Von Pless Fine Art & Photography

Landscapes in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and digital photography. vonplesslandscapes.com

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These are 2 paintings of the Oregon Coast from pictures I took last summer. A great place to visit and explore!

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This is my new short documentary about conserving Long Island’s horseshoe crabs. Horseshoe crabs are living fossils - and given their 450 million year existence on the planet, it's no wonder they are considered a keystone species within their ecosystem. Horseshoe crabs provide vital resources to many living things - from shorebirds to humans. Every spring horseshoe crab spawning surveys are conducted up and down the Eastern Seaboard to assess populations and determine harvest quotas for commercial fishing and biomedical industries. Across Long Island, NY, the program is run by a network of researchers and citizen scientists who individually count and tag horseshoe crabs coming ashore to lay eggs. With the recent addition of the Red Knot shorebird to the federal endangered species list, it has never been more critical to monitor horseshoe crab populations and make sure the resource lasts well into the future. - Leslie

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Caught tonight’s sunset over Mt. Sinai Harbor on the Long Island Sound. - Leslie

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I recently got a new telephoto lens that I’ve been using to take wildlife photos. Here are a few from Cedar Beach in Mt. Sinai Harbor on the Long Island Sound. -Leslie

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Please vote for Leslie's short documentary, Flying Solo, about a 94 year old transgender WWII veteran and pilot, in this week's short film contest on WNET! http://www.thirteen.org/reel13/vote 

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A few photos from hikes and trips I've done so far this winter in Central New York, including Beaver Lake, Baltimore Woods, and Winona State Forest. - Leslie

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Went searching for seals today at Westhampton and Montauk beaches on the east end of Long Island. Didn't see any out today, but got some great winter shots of the ocean. Ended the day at Mt. Sinai Harbor and shot the sunset over the Sound. - Leslie

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CNY Arts Center has a new Gallery/ Theater at the CCC Campus in Fulton, NY. We just had our very first Art Show this weekend with many new artists participating. Bonnie, Nancy and all of the volunteers did a great job setting up the Gallery and the show. Leslie made a video to promote the Art Center which will be featured on their new website coming soon. JoAnn

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This is one of the Lighthouse's on Cape Ann. The family made a trip to Gloucester, Mass for Memorial weekend and took the boat trip to see all of the lighthouses of Cape Ann. It was difficult to see them well from the boat, but it was fun even if freezing!! Very hearty people were out sailing that day. The painting is a watercolor. JoAnn

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This is a watercolor I just completed of a church in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. I love the texture and colors of the wild flowers near the church. This is such a beautiful place to be!

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I went hiking in the Central Adirondacks this weekend near Old Forge and Inlet, NY. These are views from the trail and the summits of Bald Mountain and Rocky Mountain with Third and Fourth Lakes in the distance. - Leslie

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Last weekend was Art Fest at the gallery in Fulton. I painted in the gallery where it was warm. With the wind off the river it was only 55 degrees! Our wonderful Central NY weather; it was supposed to have been 75. This couple Merlyn and Harry, played guitars and sang. They were wonderful. Merlyn also has written a book called "Fairy Tales and Horror Stories". She read a few chapters for the group at the gallery keeping warm. Her book is very entertaining too! She was a farm girl turned flower child who grew up in Central New York. Her stories of adventures with Renaissance Fairs and offbeat weddings and even Rock and Roll Clubs is a great read. They have a website:www.MerryMischief.net. Thursday night at the gallery is our 1 year celebration with a wine and cheese event. June 26 from 5 PM to 8 PM. Come and join us at 47 S First St., Fulton, NY.

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Was able to catch this awesome sunset tonight at Mt. Sinai Harbor on the Long Island Sound. - Leslie

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Last week I took a hike through Saguaro National Park in Tucson, AZ, home to the largest cacti in the country. I had never been to this part of the country before and it was very cool to see the desert. -Leslie

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I painted this painting from a photo my son brought me from Italy. It is from Tuscany- what a beautiful place to be! I hope to visit myself someday! This is done in acrylic. JoAnn

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These are pictures of the CNY Art Center's show at the Oswego State Downtown Gallery in Oswego, NY. I have 3 paintings in the show. The show runs through the end of June. Come and see! JoAnn

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OAG Art Show last weekend. We had a beautiful show; everyone put in great work!