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

My Little Loves

Hey Friends,  Just had to show you this photo of my LOVES.  Their Mom took this as they were leaving their house....For their first day of school together.!!  Makes me want to cry.

They look so little.

Happy Trails  Travel Well

Blue Ridge Parkway

Hey Friends,  A couple Sundays ago, I took a short ride up the Parkway.  I started at the Vinton, Va. entrance.  After a short distance, I crossed a huge, tall bridge.  This first overlook was to the Roanoke River !   I was shocked !  I did not know this river got to be so large.  Or that there is a dam.  I was nauseous and feeling pretty squirrelly trying to get these photos.  Couldn't get near the edge.  NaNaCat have you ever seen something this beautiful ?

Can't remember which number this Overlook was. (2nd or 4th)  But the view from this Poages Mill Overlook was  fantastic.  This photo doesn't show the ariel perspective your eyes see.  That's why it's a good idea to paint from life.  It's hard to describe the emotions you feel when looking at so much beauty.  Why do humans want to destroy this?

I've never heard of "Lost Mountain".  Makes me aware of how much I don't know and haven't seen right here in my own little woods.   I fancy this name is something the colonists conjured up.  One little tidbit I read the other night in a book about North Carolina is,  "Catawba" was the name of a small band of Injuns along the border of NC and Va.   They have disappeared sadly.  And that bothers me immensely.

This overlook is at Cahas Mountain !  Never heard of that one either!  I would really like to be up here when the moon is rising and/or when there is snow down below.  Can you imagine?  By the way if you ever come here, you'll be disappointed that most of the overlooks you can't see squat.  The trees are so over grown, they block the view.  I wonder if this is a budget cut from Washington?

And lastly, a farm (below) near the Floyd exit.  I had to get off the Parkway at Floyd because I would soon be out of daylight and I had to drive all the way back home.  I was hoping to make it to MileMarker171 which is the wrong # I'm sure.  But I will be in a show/festival "Art on the Parkway" in October on the 13th and 14th.  A big farm with a big meadow.  I'll find that info and tell you more.

Anyway I hope to get backto this farm soon.  We will be painting at the "Explore Park" this Friday, which is between  Vinton and Roanoke and I believe there is a farm there also.  Hope to see some cows.

Happy Trails Travel Well

Two Starts

 Hey Friends,  The DLPBR met this morning in Green Hill Park in Salem, Va.  We are working towards a show this October at Gallery 108 on the downtown market of Roanoke, Va.  Above is a start on a 6x8 of a Sycamore root extending out into the river.  There is a clump of grass too.

 Here is another start on a 9x12.   Standing on the bank looking out over the river.

                                     Photo to finish first start.  I was sitting out in the river in a chair.

                                                            Photo to finish 2nd start from.
I will work on these some more and show you the end results.  I was supposed to show you some photos taken on the parkway Sunday but I'll do that tomorrow.  After working at Gallery 108 all day.  So some of you come and visit with me tomorrow.  We'll talk about how hard plein aire painting is.

Happy Trails Travel Well

Osterhaus at Little Gallery

Hey Friends,  Sunday I went to the Little Gallery at Smith Mountain Lake, here in SW Va., which is in Bedford, Va.   I had the timing wrong, I thought I would see Greg Osterhaus demonstrating, but I was there just in time to see everyone walking away!  That's the finished demo above.  He will finish later, I'm told.  He is very loose and expressive and colorful.  If he isn't the top seller at LG then he's second, is my guess.  I love his work.

This was his set up on the boardwalk/deck just outside of the Little Gallery. Look at that huge paint layout !!   Wow - makes my set up look miniature.  I can foresee some changes coming soon.

Here is the Mr. O chatting with some collectors.  He never knew I was there and thats my fault.  I hate to interupt anyone esp. if I think they are talking business.

And here is a couple of his famous cows, hanging outside close to his demo.  See how colorful and energetic!

After this event I went for a little ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Only from Vinton to Floyd.  I 'll crop some of those photos and show them to you tomorrow.  The Double Line Painters will be meeting in the morning at Green Hill Park early so I will post after that.

Happy Trails Travel Well

MonoPrint Demo by Susan Egbert

 Hey Friends,  This is a rather long post, with a lot of photos.  I wanted to show a step by step demo of making a monotype/monoprint.?  Not sure which term is proper.  I will have to ask Susan Egbert.
Above Susan is just starting.  She uses brayers to mix water soluable oils on a piece of plexi-glass.

 Here she is rolling the oils onto another piece of plexiglass.  Of course the plexi is the size you want the finished image to be.

 Adding more colors, more layers.  This piece will be a bit abstract Sue thinks.

             It may look like a lot of time has elapsed but so far only about 10-15 minutes.

 Here Sue is adding some stripes and textures using the brayer instead of a brush.  Here she is using a nib to remove some paint.  Removing some paint to form a tree shape.

                                          Still removing paint, making shapes.

         Here she is Adding paint with a brush.  Kinda like negative and positive shapes.

                       Playing with the brayer again.  This has taken about 20 minutes.

                                               Above is the press.

        Putting the plexi with the paint on the press table and laying damp WC paper on top.

    And it is Aquarious WC paper.   Now Sue is cranking the plate & paper thru the press.

                                                                          TA-DAH !!
The final result !  The image is much bolder than I thought it would be.  It looks like a lot of fun and I can't wait to try it myself.  Sue and Petie Stringfellow share a studio on Campbell Ave. in DT Roanoke, Va. and they invited me to come back and give it a try.  Hoping I can do that soon.

If any one close to Roanoke would enjoy a short class/workshop in this process, the members at Gallery 108 are perusing holding such short workshops at the space available to them next door.
So leave comments with your email address if interested.

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  

Plein-Aire at Carvins Cove Touch Ups

 Hey Friends,  Loaded the before and after versions so comparison is easy.  I'm getting the hang of bloggers new layout !!!

 I like the finish on this one.  It even looks better in person.  Not so loud now.

 What a mess .........

Water can be really difficult to paint.  And then when the water is surrounded by greens.......It can be a real mess.  A boring mess.  The second is a lot better but still needs somthing.   Maybe a mermaid, and a green one at that.

Happy Trails  Travel Well

Painting at Carvins Cove

 Hey Friends,  I was lucky enough to have a day with my plein-aire buddies, the DLPBR.   We went to Carvins Cove which I think is still a major source of water for this area of Va.

 I was sitting on a campers stool almost in the water when I painted this one.  I obviously need to finish it, but it's a pretty good start.  Plein-aire painting is a lot harder than you'd think!

 This is about my view, peeking around the trees.  I just wanted to leave the trees out.

But as you can see I'm over whelmed by all the green !!!    I'll probably just pitch this one.  I don't think I can save it.   You try it.  And let me know what you did with all that green.

I'm changing my sign off tonight - just a bit.

Happy Trails-Travel Well

Barbours Creek in New Castle, Va.

 Hey Friends,  I started this blog post at about 9am this morning.  Finally gave up - just wouldn't load!  Service is still a bit wonky but I will persevere.  About 2 weeks ago daughter and I took a little day trip, north of Salem to Barbours Creek area of New Castle, Va.  There is a good little family style restaurant called the "HomePlace - that's the photo above.

 This is a shot of Barbours Creek !  The prettiest little creek I've ever seen.  I heard from my brother that this is the creek my uncle and Dad loved.  They hunted in this area.

 This is the last shot I got before I fell in or down.  YowSaz-It was cold.  And the temp's were pretty hot so that made it even colder.  Skinned, bruised one leg and messed up my camera !  Really bummed me out.  Crazy thing is the camera still takes photos but no display so you can't tell what you've got until they are loaded into the 'puter.

Here's a shot of my daughters Boss' horses-whata mouth full!!  Like I said the IE is still messed up (in case you haven't heard, we had severe storms here in VA. a week or so ago.  Lots of people w/o power for way over a week, including my daughter.)

The reason for telling you about this trip is - the Boss wants this beautiful creek painted to hang in his office    YAY !   So I will be going back- again and again.  I've already painted his horses and I'll scan that and show ya soon.

And now go check the DLPBR blog (below-sidebar) to see our piano !!

Happy Trails. . . . . . .