Blue Moon Travels

 Hey Friends,  Finally a few minutes to post my disappointment over the "Blue Moon" last Friday night.  I headed for the Blue Ridge Parkway in plenty of time to find an overlook.  My imagination was probably out of line but I could see the moon rising over a vast sweeping view of the valley !  I think it would have been breathtaking !  BUT just as I turned off Rt.460 onto the entrance the "check engine" light comes on.  Dang, what to do.  I chickened out, fearing my car would blow up in the middle of no where.  Then once it was dark, I'd be drug off by coyotes and never seen again.  So I turned around and went back to the closest station and put oil and water in the car  and went home.  Dang, I was madd.  The light hasn't come on since.  Turns out I had filled the gas tank and the cap wasn't screwed down really tight..   Did you know your engine light will come on IF your cap is at all loose?

 So I took a few photos from my secret place.  And it was beautiful, of course.  Just not what I had in mind.  I've already painted this scene.  Not sure I like the painting.

 This photo was from the parking lot of a Holiday Inn close to home and just off I81.  Too many city lights to do the moon justice.

And this one is from Green Hill Park.  Couldn't find any good spots to shoot from.  So I quite after this one.  Went home and pouted.  The good news is we will have another Blue Moon in about 3 years instead of the eleven years I read somewhere.
So I'll work with what photos I have and be ready next time.  Maybe I can talk somebody into going with me to paint from life.  My family thinks that would be as much fun as watching paint dry !!

Happy Trails Travel Well

Happy Little Paintings at Jetter Farm

 Hey Friends,  The internet service with Comcast really sucks!!  Not just occassionally, but every day I wind up waiting for hours to get a connection.  Wish there was some alternative.

The photo above shows the view/scene I was painting.  Not very good, you can't see the truck way in the distance, but you can see my base color - Magenta !!  I love to start a painting on a bright color.

 This photo shows my whole easel thing.  It's a cheap Daler Rowney tripod but I like it.  It'll work until I can afford a REAL plein-aire outfit.

This shows a very good start.  I will take it home and study it and then finish with a few details.  Mainly in the truck.  I have time to start another, yay!!   So this means I come home with 3 paintings.  The image below is my finished painting.  That red truck turned out way smaller than I thought it would.

We are having a special show at Gallery 108 in October.  Otherwise, I would start posting these in my DPW store.  I actually think posting these will be a big waste of time because everyone at DPW is a plein-aire painter so my work will be nothing new except if you're looking for something from SW Va. , like our mountains or rivers or ponds.  I'll show the other two paintings tomorrow.  I've been on this computer all day and I'm worn out.  Computers don't come naturally to me (do they anybody) so IT IS work to me.  Painting esp. plein-aire is hard work too.  But a different kind of work and a different kind of exhaustion.  It's good.
PS-A heartfelt thanks to the Jetter family for sharing their farm with us and to Angela for setting it up.

Happy Trails Travel Well