If you are looking for unique gifts, I recommend original art. If you have a choice of buying a famous print or an unknown artist's original art for the same price, choose the original art! Original art adds life and energy to a room. The only criteria needed to decide if it is good art is: Do you love it? If you do, that is the piece for you. That is also the only reason to invest in art. Please scroll further down the page to see original artwork by Jan Polk. If you are interested in any of the following paintings, please contact me via email: janpolk@janpolk.com
Installment payments accepted via PayPal. You do not need to be a PayPal member to use your credit card. Most original oil paintings start at $500.00. Shipping charges apply for framed artwork.
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If you are interested in any of the following original artwork, please email me at janpolk@janpolk.com to contact me. My oil paintings are painted "en plein air" (on location) using only a palette knife and oil paints on panel unless otherwise stated. My watercolor paintings are painted from my photo references of places I have visited. They all hold very fond memories for me and I hope you get the sense of being there too. My paintings capture a moment of "our time" as we are living it.
American paintings are painted in the United States of America by American born artist Jan Polk. The frames are not American made unless custom ordered (recommended).
Following are the paintings I painted last year during the 2010 Gadsden Museum of Art 2nd annual Plein Air Invitational fund raiser for the GMA.
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"Electric Fence in the North Fields" (c)2010 Jan Polk 8x10 oil on panel....Alla Prima
<-----This was painted on May 6, 2010, at Wrights Dairy Farm just outside of Gadsden, AL.
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"The Woman's Club of Gadsden" (c) 2010 Jan Polk 9x12 oil on panel.....Alla Prima
Painted on May 3, 2010, during the 2nd annual Plein Air Invitational sponsored by Gadsden Museum of Art.
One of the pleasures of plein air painting is the ability to capture last minute surprises. Just as I was finishing up, this bride appeared with her photographer (I didn't paint the photographer in). Sitting on the steps was one of the poses she made.
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Did you notice the bride sitting on the left side of the stairs?
"Morning Light in Nancy's Garden" (c)2010 Jan Polk 10x8 Oil on Panel....Plein Air
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Painted on May 5, 2010. My hostess was a master gardener and had beautiful gardens everywhere.
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"The Legend of Noccalula Falls" (c)2010 Jan Polk 10x8 Oil on Panel......Plein Air --------->
This is a statue of Noccalula (getting ready to jump in) at Noccalula Falls State Park near Gadsden, AL. If you are lucky and catch the sun just right, you will see the rainbow that appears in the bottom of the gorge. Painted May 4, 2010.
"Water Park on the Coosa River" (c)2010 Jan Polk
9x12 Oil on Panel, Plein Air
This is just one of the many attractions for families in Gadsden, AL. I had a few hours in the early morning on a beautiful sunny day just before all the children arrived. Painted on May 7, 2010.
Following are paintings painted en plein air at Gadsden Museum of Art's first Plein Air Invitational in 2009.
Artist Jan Polk with her painting
"Koi Pond at Noccalula Falls Park" (c)2009 Jan Polk 8x10 oil on canvas/gallery wrapped Alla Prima SOLD
This was painted on April 27, 2009 at Noccalula Falls State Park. It was the first day of the First Plein Air Invitational sponsored by Gadsden Museum of Art. That night all the artists were given red dots to vote on most favorite painting by their peers. We were not allowed to vote on our own painting! I was delighted to win. Of the 15 professional artists there, I was the only one to use a palette knife to complete the entire painting.
"Sunlit Meadow in Little Wills Valley" (c)2009 Jan Polk 8x10 oil on canvas/gallery wrapped Plein Air
$485.00
All edges of a gallery wrapped painting are painted. This view shows the right edge.
This was painted on April 28, 2009, at Wills Creek Winery. I highly recommend their wines. A beaver dam created this pond at the vineyards. Deborah Pellock and I arrived very early to catch the sun sprinkling sunlight over the mountain's edge and into the valley to light up a few of the trees and the floor of the valley.
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View of the right edge. Notice how the edge of the porch continues around.
Painted on April 29, 2009. The above painting holds many fond memories for me. This was painted during GMA's first Plein Air Invitational in 2009 in the historic antebellum homes district of Gadsden. GMA treated us like rock stars and could not have been more helpful. The residents of the area were just as friendly and helpful. Little did I know that a year later, in 2010, I would be invited by Mrs. Little, the owner of this beautiful home, to a delightful and delicious luncheon on this front porch with 5 other plein air artists. Thank you Mrs. Little and GMA!
"White Azeleas on Turrentine Avenue" (c)2009 Jan Polk 10x8 oil on canvas/gallery wrapped Plein Air
"Pitman Theatre Imagined" (c)2009 Jan Polk 8x10 oil on canvas/gallery wrapped Plein Air
Painted on May 1, 2009. The last day of GMA's First Southeastern Plein Air Invitational was a rainy, gloomy day. No sun, no shadows, no color. Sometimes misty, sometimes not.
I found the historic Pitman Theatre to be interesting. As I sat well protected in my white van, I could see where all the tiny bulbs were on the building and took artist's license to paint it as I imagined it would have looked all aglow in its heyday.
The following paintings were painted en plein air in L.A. (lower Alabama) mostly in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
"Colors of Bon Secour" (c)2009 Jan Polk Image 30"h x 40"w
This is Bon Secour Preserves in Gulf Shores, AL. It has been kept in its original primitive state yet just minutes away it is surrounded by the encroaching interlopers...humans. I think this fence is to keep us away from the alligator rather than keeping him away from us. I didn't really feel too secure knowing he could easily slip under that barbed wire. It is a beautiful area with the wild grasses and the tall pines which are everywhere on the island. Spring is just about to be in full bloom and the wild blackberries are flowering at the base of the fence posts. The alligator didn't seem to even be aware of the constant stream of cars stopping alongside of the road to look at him.
"Home Away From Home" (c) 2009 Jan Polk Image: 9" x 12", oil on panel
This is where we spend the winter months in Gulf Shores, AL. Everyday we walk this delightful path to the boardwalk through the dunes to the white sandy beach. This painting was awarded First Place in the Orange Beach Art Center Member's Spring Show 2009.
"Shimmering Sunlight" (c) 2009 Jan Polk Image: 9"x12" oil on panel
These palms are in front of Flippers, our favorite restaurant in Orange Beach. It was a cold and windy day yet the sun sparkled and made us feel warmer. Actually, I was very warm as I sat in the car and painted. My two friends, Jo and Barb, were being blown like crazy standing out in the cold wind.
"Ashley's View" (c) 2009 Jan Polk 11"x14" oil on panel......SOLD
This is a delightful street with huge, old live oaks and beautiful landscaping in Fairhope, AL, just a few streets from Mobile Bay. Ashley lives on this street and remarked how wonderful it was to see this view first thing every morning.
"Mobile Street Gator" (c) 2009 Jan Polk 9"x12" oil on panel Alla Prima
This is the resident alligator who lives on Mobile Street in the middle of Bon Secour Preserves in Gulf Shores, AL. A beautiful sight with tall grasses, spring just about to be in full bloom, and wild blackberries at the base of the fence posts. He is hard to spot in the lower right hand corner.
Tyler Davidson Fountain in Cincinnati, Ohio, one month before it was moved into storage for one year and then to its new location on the square in 2006.
11"h x 14" w Alkyd Oil on Panel Plein Air
Note Cards of this image are available....please see our Products Page.
"Vignettes of Soil and Water Conservation Practices in Hamilton County Ohio" Artist: Jan Polk (c) 2007 Oil on Canvas NFS
Jan Polk’s painting “Vignettes of Soil and Water Conservation Practices in Hamilton County, Ohio” has been accepted into the permanent art collection of the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation (OFSWCD) District.
Artists from all 88 counties in Ohio will be represented. Jan’s art represents Hamilton County. . All 88 paintings will be displayed at the OFSWCD annual meeting in January, 2008. The artwork will be permanently displayed in the Division’s Headquarters in Columbus, OH, except when the show is on the road. The show will be displayed in each of the 88 counties, at the 2008 Ohio State Fair, and Washington, DC. in addition to other venues.
Project theme: “Soil and Water Conservation – Keeping Ohio’s Land Productive and Water Clean”. The art reflects the unique history and natural features of a county in addition to the shape of the county.
Vignettes listed in this order:
Start in the center of the painting, go straight down, then clockwise to the left, up and around..
l) Map of Hamilton County, Ohio, showing the waterways within the county.
2) White ribbon outlining the shape of Hamilton County plus storm labels reminding us No Dumping into Streams, Lakes and Rivers.
3) Name of District: Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation
4) Western Hills Viaduct over the Millcreek with sign: Millcreek Watershed – Keep It Clean.
5) City of Cincinnati (Freedom Center, E. W. Scripps Bldg., P&G twin towers)
6) Suspension Bridge
[continue down]
7) City drain with No Dumping storm label.
8) No Dumping/Ohio River Watershed logo.
[6 o’clock position] :
9) Chemical Containment Units confined under roof and within concrete floor and walls.
[Continue clockwise to the left and up]:
10) Grassed waterway within cornfield
11) Ohio State Flower: Scarlet Carnation
12) Rock check dam in a downhill stream
13) Wetlands
14) Ohio State Bird: Cardinal
15) Dry Stack
16) Cistern covered with Trees and Garden
17) Gutter System at Horse Farm drains directly into covered cistern.
18) Heavy Use Road
19) All weather Paddocks
20) Natural Waterway (Little Miami River) and tall grasses to prevent erosion
21) Rain Barrel
22) Silt Fence: new construction conservation practice
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"Sunlit Meadow in Little Wills Valley"
All edges of a gallery wrapped painting are painted.
