“This iconic fountain is at Forysth Park in Savannah. It is a well photographed, well painted tourist attraction that appears often on postcards, websites, and gifts. Many who visit Savannah don’t leave the city without taking a souvenior photo of themselves and loved ones by the fountain.
Forysth Park is a large, active park. Many events are held in that location, as well as recreational activities and a good place to take a fitness walk. Some events are planned by the city, such as ones sponsored by the library system.
I was a participating author/illustrator for a large children’s book festival held in the park. Before the big day, I painted the fountain to display it on a large standing easel, just a few yards away from the actual fountain. It was fun to watch people do a double-take, as they realized that the painting was of where they were currently standing.
The day I took the photograph that I used as a reference (this particular perspective of the fountain, as seen from the vantage point of an adjacent sidewalk), I was completely unaware that my husband was taking pictures of me, taking pictures of the fountain. This was suprisingly endearing, so I decided to paint myself into the picture. I realized later that this made my art a self-portrait, which wasn’t intentional, so we can think of me as simply “the lady in red”, even though I call myself out in the painting’s title. If you look closely, you can see my camera in “lady in red”‘s hand.
Spanish moss drapes from many tree branches. Don’t touch the moss. It looks soft and inviting, but apparently there are bugs that live in it. Enjoy with your eyes!
List of Oil Paintings in this Collection, linking to their pages here on the site, and also citing physical pages in the hardcover book:
- City of Savannah
1.1 “City of Savannah” page 6-7
1.2 “Natalie at the Fountain” page 8-11
1.3 “House in Savannah” page 12-13
1.4 “Guardian Lion” page 14-15
1.5 “Autumn Angel” page 16-17
1.6 “Steamship Savannah” page 18-19
1.7 “Boiled Peanuts for Sale” page 20-21
1.8 “Bulldog” page 22-23
1.9 “Serenity Piano” page 24-25
1.10 “Painting Colors” page 26-27 - Tybee Island
2.1 “I Love Life” page 30-31
2.2 “Living Sand Dollar” page 32-33
2.3 “Matthew the Sea Turtle” page 34-35
2.4 “Fungie the Dolphin” page36-37
2.5 “Angel Releasing Dove” page 38-39
2.6 “Flag on Tybee Island” page 40-41
2.7 “My Kids at the Beach” page 42-43
2.8 “Lighthouse near Tybee Island” page 44-45 - Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians
3.1 “Gator and Snake” page 48-49
3.2 “Tree Frog” page 50-51
3.3 “Lizard” page 52-53
3.4 “Blue Heron” page 54-55
3.5 “Hummingbird” page 56-57
3.6 “Painted Bunting” page 58-59 - Flowers and Trees
4.1 “Pink Flower” page 62-63
4.2 “Porch Flowers” page 64-65
4.3 “Clover” page 66-67
4.4 “Butterfly Tree Flowers” page 68-69
4.5 “Savannah Tree” page 70-71
4.6 “Dancer in a Floral Forest” page 72-73
4.7 “Come to the Garden” page 74-77
4.8 “Cherokee Rose” page 78-79 - Faith and Food
5.1 “Floral Cross” page 82-83
5.2 “Lenten Flower” page 84-85
5.3 “Celtic Cross” page 86-87
5.4 “Mary of God’s Favor” page 88-89
5.5 “Lion and the Lamb” page 90-91
5.6 “Breakfast with Friends” page 92-93
5.7 “Peaches in a Bowl” page 94-95
5.8 “Peach Cookies” page 96-97
5.9 “Peach Pie” page 98-99 - Seasons and Weather
6.1 “Pumpkins and Mums” page 102-103
6.2 “Autumn Cottage” page 104-105
6.3 “Spring Lambs” page 106-107
6.4 “Peach Tree Hurricane” page 108-109
6.5 “Eye of the Storm” page 110-111
6.6 “God’s Promise” page 112-113
6.7 “We Gather Together” page 114-115
6.8 “Savannah Snow” page 116-117
6.9 “I Believe in Santa” page 118-119