Beneath our Sky

I'll soon begin a 40"x30" painting, capturing the sky and clouds from my photo. This favorite painting site is the Tunnel Hill Civil War Battlefield, located just 2 miles from my home. How lucky am I to have such a treasure so nearby??

Against the Flow

Artists who paint outdoors, en plein air, during the Winter months have my admiration.
I guess 'wimpy' would be a good description of me right now. I'd much rather stay inside and work on paper collage.
This one is shaping up to be an underwater scene featuring seaweed and a school of fish...one of which is swimming "Against the Flow".

collage time again

With cold weather waiting to pounce, I'll soon be working on collage papers. These are completed, but I have boxes of painted and stamped papers just waiting to be assembled.

You can see the process and resulting papers at http://prettypaintedpapers.blogspot.com.

Rural Rhythm

Working on an 11"x14" oil on a gorgeous November day...

haunted....

OK, so I didn't complete a Halloween painting.
The next best thing is posting this photo of the haunted ruins located at Barnsley Gardens near Rome, GA.
I've been there on a bright sunny Summer day, but there's still an uneasy air about the location. The gardens are beautiful and meticulous --- and the ruins are well-kept.
But still........

Let me explain...

On Friday, October 22nd, Donna Hilley (owner of Artistic Gifts and Framing in Dalton, GA) hosted an Artists' Open House. My husband had delivered my tents, display screens and artwork around 8:00am. I hurriedly began setting up for the event. Then 'hubby' drove back to the location with a - surprise! - sausage biscuit from Hardee's (yum). In the meantime, Donna had furnished donuts (yum, again). I'm rarely without a diet Dr. Pepper or diet Coke. I hope that explains this photo of me with a sausage biscuit, a donut and a diet Coke.

artistic license

At the Rock Spring (GA) "Show & Sell" arts/crafts festival on Saturday, I decided to paint something that shouted "Autumn!" Luckily I was near the most colorful booth on the grounds. It was a fun day so I punched up the colors and let them be happy. Of course, it was my privilege to take some artistic license with the scene...omitting here, moving there, adding bits from another booth.

art show transportation

Since my van is temporarily 'kapoot', my little Oldsmobile Achieva has become my art show mode of transportation. This morning I packed it with my 10'x10' pop-up tent, 4 tent walls, 4-25 lb sand bags, 4 motorcycle tie-downs, 8 folding wooden display racks/rails, 1 folding table, two paint roller handle extenders and a 10' piece of conduit (cut in half), 4 metal magazine racks (used as print racks), 2 canvas bags containing necessary tools for set up...I think that's about it.
In case anyone is wondering about the paint handle extenders and conduit --- I slip the conduit through a hem in a tent wall, attach each end to a handle extender with a 90 degree joint, and attach the other end (using a bungee cord) to a tent leg or sand bag. This contraption, when extended, makes a great shade or rain fly.

I'm so lucky that the back seat folds down to make my little car into a van (of sorts). I'll be setting up at an annual art/craft fair in Rock Spring GA this afternoon. I only hope I have room for my artwork, my easel (I'll be painting all day tomorrow) and my cooler stocked with ice and Diet Dr. Pepper.

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.

A Song Singing - repost

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima...$85 including shipping...This was painted at Prater's Mill, near Varnell (GA) exactly one year ago today. I've never seen this water blue, even under the bluest sky. The sound of water rushing over the dam sings a melody of the coming Fall.
Prater's Mill Country Fair will be on October 9th & 10th this year. Ya'll come on out to see us there.

I must be nuts...

Evidently I've completely forgotten how much work an art fair can be. I applied to, and have been juried into, the annual Creative Arts Guild's Festival held in September in Dalton, GA. The staff and volunteers at the CAG see that the artists are given FREE breakfast both days...and a FREE dinner on Saturday night. Nice. This photo was taken a couple of years ago around 7:00am before things started hoppin'.

Like Last Year

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air...This little archway trellis leans - so that's the way I painted it. My friend said she had taken it down, straightened it and re-set it. But it still leans. I think it has a charm all its own there amongst the flowers and grasses. This painting can be seen at Ringgold Frame Shop in Ringgold GA.

The Red Earth

Painting the idea of heat and cold is sometimes difficult. I did this small oil on sanded board last year in the middle of July around 11:00am. I tried to capture the heat but also the cool undergrowth in the background.
This painting has sold.

framing for an exhibit

I've spent most of today in my studio...but I wasn't painting. There were several paintings to be framed, re-framed, backed, wired, etc. I know it's a necessity but it isn't nearly as much fun as putting brush to canvas with the smell of oil paint in the air. I've often dreamed that I'd love to just paint, then hand over the wet canvas to someone else who would do the framing, etc. Oh, and while they were at it, maybe they'd set up the shows, exhibits, art fairs, galleries, etc.

Provost HQ

12"x6" oil on stretched canvas, painted en plein air on May 15, 2009, at the Battle of Resaca(GA)...$80 including shipping...This Confederate tent was set up under a clump of trees on a hill's crest overlooking the battlefield.

They Fought Bravely

12"x6" oil over acrylic on stretched canvas, painted en plein air on May 5, 2008, at the Confederate Cemetary in West Hill Cemetary in Dalton, GA. This painting is $80 including shipping.

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.