One of the paintings on view at the “Familiar Places” exhibit at the Milford Library.
Martha Pileggi, a local Milford artist explores the numerous scenic views of Milford, Delaware and the surrounding areas. She finds inspiration in all nature and the beauty of the land around us. Luscious summer bright and yellow greens, autumn reds and oranges and sometimes a muted sunset or a quiet pond are all depicted in this oil painting exhibit.
“Familiar Places” opens at the Milford Public Library, at the Mispillion River Walk, 11 SE Front Street, Milford, Delaware on Saturday, August 5, 2023 and will hang until September 9th, 2023. The opening of the show will be marked by Martha Pileggi creating a plein air painting of the local Farmers Market on site from the windows of the 1st floor library from 9:30 AM to approximately 12 noon. You can win the actual painting which will be raffled off for the benefit of the library. You can meet the artist while she is painting and see how the artwork is progressing or ask any questions about her equipment and painting process or plein air painting in general.
Ms. Pileggi’s style is a mix of realism and impressionism. She uses a full range of value and color in her paintings some colorful and some subdued. Her busy landscapes are quiet places and are meant to create a relaxed atmosphere.
Another painting on display at the Familiar Places exhibit
Previously known for watercolors, painted tiles, etchings and beaded jewelry since the 1980’s. Martha now paints almost exclusively “plein air” from 3 to 5 days a week with various Plein Air groups and on her own throughout Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. She participates in many local Plein Air painting events. She scopes out her areas before-hand using Google maps as much as possible, so she can find boat landings near the water and local streams with nearby access. With her “MartArt Mobile” studio van she can pick up and paint at a moment’s notice with all her painting gear already packed and ready for any kind of weather.
“Plein air painting is not for everyone.” she states, “It’s not like painting in a studio. You have to be prepared to have encounters with turkeys surrounding you, groundhogs coming up to a painting setup, macaws trying to steal your brushes, ponies and foxes walking within inches of your easel, even a hummingbirds hovering over your shoulder watching you paint. There is also the constant battle with the wind, mosquitoes, snakes and biting ants and flies, along with sudden pop-up showers and lightning. You just never know what to expect when you plein air paint.”
An additional painting available at the Familiar Places exhibit at the library
Martha Pileggi is currently represented by Tish Gallery in Chestertown, MD and also shows at the various Plein Air events in Berlin, Chestertown, Chincoteague, and Laurel and throughout Delaware and Maryland.
All of the paintings are for sale with a portion being donated to the Milford Public Library. Martha can be reached by email to purchase her art at [email protected] or by phone at 3024220192. You can find the current Milford Library hours on their website: https://milford.lib.de.us.
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