Tye River Barn

 

Tye River Barn

8" x 8" oil on board

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The family and I took a mini-vacation to Nelson County, VA, for a few days after Christmas, and I was able to sneak in a painting during the final afternoon. I've been painting mostly indoors lately, and it felt great to get back outside, despite the fact that it was FREEZING, and the paint was like spackle that I had to slap on with a palette knife. 

I took photos of the same barn, and it really drives home the difference between what your eyes can see and the camera's interpretation of a scene. In the photo, the shadows to the left and right of the barn are solid black masses but in person, I could see several variations of light and color within the shadows. When I'm painting from photos, I try to remember that and paint the way I know my eyes would see it, but it's still tough recreate the range of values and colors of nature when painting from photos. While this painting and my other plein air paintings may not be as finished as some of my "studio" paintings, I think I prefer the looseness and color of plein air. Last post of the year.  It has been a good year for painting!

Here's the photo:

Another Shed Painting

Another Shed Painting

8" x 10" oil on board

A fitting subject for the 4th of July, I guess. Sheds, backyards, lawnmowers, etc. The week surrounding the 4th of July is my favorite time of year. The heart of summer. I love the heat and humidity, the long days, lightening bugs, fireworks, flowers, and summer vacation. It's the best. 

This is the last painting I posted on Instagram and the last painting I painted until today, September 27th. Instagram burned me out. It's a shame to have to put up with no much negativity to get your artwork out there. Or maybe I'm just too sensitive. 

Shed

6" x 6" oil on board

A little mysterious and loose and painted over another painting that had lived long enough. 

Woodpile II

Woodpile II

12" x 12" oil on board

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I painted this en plein air (outdoors) over a two day span between the hours of 9:30am and 11am.  I got most of it down the first day and then focussed on details the second day.  One subtlety that drew me to the scene was the crisscrossing hills in the background.  

On another note...I've been on instagram for a little over a year, and I'm thinking of getting off of it. Throughout the past year, I've felt more distracted, less focussed and present as well as more anxious and down on my abilities as a painter and even as a person.  I am now completely addicted to my phone, and I hate it. I enjoyed my trip to Highland County less because of my obsession with posting and seeing how many likes my paintings were getting.  I'm thinking about posts and how the paintings will look online instead of just enjoying painting and being in nature. It is fantastic to be able to see the best painters in the world in one place and then scroll down for some rare footage of the Grateful Dead but for all the reasons mentioned, it's just not worth it.  I'm looking for ways to simplify my life and this seems like a no-brainer.  Just have to hit those buttons...

The Gorge

 

The Gorge

9" x 12" oil on board

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This is the Potomac River Gorge in Great Falls National Park - Virginia Side.  It didn't win a ribbon, but I had more fun painting this one than almost any other.  

After hiking downriver almost a mile with all of my gear, I came to a set of stairs leading down into a gorge cut by a creek and steeply back up the other side.  I didn't want to hike much farther because I would have to hike back the same distance while carrying my painting, but I decided to see what was at the top of the stairs.  My curiosity paid off with a great vista and no one else around - lack of people being equally as important as the vista...although a random guy did ask to take a selfie with me, which I obliged.

The day was spectacular, but the wind was howling down the river and I was perched on the edge of a cliff, so I had to keep my foot on the easel to prevent it from flying into the gorge while watching my own step and making sure no other supplies landed in the the river. 

The cloud shadow was a risk that paid off.  It looked terrible at first, but I kept adjusting it each time a cloud passed and, to me, it makes the painting. Here's a view of my setup and the vista:

Afternoon at the Miller's

Afternoon at the Miller's

12" x 12" oil on board

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This is the flip side to my previous post - the other side of the miller's house at Colvin Run Mill, painted the afternoon of the same day. I polled a number of folks regarding which one I should enter in the Paint Great Falls plein air competition, and this painting won out, almost 2:1, so I went with it.  Still, I'm doubting myself because I kind of prefer the other painting and, alas, it did not win a ribbon. 

Late Morning at the Miller's

 

Late Morning at the Miller's

12" x 12" oil on board

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This is the miller's house, located at the historic Colvin Run Mill in Fairfax County.  The mill was built around 1811, and it still works. I painted the house as part of the Paint Great Falls outdoor painting competition. This was the first time I've entered into a painting competition, and it was a lot for me. If I do anything like this again, I will probably wait until summer because I wasn't able to devote the time to it that I should have.  The competition went on all week long, but I was only able to give it three days, and I completed three paintings. Meantime, I'm juggling a major garden project at my school, working full time, attending my kids sports and practices and generally running myself into the ground. 

Despite all of that, I put way too much weight on earning a ribbon. When I didn't earn one, instead of letting myself feel good about putting myself out there, painting in front of people for the first time, having the chance to hang my work in a gallery for a month, etc., I felt discouraged. I know that's ridiculous, but I still feel it.  But maybe that feeling is necessary when you really care about something and you're determined. Let it drive you or let it stop you.  That's the choice. 

Also, I chose not to enter this painting - I was allowed to enter two, and after much polling, this one did not make the cut...maybe it should have?

Evening Light - Backyard

Evening Light - Backyard 

8" x 8" oil on board

This is one I'd like to revisit or turn into a more finished painting.  I was just trying to get some practice in before the Paint Great Falls outdoor painting competition. I worked on this for under an hour, which may be obvious. Sometimes, though, I like the ones that take under an hour just as much or more than the paintings that take multiple hours. 

Roudy's Retreat

Roudy's Retreat

8" x 10" oil on board

Great little Airbnb cabin in Montebello, VA, that is equidistant to Nelson County wine country and the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.  I gifted this painting to the owner of the cabin for the cost of shipping and materials.  Hope she hangs it!