Pigeon Mountain Lake

8" x 10" oil on canvas covered hardboard - painted en plein air, alla prima - $85 including shipping - SOLD
On Wednesday, Sandra and I thought we had gotten an early start to miss the heat as we drove through Chickamauga and toward Pigeon Mountain. We were wrong. After finally finding a spot wide enough to pull off the dirt road, not get into the poison oak and not fall off the mountain - we set up our easels. About the time we uncovered our palettes, there came a dump truck "high-ballin' it" followed by a cloud of dust. Then about every 5 minutes another truck came by, then another, then another. It is interesting to note that each time a truck went by, they were driving slower and slower. We think that maybe they were on their radios telling each other, "Hey guys, there's a couple of crazy ladies on the side of the road trying to paint in this heat. Let's give 'em a break." Afterwards we had a nice lunch in Chickamauga and planned another outing soon. Plein air painting - you gotta love it!
Contact me at beejw@charter.net

Meadowlawn Shack - SOLD

8" x 10" oil on canvas covered hardboard painted en plein air, alla prima - $85 including shipping - SOLD, thanks Jo ! -
This little shack sits on the edge of the meadow where the annual Civil War reenactment is held in Tunnel Hill, GA. It's used mostly for storage now, but it comes alive during the battle with horses tied to the hitching rail and Yankee soldiers on the porch awaiting orders.
Contact me at beejw@charter.net

Creekside Red - SOLD

10" x 8" oil on stretched canvas - painted en plein air, alla prima - $90 including shipping - this painting has SOLD - thank you Leisa!

This little creek is in Harry Griffin Park in Tunnel Hill, GA. Painting that day was a chore because of the heat and fatigue - we had been painting for several hours. I've been trying to practice "paint what you see, not what you think you see". The water flow in the little creek is low due to the drought, so the dark vegetation shows through the crystal clear water, almost making the water disappear. As I was finishing the last strokes, I noticed a red object in the lower right. I painted it, too, not thinking what it might be. Then I began noticing red in the shadows to the left. I painted it also. Walking into the water, I found the red object on the right (a Coke can) and realized that the can's color had drawn my eye to the otherwise unrelated reds in the shadows. Painting shapes and colors helps me realize the characteristics of the objects they become.
Contact me at beejw@charter.net

Casey asleep on the rug

I know this isn't a painting, but I just couldn't let this photo of Casey napping on the rug get away. I found Casey in a parking lot several years ago. He had been tortured and blinded and left to survive on his own. The vet had to remove one eye and he is blind in the other. He has more than repaid me by giving lots of love. He finds his way around the house very well and can even jump up onto the bed and couch. Rather than turn and look the other way, my small act of rescuing a helpless animal in need has been a large blessing for me and all those who have met Casey.

Meadowlawn Bright

8" x 10" original oil on canvas covered hardboard - painted en plein air, alla prima - $85 including shipping - For immediate purchase, please click on the 'Buy Now' button.
This was painted on June 12th while I and two friends were trying to catch the light and shadow play on a meadow in Tunnel Hill, GA. It was fairly early but we knew it would be hot very soon. This meadow is the scene of the annual Battle of Tunnel Hill, a Civil War reenactment held every Fall in September. The late frost and recent drought has given the trees' foliage a varied palette of color. This is the same site represented in the painting posted on April 30th. You can see the changes in foliage.

Contact me at beejw@charter.net

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plein air painting site

I'm just reminding everyone to be sure to check out the Southern Plein Air Painters blog at http://southernpleinairpainters.blogspot.com/.

We're excited about recently adding several new talented artists. That makes 10 members so far from Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida. We're still searching for plein air artists from North and South Carolina and Alabama. If you'd be interested in being juried into SPAP, please contact me with your blog information. bj

painting at the ladies conference

This photo shows me painting at the ladies' conference last weekend. The finished painting can be seen in the previous post. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday !

Tree Planted by the Waters

8" x 10" oil on canvas covered hardboard
I was invited by my dear friend, Cathy Cooksey, to be a guest artist at a ladies' conference at Scott Memorial Church of God in East Ridge, TN.

When I arrived, I expected to set up and be painting somewhere in the hallway, greeting the attendees as they arrived. Little did I know that the plan was that I would be sitting up front beside the stage and painting while the speaker gave the presentation. Talk about nervous !! I had brought a very small reference sketch of a tree, thinking that would be an appropriate subject.

As I laid in the large masses, my hands were shaking and I was hoping that the ladies didn't notice. But as the music played and the speaker took the stage, I began to calm and focused on my painting - and listening to her words of encouragement and challenge to the listeners.

Her message was that we should be the women God has chosen us to be. And that we should boldly step out and meet that challenge. All the while she spoke, I was painting - and listening.

As she was finishing, I concluded that I had indeed chosen the right subject for my painting. And the verse came to mind that put it all into perspective - Jeremiah 17 verses 7 and 8.

"Blessed is the man that trustesth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

After the painting dried, I framed it and gave it to Cathy with instructions to present it to the organizer of the conference. She was a blessing to all who were present.

Thanks for visiting !

I really haven't given up painting. I promise I haven't.

Last night was the artists' reception for the regional art show "A Brush with History". The event was in partnership with the Historical Foundation here in Tunnel Hill, GA. Artwork by 20 artists was on display with a total of 43 pieces to be seen and admired.

Within the first 24 hours, there were 5 sales of artwork. All the artists are excited about not only showing our work, but that there is still a market for it. Let people talk about the slow economy, gas prices, etc but we know that for every piece of art, there is a collector out there just waiting for the opportunity to buy.