a sweet little restaurant with some of the best oysters and seafood around.

I chose a spot near the street, standing on the concrete with my umbrella strapped to my easel. The day was a warm one reaching temperatures into the upper 80's and probably a litter warmer standing on concrete.

Here I am hard at work.

Here we are all setup and working...except me, I'm goofing off taking pictures.

Denise hard at work.

Our new friend Andrea also
hard at work, Welcome!

Our little angels, Lucy and Olive had a great day hanging out and visiting with anyone who would like to visit...they were not short on visitors.  They met a very special friend, Kaleigh Hotard, who was visiting her mom at work nearby.  Our babies took to Kaleigh right away and she to them.  She even got in their play yard with them.

Our babies Lucy and Olive with their new friend, Kaleigh.

At the end of the day we all packed it in and headed home.  A great time was had by all.

Getting ready to call it quits for the day.

Here is my finished painting of Dupuy's on S. Main.

Dupuys Oyster Shop

Happy Painting!

Street Scene from the square in Abbeville.

I met "Happy Medium" friends, Denise Broussard and Andrea Schellman, to paint a street scene in Abbeville on Wednesday, April 23.  For me this was a challenging day, because I was attempting something different with a street scene.  The perspectives were tough and I don't like to see a lot of street in my paintings.  My friend, Denise, describes the feeling that you are being pulled through a knot hole.  Well,  I felt like it swallowed me up!

Adding to my challenge, the park was super busy it is their time of the year) and I was wearing a white shirt. Did you know caterpillars are attracted to white...lucky me.
so our puppies were very barky, begging for attention from everyone.  Then, the yucky part,  I was standing under trees filled with caterpillars (

Beginning of the day, hard at work.

During the day when the tree caterpillars were
 in full attack.  Look at my face...lol

My painting was not very successful and I wiped off more than I painted, but I learned a lot from my efforts.  I'm not sure if I will paint on it or over it yet.

I enjoyed visiting with some really nice people while painting.  Cheryl Jeanfreau from the Vermilion Art Counsel stopped by to say hello.  I also spoke to a very nice local artist (whom I hope decides to paint with us) and her friend visiting from France and a very nice gentleman who knew a lot about the buildings we were painting.

Lucy has been having fun stealing stuff out of my bag while I try to work at home.  She ate my view finder and some important notes, brochures and cards.  So, if you've talked to me and I don't mention your name on my blog, its not because I didn't mean to...my dog ate my homework.






Until next time...Happy Painting Y'all!

St. Mary Church in Abbeville, LA

I headed out to Abbeville at the beginning of the week to meet my painting buddy, Denise.  We happened upon this sweet little church, St. Mary Congregational Church.   The Church, built in 1905, is on the National Register of Historic Places. We met the lady whose grandfather participated in building the church.

This painting is sitting on my easel, not finished, obviously I intend to finish my tree branches in there (see photo below).  Once completed, this and all finished paintings will be placed on my website for sale.

Here is the church. 

And here's Lucy enjoying the day!

Happy Painting!

The Depot in Abbeville

Lucy and I headed out on Wednesday to meet artist friends(Denise Broussard, Kaye Landry, Justin Krielow and Sara Wood) in Abbeville to paint.  It was a little chilly but promises for warmer sunshine held true.

I setup in the square to paint "The Depot", a sweet little railroad museum and gift shop tucked into Abbeville's downtown area. I was very grateful to meet the man who made it all happen, Mr. Charlie Sonnier, owner of The Depot and several other well known establishments in the area.  The Depot was about to be torn down when Mr. Charlie rescued it and had it moved to its current location.

The Depot

I didn't take very many pictures today.  I guess I was busy having a good time and enjoying the beautiful day.

My painting thus far (incomplete)
Finished paintings available for purchase will be posted to my website

During the day, several people stopped by to say hello and let us know they were reading the blog and saw the newspaper article.  Councilman Brady Broussard, stopped by to say hello and offered some very interesting history facts of Abbeville and a tip on where I could find more.  I also visited with Liz who is with the Abbeville Garden Club.  They are maintaining the area around the square and a beautiful area it is.  I even had a visit from a sweet little girl, Sarah, who stopped by with her Daddy to say hi to Lucy and see what I was painting.

Lucy waiting and hoping for visitors

Abbeville is such an appealing town with wonderful architecture but its the friendly people who make it the great place that it is.  We really enjoyed visiting with you all...  Lucy and I love to visit!

Happy Painting!

Article: Two Ladies Busy Painting Abbeville Architecture

This was an article that appeared in the www.VermilionToday.com about Denise and I painting in Abbeville. Every place we have painted, people in the area have been so receptive to what we are doing and Abbeville is no exception.

TWO LADIES BUSY PAINTING ABBEVILLE ARCHITECTURE

Fri, 2014-04-11 21:55 Chris Rosa

Maria Randolph (front) and Denise Broussard paint the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Abbeville.

Written by Laura Trahan

It is a beautiful, yet slightly windy day in Abbeville, and Maria Randolph and Denise Broussard are busy painting oil portraits of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, one of some of the historic buildings in Abbeville that graced their canvas.
“This is my fourth building. I painted this church, the other church (St. Mary Magdalen), Black’s and Magdalen Place,” said Randolph.
The two painters have been here for about three weeks, and have so far painted pictures of those places, finding a nice place outside to do their work. Broussard and Randolph are part of the Lafayette Art Association, a non-profit organization that aims to inspire and educate others in visual arts. It also sets up galleries and displays throughout the area.
“I like to paint the churches,” said Broussard, whose website shows different ones from Louisiana and Florida. “I’m doing a series of churches and Abbeville has a lot of beautiful churches as well as historical buildings.”
“I’m painting historical buildings of interest around this area,” said Randolph. “I live in Maurice, and Denise and I have been painting together for about three years and we travel all over. We paint wherever there’s a landscape.”
Both of them have blogs showcasing their works, though it is more of a hobby for them. They also have paintings on display at some exhibits throughout the area. They are what some may call “plein air,” or “open air,” artists who tend to do more of their painting outside than indoors. They have even created an open group on Facebook called “Happy Medium” to attract artists who use different styles such as acrylics, watercolor and sketching, and they encourage any and all of them to join.
“It is open to all artists,” said Broussard, “and we’re actually getting more and more artists to paint with us. Yesterday, we had two other people painting with us.”
They have painted together for three years and have traveled to Mississippi and Florida among other places to paint or enter art competitions and usually paint wherever there is a great area to do so. Broussard commented on how there is a lot to paint around Abbeville.
The two of them show their work throughout the state, mostly around this area, and they both have upcoming shows around Lafayette.
“We do it for fun,” said Broussard. “I have a show right now at Lafayette Art Association, and Maria’s going to have a show at Poupart’s.
The two of them enjoy plein air painting very much, and the people around them also seem to take interest in what they are doing, and that helps encourage them to continue their art.
When asked what they enjoy about it, Randolph replied, “The fresh air, and just the camaraderie of being able to get together with a bunch of different artists. This is such a friendly area. Everybody stops to visit and to see what we’re doing.”
“We meet people all the time. People take an interest, and that’s what keeps us going - people’s interest,” Broussard added.
As mentioned, the two of them have their own blogs and websites where others can view their previous paintings and exhibits. Broussard’s is http://denisebroussardartist.blogspot.com/ and Randolph’s iswww.mariarandolph.com, which also links to her own Blogspot page.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Abbeville, LA

I headed out this morning, moaning and groaning, to meet my painting bud, Denise Broussard, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Vermilion Street in Abbeville, LA.  I've been painting all week and wanted to just stay in bed this morning;  I didn't and... all said and done, I'm very glad.  This little Church is so quaint!  I spent quite a bit of time trying to research history on the building but was unable to find any.

We enjoyed the day painting and visiting with some interesting people.  A reporter from The Meridional (Abbeville's local newspaper) stopped by to take our picture and get a scoop for the paper.  We met another artist from the Destin, Florida area who was visiting here with his family. We also visited with a sweet  couple who were married in the Church.  While there, we took a tour of The Caldwell House next door, a beautiful B&B.  I think we are causing a stir of art enthusiasts in Abbeville.

Again, my painting is not finished but I will be posting it on my blog and website for sale once complete.

Happy Painting!

Magdalen Place in Abbeville

I woke up a little late this morning with allergy issues after having painted all day yesterday under the trees, but I pulled it together and headed out the door without Lucy, oh oh.  She was so pitiful as I drove away.

I met 3 artists friends to paint near the square in Abbeville today.  Two of us painted Magdalen Place and the other two painted St. Mary Magdalen Church.  We met up around noon in the square to take a break, visit and have lunch.

Okay so this painting is not finished, but I will post it when it is completed.

I particularly wanted you to notice the bus that is driving down the street in the background of the photo.  Early on in the day we were painting and a lady driving a bus like the one in the picture decided to park right in front of us to wait for someone.  She was a little further along than the one in the picture, so we could not see much of the building at all.  I waited and waited and waited, then eventually asked her nicely if she were going to be very long because we were painting the building right there.  She asked me "Am I in your way".  I said "Yes Ma'am", thankfully she moved around the corner for us. Oh well...

We had a great time today laughing and visiting with the folks in the area.  Abbeville is filled with so many friendly people.  They always wave and/or stop by to say hello.

Blacks in Abbeville, LA

I headed out this morning with Lucy to meet my painting buddy,  Denise Broussard, for another plein air painting day in Abbeville, LA.  Denise and I chose different subjects so we ended up not painting near one another.

I painted Black's Oyster Bar and Seafood Restaurant in Abbeville.  Black's was a seafood icon for many years serving some of the finest seafood dishes around  I have been wanting to paint this building for awhile and was very happy for the opportunity to paint there.

Lucy Enjoying the View

I enjoyed the day soaking up the fresh air and sunshine and visiting with the locals who happened by.

I still have a little tweaking to do but wanted to post these anyway.  These and other paintings will be available for sale on my website, www.mariarandolph.com.

Black's Oyster Bar
(11 x 14 - oil on linen)

Another Note:  Denise and I both have our own facebook pages but we have now created a plein air page called "Happy Medium".  You can find us there posting about our painting adventures.  If you would like to follow us on facebook, please send us a friend request.

Hope you all had a very nice day...
Happy Painting!

Plein air painting in Abbeville

Last week I headed outdoors with my puppy, Lucy, to meet our friends, Denise Broussard and Olive, for a little fresh air painting in Abbeville.  It was a wonderful sunny day, a great day for painting.  Lucy and I love painting and hanging out in the square and visiting with the locals who wander through the little park there.

This day I picked the street scene across the street from St. Mary Magdalene Church.

The sunlight was awesome!