Florida Artist, Sixth Generation at Indian Rocks Beach


Mary Rose paints en plein air


On a bright sandy beach a curving path leads through sea grapes in blossom to the porch of this
1950's cottage.  Blue grass music is softly playing and a warm southern welcome awaits.  We have arrived at the home of a sixth generation Floridian, Mary Rose Holmes, a professional artist. This 1,200 square foot cottage she shares with her husband Dwight Holmes, an architect.
Tea is offered in the warm southern hospitality and grace which radiates throughout the home.

Mary Rose paints quickly to capture the ever changing light

The decor echoes the colours of the Gulf of Mexico's ever changing water.


 The painting on the wall are part of the Algenon Speer Highwaymen Collection. Speer, Mary Rose's father purchased the paintings directly from the Highwaymen artists by the roadside on his regular trips from Sanford to Fort Pierce in the 1950's. 


Sunset over Indian Rocks Beach - perhaps a green flash tonight

Friends enjoy sunset cocktail as the sun sets.

Mary Rose, a fashion desinger/intereior designer and artist

Indian Rocks Beach
The cottage survived the wrecking ball of a crane in the mass slaughter of cottages some ten years ago, when Indian Rocks Beach and surrounding towns lost many of their historic cottages to make room for massive solid block condominiums.  
Boats at Rest: Original Oil by Mary Rose
Mary Rose painting on beach trail at Indian Rocks Beach
The studio of Mary Rose Holmes is located across the breezeway from the cottage and houses paintings of the three member Plein Aire Cottage Artists of which Holmes is the founding member. As she points to the paintings of her art partners she jokes, this is by Helen Tilston my IRISH art partner, this is by Violetta my RUSSIAN art partner,  then to her own (AMERICAN) and as a big laugh emerges  she says " We are the good IRA- our only weapon is a paint brush".
The award winning artists have been recognized and awarded by Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, a first for artists, the award usually reserved for architects and designers. Their paintings have graced the Florence Biennale and a lifetime invitation to exhibit has been extended. Their plein air painting has taken them to Italy, Ireland and throughout the USA.  For Information on exhibitions e-mail: tilston188@yahoo.com


Comments

  1. Mr PaulMarch 15, 2013 at 11:04 AM

    I adore the colours that FL is famed for captured beautifully in Marys oil painting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. helen tilstonMarch 20, 2013 at 5:09 AM

      Hello Paul

      Thank you for visiting and for your beautiful compliment of Mary Rose's painting. She has a colour sense which is deeply rooted in her, perhaps being a sixth generation Floridian?

      Delete
  2. Teresa Hatfield ~ Splendid SassMarch 24, 2013 at 1:53 PM

    Thank you for sharing Mary's work, Helen! It is absolutely stunning!
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Teresa
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. helen tilstonJune 23, 2013 at 8:32 PM

      Hello Teresa

      Thank you for stopping by and we wholeheartedly agree that Mary Rose is a brilliant painter whose work is in high demand and well deserved.

      Helenxx

      Delete

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