Hay Bales at Dickie Brothers Orchard

Hay Bales at Dickie Brothers Orchard

12" x 12" oil on board

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This is a scene from Dickie Brothers orchard down in Nelson County, VA. As a kid, my family made the drive over the mountain on route 56 from Staunton, VA each fall to Dickie Brothers for apple picking. Route 56 crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway in Shenandoah National Park and passes Crab Tree Falls on the way. The road is extremely windy and my mom always used to get car sick. Even so, apple picking was one of my favorite days of the year - picnicking by the Tye River and all the apples I could eat.  Sarah and I still make it to Dickie Brothers on occasion, usually for anniversary trips, and not a day passes that I don't eat my mid-morning apple...this painting looks great in a thick, gold plein air frame.  Let me know if you want it!

Dickie Brother's Orchard III

 

Dickie Brother's Orchard III

6" x 6" oil on board

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Just had to satisfy the urge. 

Dickie Brother's Orchard II

Dickie Brother's Orchard II
6" x 6" oil on board
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Dickie Brother's Orchard

Dickie Brother's Orchard
8" x 10" oil on board
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The photograph of the painting makes the shadows look a little darker than they actually are.  I intentionally tried to limit the range of values, particularly the darkest values, in an effort to create harmony.  In reality, the shadow on the end of the hay bales is much darker, and the shadows on the trees to the right are almost black.  From observation, I've noticed that many of my favorite painters use value restriction to add harmony to their paintings.  I'm still going with a thicker painting style and a limited palette;  ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, and transparent oxide red for this one.  My goal lately has been harmony and a painterly style, and I think this one achieves both.

The scene is the back of Dickie Brother's apple orchard down near Wintergreen Resort in Virginia. I don't think my wife and I were supposed to be back here, but it was too beautiful to pass up.