"Last Orange Grove on Maitland Avenue"
18" x 24"
Plein Air Oil on Canvas
copyright by Artist,  Brenda Hofreiter

This oil painting was created on Maitland Avenue, near where I live.  This whole area used to be orange groves, but the freezes in the 80's wiped out most of them and the remainder have gone to developement.  This is the last working orange grove in the area.  I have been eyeing it for so long and made another painting of it in the past, but I saw a sign go up on the property and rushed to paint this before it too went the way of the rest of the small groves.  I'm glad the oranges were still on the trees.  A few days later I saw the crew come in and pick them by hand.  Wish I'd gotten a photo of it.  It is hard to believe that this beautiful scene is right next to a busy highway....it looks so peaceful and vibrant in this painting... The way it has been for years.  So much a part of Florida's history and mine.