Meet the New Mr. & Mrs.

"My whole heart for my whole life."

  ~French saying used on poesy rings

A perfect day with gorgeous weather, a beautiful ceremony, and a couple who cherished every moment of their big day together.  It was an honor to be part of it.  Thank you for letting me capture the memories.

A special thanks to Troy and Lisa and lead photographer Becki Olseen.  What a beautiful couple!  Here's to a lifetime of happiness, laughter, and love.

- Jessie DeCorsey
www.jessiedecorsey.com

Photorealism

"A style of painting flourishing in the 1970s, especially in the U.S., England, and France, depicting commonplace scenes or ordinary people, with a meticulously detailed realism, flat images, and barely discernible brushwork that suggests and often is based on or incorporates an actual photograph."
- Dictionary.com

This is a picture of the original painting I just finished featuring the band Rush.

This is the composition I put together with photographs to

show the customer what the painting would look like.

Photorealism though tedious, has its rewards.  There is no better feeling of accomplishment than finishing a painting, taking a step back, and having it look exactly like the photo in my hand. 

This style has been a natural progression for me since I was a young artist (age 8).  I remember my mother trying to teach me how to draw from my head but I would get frustrated when the pictures didn't turn out the way I wanted them.  When I close my eyes and imagine a chicken I can see every feather and detail on that bird.  When I open my eyes and begin to draw the detail fades and my hands seem to stop communicating with my brain! Oh the frustration.

I soon learned how much easier it was to use a reference image to get the results I wanted.  After my passion for photography grew, so did my skill with the brush.  A development that has taken place over the past 15 years with a lot of focus, determination, and rigorous work. 

The painting above was commissioned by a customer as a surprise for her husband's birthday.  He is a  dedicated fan of the band Rush so I included a black and white image that I felt was very symbolic of the band and their musical legacy.  Along the bottom I included all of the the band's CD covers. 

  



The Colors of Fall

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take

 time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."- Elizabeth Lawrence

Trees seemed to have changed overnight.  If you haven't gotten out to take some pictures try to set aside some time and get outdoors. 

A spontaneous country drive with my husband and son led us through Taylor's Falls to the beautiful park located north of St. Criox Falls.  We found a fantastic walking path that led us on trails through a brilliantly colored forest.

With many streams and boulders on the edge of the path it was the perfect place to take our time and capture the beauty of nature around us. 

Jessie Decorsey Fine Arts & Photography

Lindstrom, Minnesota 

www.jessiedecorsey.com

Happy Birthday Baby!

"Birthdays are nature's way of telling us to eat more cake."

                                      - Anonymous

Without photographs how would we remember our first birthday? How would we relive that first birthday cake and celebration?  

First birthdays are my favorite event to photograph because of the wide variety of personalities each baby has at this age.  One child might see the cake and dive in face first and be covered head to toe.  Other children might approach the cake with caution because they are not sure where to start.  It's always a fun surprise and that makes it a unique experience each and every time.

Pictured above is the handsome Brayden who recently turned 1.  He preferred the texture of the cake and how it felt on his fingers and toes instead of how it tasted!



Painting With A Purpose

"If you want to be a historical painter, let your history be of your own time, of what you can get to know personally — of manners and customs within your own experience."
-Robert Henri

Being able to spend a day painting in the studio is something I really enjoy but nothing beats painting with good company.  My mother, Cindy Larson, is also an artist and from time to time we get to work together and talk about art and why we enjoy making it.

Perhaps the hardest part of being an artist is trying to decide what it is you want to paint.  What inspires you? It may sound simple but there is much more to it.  I have to feel that my work has a purpose, a message that I wish to convey.  I want it to evoke a sense of passion and significance. With my paintings I like to believe I am translating the pages of history in a way that makes it more readable in a contemporary world.  

My recent work has been focused on traditional Christian imagery but I also like to explore the mythologies and legends of other ancient cultures and civilizations.  How do we relate to this past?  How has it shaped the world we see today? 

Above I am working on a painting called," Reclining Venus," (a goddess from Roman Mythology).  I am portraying a contemporary women who I believe embodies the traditional properties of the Roman Goddess of Love, beauty, and fertility.