YES! All 7 of the hoped-for states were painted in my whirlwind trip through the south. I was mostly blessed with good weather; dodging wind and tornados and a mighty brisk Sunday morning in a windswept Ohio field. Details will follow; I'll post each painting, but it may take more than 7 days.
On my second day out I painted this pretty scene & twin span bridge over the New River at Hawk's Nest. There were only three ways in to this vantage point; cable car, boat and 7 miles of rocky, steep, partially washed out, one-lane mountain "road". Guess which one I chose...duh. I managed to steer the Prius clear of any damage and happily did not have to back up to let fishermen in huge pick-ups pass. West Virginia sure is a beautiful state...plenty of rocks and mountains and hollers...infinitely paint-able places and their fishermen are gentlemen. Next time I'll know about the cable car so I can avoid the white knuckles.What's a road trip without at least one time...and I had several...when I asked myself, "What was I thinking?"
A lonely mute swan was cruising the quiet waters while I painted.
I painted this beach scene on a perfect evening last week in Delaware State Park...not sure of my specific location because when I left I drove in the wrong direction and promptly got lost. I love my GPS! even though on this trip it insisted that my hotel was across the street from where it actually was. Besides spending lovely evenings painting on the beach and the bay I got to eat crabs!
Cumbres Pass - over 10,000 ft. It was an exciting day to be high in the Rocky Mountains; big wind, warm temps... in the 40's...and snow melt rushing down hill as fast as it can go in all ditches, creeks & gulleys. A very fun day of painting for my first new state of the year.
This 9 x 12 is painted on a pink Wallis board using a limited palette of soft pastels. I think it has the feel of a plein air painting...spontaneous, fresh with wind-blown clouds and a strong abstract design. I hope you see how much fun I had painting it. The air gets a little thin at 10,000 feet but I had been acclimated to approximately 7000' from Santa Fe.
State #17. A pretty November day and a quick painting...husband napping in car. I am always amazed at the number of churches in the rural south...one around every corner...one at the top of every mountain...no abandoned ones, either. They are painted and mowed and obviously loved...yes, I think one can love a building. Church parking lots often make great places to pull the car off the road and set up the easel for a painting.
While I was painting this peaceful scene some pigs in a passing car threw a full bag of trash out on the road and it blew all over this lovely little neighborhood. Since we're talking religion... may they go straight to hell.
bottom photo by Michael Poster, song by Woody Guthrie
An interesting morning on the French Broad River in Western North Carolina the day after heavy rains gave me a winter picture full of grays & blues & mauves. I'm sure the water was cold. It was certainly rushing down out of the mountains at quite a clip.
An abundance of public land in the Appalachian Mountains adds to the appeal of the Asheville area for painters, too, as well as hikers, skiers, rock climbers. It is a welcoming feeling to know the land I want to set up my easel on belongs to me!
SOLD This is an island near the New Hampshire border in the Connecticut River (with Vermont in the background). And another tiny floating grass island in the foreground which kept moving all around during my lovely afternoon painting on the river.
I am a pastel painter working in the studio as well as en plein air.
My work is colorful and hopeful and focused on the landscape. I love to stand out in a field and make a painting that expresses my feelings of and reactions to that time and place. I can think of no better goal than what Georgia O’Keeffe said: …”filling a space in a beautiful way.” I hope viewers will pause in front of my landscape paintings and see common sights in a new way.
My work is in collections world wide. I hold signature memberships in International Plein Air Painters and Landscape Artists International. I am a member of Pastel Society of America, Southern Vermont Art Center and Vermont Pastel Society. My work has been exhibited for over 35 years including 11 one-woman shows.
