Artistic Lifestyle – Outside

 

Carol Mangano_ Sunflowers and Blueberries

“Sunflowers and Blueberries,” acrylic (16 x 20) by Carol Mangano
Featured on The Pen Woman cover, Summer 2023

 

By Carol Mangano, Diamond State Branch

Carol Mangano_ Bluebells in Fountain Park
“Bluebells in Fountain Park” (30×24 acrylic)

Inspired by the outdoor farmers markets and abundant, colorful produce, my easel is set up within the painterly surroundings. Children respond and are often handed a brush to add some strokes on the canvas. My own art world started that way. Painting with Aunt Augusta led to exhibits in the squares, boardwalks, galleries, studios, and warming artist chatter with cucumber sandwiches.

My teaching career paralleled artistic outdoor ventures, with many awards and honors for my art. Plein air destinations include Brandywine Valley and the Chesapeake Bay area. Artists Magazine’s Annual Competition awarded an honorable mention to “Winter Eventide” this year, and I was juried into the NLAPW 2022 Biennial exhibit.

Carol
Carol Mangano with “November Moon” (24×20 acrylic)

As a member of the Howard Pyle Studio Group, I attend workshops that inspire new techniques. The Pen Women Diamond State Chapter introduced the Art & Letters Project. I painted “November Moon” in response to a writer’s words.

And then there’s the beach. The native grasses and weathered snow fences that caught my attention seemed to be an overwhelming subject for years. I finally settled down to paint a series of beachgrass vignettes along the pathway.