HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND

Hello Friends,  Just a quick note to say 

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

Last weeks plain air painting done with the DLP buddies on Mexico Way off  Rt. 460.

The scene was beautiful even with the fog and heavy clouds.  The sun peeked thru occasionally.

The birds sang for us the whole time, one of the bonus' of plein air.

Available at my new website  HERE.

Enjoy your long weekend

Happy Trails

Travel Safely

THE WEATHER MAN WAS RIGHT

Hey Friends,  Glad you stopped by again.  We took a chance the weather man was telling us the truth about the rain leaving for a bit and went back to Wasena Park. 

We ended up at the Green Goat Restaurants parking lot.

I had a canvas that I had stained a long time ago and used it because the warm oranges and pinks would look cool peeking through the cool blues and greens.  This is a beautiful old tree next to the restaurant.

"Where I Work"  18x24 Oil

This piece is from the Catawba Valley right off  Rt. 311.  A little spot to pull over and climb out on a rocky ledge to see this view (I have greatly simplified it here).  The clouds were simply magnificent as were the shadows cast by those clouds.

I LOVE my job and all the different job sites.!

Happy Trails

PLEIN AIR PAINTING ON THE ROANOKE RIVER

Hey Friends,  'Twas a beautiful day outside on the Greenway near the Tap House in Wasena.

Lots of stroller babies and Moms and bicyclists and walkers.

I got a pretty good start.  And I want to work on it some more as soon as I finish a couple of blogs and such.

If  Mother Nature is nice again we plan to do it again Thursday.

And all of ya'll plan to go Downtown Roanoke for the Sidewalk Art Show this Sat and Sun.

I won't be there but several good artists will be showing.  I plan to visit.

Maybe next year.

Have a great week.

Happy Trails

STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD

Hey Friends, Here is one of my favorites.  And I'm pretty sure it's because of that beautiful sky!  Maybe that colossal cloud has a bit to do with it.

Created from a couple different photos in the studio.

It is 18" square, another fav is the square format, and varnished and wired, ready to hang.

The deep sides are black.

Check it out on my new website HERE.

After that look at my new blog HERE.

Happy Trails

Travel Well

"THIS MUST BE THE PLACE" AND PLEIN AIR PAINTING STARTED

Hey Friends,  Here is another sky scape added to my NEW WEBSITE.  Have thoroughly enjoyed this series.

And we have had some pretty dramatic skies float past this month.  I painted plein air with my buddies a few days ago even though the heavens looked like they wanted to open up and soak us any minute.  I got one started and the only way I know how to make it look foggy is with glazes which I'm going to put the first layer down after this blog post is finished.

Also would love for you to check out the new BLOG HERE.

HAPPY TRAILS

"WHAT OF DREAMS" - 9X18 ORIGINAL SKYSCAPE OIL PAINTING

Hey Friends,   Wouldn't you love to be at a beach right now??  I WOULD!!

Tired of the drizzle, cold, dreary sky and mud.

I'm pretending I'm in the Caribbean.

This is 9" x 18" deep cradled panel, varnish should be dry soon.

Then it is ready to hang, no frame necessary.

It is available in my new Website - HERE.

Take a look at my new Blog too - HERE.

And if you live close to Salem, Va. and you are headed to the shore, stop and pick me up !

PLEASE

Otherwise have a joyous drippy day.

Happy Trails

WORKING ON SERIES OF SKYSCAPE OIL PAINTINGS

12x12 DeepOil   "Places in my Heart"

Hey Friends,  Have enjoyed having the time to paint, almost non-stop, a series of #SKYSCAPES.

This particular one was the most fun.

I snuck up to my Secret Place because the gate was open and I could drive.  This place is for sale, because the company that owns it went bankrupt, that's why the gate was open.

I especially like this little peak because when the sun shines on it, it shines like metal.  May be some Fools Gold up there.

And the way the mountains blocked the sun on the lower half of the clouds, leaving the top warm and sunny, and the bottom half chilly, was extra spice for this piece.

Available Here

And please click over to my new blog HERE

Happy Trails

NEW WORK AT GOOSE CREEK IN BEDFORD, VA.

Hey My Friends,  New works of art replaced the older at Goose Creek in Bedford, Va. yesterday.

Judy and Mary Anne does this job for us (DLP).  Thank you ladies.

The long Peacock you see up there, I painted, using my neighbors noisy peacocks.

In case you have never been to Goose Creek, this is what to look for.

I have put a link so you can easily find directions.

And please check my new blog at FASO - HERE.

I know, I need to pick a date for this blog.

It's hard to give up old friends.

Happy Trails

Evening Treat Oiginal Oil Painting

Hey Friends,  I put a link HERE for you to click and see my latest blogpost on my new website.

Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday.

Happy Trails

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

WISHING YOU A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

RECEPTION at ARTS DEPOT in ABINGDON, VA.

Hey Friends,  We had a grand time in Abingdon, Va. at the reception of our "Life along Rt.11 Show" at the fabulous Arts Depot.

Lots of new faces to talk with and delicious refreshments, music and poetry reading. 

Muddy Winter 12x24 Oil

Linda and I decided to stay the night and take in the historic town next day.  Glad we did.  We got lots of photos and especially enjoyed the vineyard.

We are making plans to return to Abingdon to participate in the Va. Highlands Festival Paint Out and Pop Up gallery.   Click up there for more info.

More info to come.

Happy Trails

THE SHOW IS UP !! in ABINGDON at the ARTS DEPOT

Hey Friends,  We're all excited Judy and Mary Anne got all our beautiful paintings hung this morning in Abingdon..  Thanks a bunch ladies.

I'll start my blogging of the work I made for this show about Life along Rt. 11

Above is "A Gift to the Giver"  16x20  Oil on canvas.

This one is titled "An Offering to the Future" 18x24 Oil on Canvas.

We do hope some of our friends will make to Abingdon for this wonderful show and the fun we'll have chatting!

See you Thursday 6 until 8 pm

Happy Trails

Travel Safely

PLEIN AIR IN THE YARD

Hey Friends,  I was motivated to get outside because the sun was shining, beautiful clouds were zipping through, and it was warm.  For the last couple of days it has been chilly and dark and drizzly.  In the middle of the night we had a thunder storm

Anyway, above is my obligatory painting of the spirea bush at top of driveway.  It has just barely started to bloom.  Usually it is in full display when the blue iris have opened.

And the clouds were rolling on.

So I got out a deep cradled panel to get some clouds before they disappear.

This is a mixture for the cloud shadows.

I have tried to make this pic upright but blogger seems to be stuck.  So I'll leave it.  This shows the initial placement of clouds.

There are my models

And here I'm starting to refine a bit.  And somewhere along the line, I added some cows and a tree.

After this stage I added layers of the palest pink and palest yellow to the tops of the clouds.

Now I'll let it stay hidden for a few days and then look at again.  There may be changes necessary or maybe not.

Have you checked out my new blog??

GO HERE.

Happy Trails