I recently returned from a seven day
"dream come true" painting trip from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I loaded up the old Honda with painting gear and clothing designed for cold weather plein air painting. I recently purchased and received the DVD series
"Plein Air Painting the American Landscape" and had been watching them nightly as a motivating prelude of my upcoming adventure. I started my trek alone early Sunday, November 18th... Tami, Olivia, and our two cats (Simba and Angel) were to join me Thanksgiving Day. On the way... I stopped at the NC Museum Of Art in Raleigh to view the current exhibit...
Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism. Seeing those original works by Monet, Renoir, Boudin, Sargent, etc... was the crowning touch - a pep rally motivating me even more for the trip. I arrived in the afternoon... picked up some groceries (essentials like coffee and hot dogs) and settled in. We have a family lodge in Fleetwood... a small community between Boone and West Jefferson, NC, so settling in really means making myself feel at home. My game plan was to plein air paint through the day and set up "daily painting" still lifes to paint at night. I was able to stick to that plan for most of the week finishing 7 plein air works and 3 still life paintings.
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A view from our mountain lodge deck....
Plein air painting for me is challenging yet relaxing. I love the challenge of the changing light and weather conditions with the relaxation gained from communing with nature. I am not exaggerating when I say it is
spiritual for me... a way of spending quiet time with God and His awesome creation! The sights, sounds, smells, and interaction with nature and the occasional hiker makes for a great experience which fills all my senses and allows me a story tied to each painting.
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Here are the plein air works from my trip and some of those stories...
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Blue Ridge Plein Air #1...After a trip into Boone to shop at my favorite candy store...
Cheap Joe's Art Stuff... I headed along Railroad Grade Road trying to narrow down one of a hundred beautiful spots to paint from. I found a view of a barn (I have painted several times) from Todd Island... a small island park in the middle of the South Fork Branch of the New River. This old barn has so much character... I never tire of painting it... BTW... thanks Artie! ;)
The weather was mild and clear for most of the week... except this day... I painted this one in a cold drizzle. After almost two hours... the cold drizzle turned into a downpour and I RAN to the car with painting (95% complete) in hand.
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"Railroad Grade Road", Todd. NC.8x10" Oil on Panel, en plein aire, 11-19-2007.
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Blue Ridge Plein Air #2...One of my favorite spots on earth is Rough Ridge Lookout located at mile marker 302 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rough Ridge is actually the backside of Grandfather Mountain and the views there are magnificent! See what I mean...
The weather was very comfortable for late November but the wind was gusting at 40 mph at times... I had paintbrush in one hand and steadied my easel with the other.
I painted this view of the
Lin Cove Viaduct from about half way up the ridge painting from a wooden lookout. I met several nice people while painting this one...
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"The Lin Cove Viaduct... a view from Rough Ridge"9x12" Oil on Panel, en plein aire, 11-20-2007.
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This painting is for a invitational gallery show in January 2008. The show... titled,
"North Carolina Landscapes... from the Mountains to the Sea"... will be at the Baysden Gallery in Jacksonville, NC where several local artists will be featured.
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Blue Ridge Plein Air #3...Returning home from Rough Ridge I was attracted to the light in this simple scene and how the bare winter trees seemed to glow on the shadow side of the hill. This small piece was captured near the banks of the New River as the afternoon sun was in its golden splendor. I overemphasized the small road that was there... something about country lanes and roads... I find them so inviting and peaceful. Anyone who has collected my work recognizes them as a common theme.
"Blue Ridge Lane in the Winter"...5x7" Oil on Panel, en plein aire, 11-20-2007.
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Blue Ridge Plein Air #4...I woke up early as usual on Wednesday the 21st. The mist was everywhere... wanting to capture it I headed down Fleetwood Mountain and along Railroad Grade Road and the New River to find the perfect spot.
I set up along the banks looking into the rising sun as it back-lit the mist and silhouetted the trees in the scene. Here I am looking toward Todd Island that I mentioned in Plein Air #1.
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"A Misty View of Todd Island"... Todd, NC
6x8" Oil on Panel, en plein aire, 11-21-2007.
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Blue Ridge Plein Air #5...This peaceful scene is set just below our mountain lodge. Two days earlier I set out to paint this scene in the late afternoon... As I got to the foot of the hill I heard two gunshots (rather close I might add) so I decided to wait. I could just see the headlines now...
"Plein air painter mistaken for deer!" Maybe midday when there's a lull in hunting time would be a better choice... it was... two days later offered a better opportunity and as you can see... I'm among the living as I type this blog entry... :)
"Blue Ridge View"... Fleetwood, NC 6x8" Oil on Panel, en plein aire, 11-21-2007.
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~~Blue Ridge Plein Air #6...
I woke early Thanksgiving morning and decided to get at least one more plein air painting in before Tami, Olivia, and cats arrived later that morning. This scene is set on Fleetwood Mountain near our lodge on The Ridge. We walk this road everyday for exercise and I wanted to capture it before it is scattered with mountain homes. I got to met several people as they were enjoying their daily walks as well.
"The Ridge"... Fleetwood, NC6x8" Oil on Panel, en plein aire, 11-22, 2007 (Thanksgiving Day).
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Thanksgiving Day brought Tami, Olivia, the cats, and the
COLD weather! It was 60 degrees when I painted the Ridge plein air... later that evening it was snowing!
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Blue Ridge Plein Air #7...Saturday morning I ventured out in the cold to paint the mountain lake near our lodge... you can see the temperature in the photo below...
I set up and began painting... a lovely scene of the mist on the lake but I soon realized it wasn't working and it became what we plein air painters call a "scrapper". After scrapping it I began painting another scene of the lake with a lone kayak on shore. Before I finished... someone took the kayak out for a spin that's why you don't see in the image below.
My fingers could barely move but I loved the crisp cold air and found it exhilarating. Hope to paint in the snow sometime this winter... but as for now this is as close as I'll get...
I'll share the finished painting soon... left it in the mountains to dry.
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My Blue Ridge Plein Air Adventure was awesome! Nature in all its grandeur! Not only were the natural vistas beautiful but I got to witness several wild animals... about 20 wild turkeys, 4 deer, a
Pileated Woodpecker, several wood ducks, to name a few.
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Every single moment made me appreciate God's creation even more than ever. Let's take care of this gift he has given us...
Bernie
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