Windflowers and Swinging

 

Hey Friends,  I really lost track of time didn't I ?  Summer fun will do that.  And can you believe summer is almost gone? !  I have to say this is available in an Ebay auction in this first paragraph because DPW has such NINNY rules.  They cut me off last post 'cuz I didn't follow the rules.

 

 

I returned to my sisters last week to get a couple more flower bed paintings done before summer calls it quits.  Plants change from week to week so I could get a new view/painting every week.

This time the windflowers were right on the verge of opening.  I helped them open a bit.  They are the white ones.

 

And I wanted to show you my little grandson swinging on Sister's giant rope swing.  I pull the tail out as far as possible and he is really high.  Can't tell in this photo 'cuz I was trying for this shot.

 

Then he swings way out over the flower bed and grins from ear to ear.  They love it.  And they love to go there 'cuz they have 2 dogs !!

 

Thanks for stopping by and visit again.

Happy Trails

Fun in the Mountains

 

Hey Friends, Yesterday I delivered plein aire paintings to 2nd Helpings Gallery on Williamson Rd. which is close to DT Roanoke right off of Rt.460.  Pictured above.

 

After helping the DLP group work on our Barns of Bedford guitar (I'll show you tomorrow) I raced up to Mill Mountain to see what the beautiful sky looked like.  I sat on the curb close to the overlook and painted the above 5x7.

 

Then I raced home to get into shorts and an icy drink, then raced over to Greenhill Park in Salem, Va. on the Roanoke River to see what I could practice on.  The river is seriously low.  We will be calling it the Roanoke Creek soon.  Lots of rocks to include in paintings.

 

For the locals, aren't you surprised at how low the water is?  I knocked out 2- 9"x 12" panels and then hauled it all back up to the car.  Those rocks are hard on your knees !

 

When I got back to the car, the sky was so pretty I had to sit on the bumper and do another !

A 12" sq. panel of the treeline and beautiful clouds.  Most days I paint outside it is because of the sky.  I may not always put the sky in but that's what pulls me out there.  I would like to do a grand vista.  A large wide open valley with a big sky.  Some day soon.

Happy Trails

Travel Well

Choose Your Favorite, Please

 

Hey Friends,  A short post to ask a favor of you.  Which of these two do you like better?  The painting above is acrylic.  And the painting below is oil.

 

If you have the time, tell me why you like it better.

Hoping my plein aire buddies will respond also.

Thanks, Have a great week.

 

Happy Trails

Travel Wisely

Plein Aire Painting on the James River Overlook

 

Hey Friends,  Have you heard the expression " The One That Got Away "?  Well here is one that got away !!   Accidently got away, but I got a photo before it slipped back into the wild.

 

Here's the story.  You know how women have to take everything but the kitchen sink on every trip?  We had the car pretty well packed for the return trip but then had to figure out how to protect an oil painting from rattling around and smearing itself all over my car.  So one gal had a brilliant idea that required tape that she had to fish out of one bag and that bag had this painting laying on top.  (Acrylic so it was dry)  The brilliant gal laid the painting on top of the car.  Just like I've done 100 times with a drink, except this time, when I stopped, no liquid poured down the windshield.

 

I hope some art loving hiker found it and stuffed it in his back pack and signs it when he gets home.

 

We had a wonderful day.  And it doesn't bother me one bit that this is the ONE that got away.

My friend is far more important than the painting and I don't want her to feel bad, at all.

 

Happy Trails

Travel Lightly

More on Ebay and On the Porch at Ikenberry's

 

Hey Friends, Summertime is flying by for me, how about you?  The pollinator series ended badly didn't it?  The opportunity to take a workshop jumped up quickly and I jumped on it.  It turned out to be a fabulous workshop and a great time so I don't feel to bad about the pollinators.  I will always be working on them and adding to ebay from time to time.

I've added some small plein-aire landscapes to ebay and this large one above titled  "Wisteria Cats".

You can read more about it HERE on ebay.

 

And some great news.  The Double Line Painters will be on the Porch at Ikenberry's on Rt. 220 and this year.   The first show is this Saturday July 12th.  We set up a few display flats and hang some of  our work up and we paint !  The photo above is from last fall when they had hay bales for sale on the porch.  They do a fantastic job of decorating this huge porch and we love to do these mini shows.

So come by this Saturday and peruse the artwork and get a box of peaches.  Last year the peaches were fabulous (to look at and paint) but so delicious too.  Click this link to read about this event and to sign up for the newsletter.

Happy Trails

Travel Well