Tunnel Hill paint out

Each year the Art Alliance of North Georgia participates in a paint out during the "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment. We have a tent for artwork display and another as an artists' base of operations. Several wet paintings...done right on site...were sold (much to the delight of the artists).

A Land Apart

9"x12" oil, painted en plein air, alla prima, on September 8th (completed at 12:10pm)...$120 (including shipping but NOT the frame)...This was painted a few days before the annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment. I popped it into this frame for display at our Art Alliance of North Georgia tent.

please try to ignore the glare

Tunnel Hill Battle Paintout

We'll be painting both days at the annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" --- and you're invited to join us!
Two tents are already set up for the artists - one is for display of artwork done onsite and the other is a base of operations.
There is no participation fee except for the $5 main gate entry.
The Tunnel Hill Historical Foundation has graciously allowed us to set up (FREE) - so we're asking each artist to make a donation to the THHF. This can be a percentage of any artwork sales or another amount determined by each artist.
For more information, please contact me at beejw@charter.net
or call 706-270-1626.

Sunny September Morning

8"x10", oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on September 8, '09...$85 including shipping...I realized that this late morning painting of a Tunnel Hill (GA) meadow had not been posted here. I've painted this scene dozens of times and each time it's fresh and different.

July Afternoon Late

12"x9" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 4 (completed at 8:10pm)...$135 including shipping...Since I'm usually painting outdoors during morning hours, the idea of painting in the afternoon took a bit of adjustment. The light and shadows play differently and I could quickly run out of daylight...just in time for a nocturnal painting.

July Afternoon Late

12"X9" oil, plein air painting in progress...I got a call to meet an artist friend around 6:00pm at the Tunnel Hill Civil War battlefield this afternoon. Since I'm accustomed to painting during morning hours, I thought it would be great to catch the setting sun on the hay bales scattered about.

Last Summer's Hay

This is one from the 'vault'. I painted it (shown here in process) early last Summer after the first hay cutting. Allergies have kept me away from the hayfield this year, so I'm reminiscing and hoping to get out there again soon.

The Civil War in Four Minutes

Sometimes I'm asked why Southern people still talk about the Civil War. "It's over, forget it," they say. I explain that we remember it because our ancestors fought, and many died, almost 150 years ago. We remember it because it was fought here in the South - on the very land we walk on. We remember it not because of hatred, but because of heritage.

My great-great grandfather was a Georgia Confederate soldier then. He returned from the war and helped raise my grandfather. Maybe that's why I'm here today????? My great grandmother, who lived to be 101, once told me (as a child) that she remembered hearing cannon fire when she was 4 years old.

If you think about it, in the grand scheme of things, it hasn't been that long ago. We remember - lest we forget.

Please take four minutes to watch this video...http://www.maniacworld.com/civil-war-in-four-minutes.html

Waiting

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima on September 20th 2009 (completed at 1:05pm)...$85 including shipping...The annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment weekend was rainy, muddy and overcast. But that didn't dampen the spirits of the artists who painted onsite both days. This painting shows one of the many sutlers who braved the elements.

Meadowlawn Morning

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on September 8th (completed at 10:30am)...$85 including shipping....This was a rather interesting painting being somewhat of an experiment. I had pre-toned the panel using random areas of ultramarine blue, yellow ochre with alizarine crimson designating the focal point which was the stand of trees in the upper left. In the actual painting, my palette consisted of yellow ochre, indian red, prussian blue and white. I may have used a touch of ivory black in the greens. Using a limited palette in the toning process, then using another limited palette in the final painting is something I'll explore further.

Tunnel Hill Battle paintout

It rained several days before and both days of the Tunnel Hill Battle paintout. But we were undaunted and painted anyway. Our paintout was part of the Worldwide Paintout sponsored by International Plein Air Painters.
I had other duties, so this is the only painting I completed. Here is a web album of other artists at work...
http://picasaweb.google.com/beejw1a/BattleOfTunnelHill09?feat=directlink

Worldwide Paintout 2009 in Tunnel Hill, GA

As part of the International Plein Air Painters' World Wide Paintout, the Art Alliance of North Georgia is sponsoring the "Tunnel Hill Battle Paintout" during the annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment on September 19th & 20th. For driving directions, see more information in the sidebar to the right. And for photos of last years event, see the web album at http://picasaweb.google.com/beejw1a/THWorldwidePaintout?feat=directlink

Namesake - SOLD

6"x6"x1 1/4" oil on gallery wrap canvas, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 18th (completed at 10:30am)...SOLD....The historic tunnel that gave Tunnel Hill (GA) its name is a breathtaking monument to the determination of the human spirit. More information can be found at http://www.tunnelhillheritagecenter.com/. You'll also find information about the annual Civil War reenactment held in Tunnel Hill.

Soft Morning

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 7th (completed at 8:00am)...$95 including shipping....The clouds were banked in a myriad of colors as the sun struggled over the mountain. Photography of this particular painting was difficult. The yellows are much softer and purples are more muted in the original. Apparently I'm entering the 'purple period' of my painting career...it seems to emerge in my more recent works.

three this morning

I did 3 plein air pieces this morning, but photographic conditions were terrible after I got them home. I set them into frames and shot them with indoor lighting...bad indoor lighting. The next best thing was to render the image into black and white, and hope for better photographic lighting soon.

Early at the Tunnel

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 24th (completed at 8:20am)...$35 including shipping...The historic Tunnel Hill railroad tunnel is hidden in this plein air study, but is somewhere beyond the darkness on the lower left side. The sun had cleared Chetogeeta Mountain, turning the sky almost instantly from a golden haze to a clear blue. Taking the road to the left carries the viewer to the mouth of the tunnel.

Hay's In

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 24th (completed 8:00am)...$85 including shipping...Getting outside to paint in 95+ degree heat is nuts...so I get out really early to miss the heat. The early sun quickly rose to show its orange light on the recently baled hay. It's hard to believe this was just 3 days into early Summer.

First Hay of Summer

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 18th (completed at 9:10am)...$85 for painting only, $120 framed (as shown)...The hay was freshly cut and the meadow lay golden in the morning sun. Crickets and birds were the only sounds heard, except for the westbound freight train.

Among the Tree Shadows

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 17th...completed at 9:30am...$85 including shipping. The house hidden behind the trees is the Clisby Austin House, located in Tunnel Hill GA. The adjoining property hosts the annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment in September. As shown in the painting, the hay was ready for mowing. I'll return soon to capture the bales.

First Hay of Summer...progressing

We were there before 7am to begin painting the first cutting of Summer hay. Getting an early start to beat the heat is a must. It was 97 degrees later in the day. This is an 8"x10" oil on RayMar panel painted en plein air. At the time of the photo, it was still progressing but was finished alla prima. I just haven't taken the finished photo yet. Since this area seems to be famous for its "North Georgia green green", I often push colors into their blue or yellow zones.