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Newly completed paintings, spring 2026

Over the last several months, I’ve created a number of new pieces:

oil on canvas painting by Martha K. Moore of an abandoned dairy barn
“Recently Vacated”
18 x 14″ oil on canvas ~ framed and ready to hang

This abandoned dairy barn is located just off I-26 in southern Virginia. Having grown up on a dairy farm, this aging structure is beautiful to me with the silo towers and the recent evidence of the cow population.

watercolor painting by Martha K. Moore of the Shenandoah River confluence with the Potomac River in Harpers Ferry, WVA
“Harper’s Ferry, WVA”
20 x 16″ watercolor, matted and framed, ready to hang

This scene is the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers at Harper’s Ferry, WVA. This scene is from February 2026 following a big snowfall and cold temperatures that had partially frozen the rivers. I was recently awarded second place in the Cleveland County, NC Artists’ Competition. The judge commented that at first glance, he thought the painting was a photograph. He was especially impressed by treatment of the water.

oil on canvas painting by Martha K. Moore of a field of blooming sunflowers
“Sunflowers for Susan”
42 x 28″ gallery wrap oil on canvas

I painted this large oil-on-canvas gallery wrap for my daughter Susan at her request. This finished piece now hangs in her Audiology Clinic in Indiana. I painted this image from a photo we took years ago of a beautiful field of sunflowers along a country road in North Carolina.

oil on canvas painting by Martha K. Moore of a snow-covered fire hydrant
“Sno Cone”
11x 14″ oil on canvas ~ framed and ready to hang

This winter, we had our first snowfall in four or five years. After the storm, we took a walk, which was just beautiful! We took a photo of this snow-covered fire hydrant, and I created this oil-on-canvas painting from that image.

watercolor painting by Martha K. Moore of a rocky mountain stream
“Appalachian Creek”
24 x 18″ watercolor, matted and framed, ready to hang

Hiking in the woods is something I always enjoy. I painted this scene from a photo we took on one of our many excursions out on a day hike on the Appalachian Trail.

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“Take a Hike”

I so enjoy hiking in the woods. There is something about the big trees and the sounds of the natural world that is so restorative for the soul. This scene comes from the view of the beautiful trail ahead on one of the many hikes in Hanging Rock State Park.

watercolor painting by Martha K. Moore of a wooded hiking trail in Hanging Rock State Park
“Take a Hike”
16 x 20″ watercolor, double matted and framed, ready to hang
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“Northwest”

I recently finished another very large watercolor, one so big I had to begin work on this painting from the floor before I had progressed enough to move it to my work table. “Northwest” is the scene from a photo that one of my daughter’s neighbors took this past summer when she was hiking at Spectacle Lake in Washington State’s Alpine Lakes region.

watercolor painting by Martha K. Moore of the scenery of Spectacle Lake in Washington State's Alpine Lakes region.
“Northwest”
32 x 28″ watercolor, double matted and framed, ready to hang
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“Waterrock Knob Trail”

Waterrock Knob Trail is an amazing hike off the Blue Ridge Parkway near its southern end at Cherokee, NC. The trail is at a high elevation of 5,820 feet, the Parkway’s highest vistor center, and offers hikers spectacular views across the Appalachian Mountains.

oil on canvas painting by Martha K. Moore of scenic overlook off the Blue Ridge Parkway
“Waterrock Knob Trail”
16 x 20″ oil on canvas ~ framed and ready to hang
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“Bright Angel Trail”

When I was 13 years old, I was lucky to travel with family to visit Grand Canyon National Park. I rode a mule on Bright Angel Trail, which drops off (quite literally) from the edge of the National Park area there at the South Rim.

This past spring, my daughter and son-in-law hiked that very same trail. Their photos brought back some wonderful memories! I painted the end of a mule train that they followed on their hike back up to the rim.

watercolor painting by Martha K. Moore of a mule team riding up Bright Angel Trail
“Bright Angel Trail”
11 x 15″ watercolor, matted and framed, ready to hang
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“Harpers Ferry”

Harpers Ferry, WV is a beautiful little town that sits where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers join together. This also where Maryland, Virginia and West Virgina all meet together. The train track that crosses the river is an impressive view!

And when we were there earlier this year, we had dinner at the Rabbit Hole restaurant, which was a delicious and visually enjoyable experience.

oil painting by Martha K. Moore of the railway bridge at Harpers Ferry, WV
“Harpers Ferry”
20 x 16″ oil on canvas ~ framed and ready to hang
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“Iris”

Big, showy fresh blossoms are so much fun to paint!

watercolor painting by Martha K. Moore of a large purple and white Iris blossom
“Iris”
8 x 10″ watercolor, matted and framed, ready to hang
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“Going Home”

In January 2025, a snow storm blew through north western Virginia where my daughter lives. They had been visiting some friends for the weekend, and their return trip was a winter wonderland of bright blue skies and snowy trees. They stopped along the way and took some quick photos through the windshield of their car and shared with me.

What a breath-taking scene! I was immediately inspired to create this watercolor, which was so large I had to begin it on the floor. I’m really happy with the results and plan to show it in the Cleveland County artists’ exhibit at the local Art Council in late April and then enter it in the North Carolina state watercolor society exhibition in the fall.

watercolor painting by Martha K. Moore of a view a snowy lane
“Going Home”
15 x 28″ watercolor, double matted in a custom-made frame, ready to hang
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Scenes from Maine

My husband and I traveled to Maine in May for a canoeing trip on the St. John River. It was a magnificent adventure, and we were so glad that we could go! The St. John River is located in northern Maine and flows north towards Canada. The river is very isolated and beautiful, heavily forested with fir and birch trees.

watercolor painting by Martha K. Moore of a view of the St. John River in Maine
“St. John River, Maine, 2024”
15 x 11″ watercolor, double matted in a custom-made frame, ready to hang

From the river, we had an impressive view of Mt. Katahdin, which is the highest point in the whole state of Maine. It is also the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail peaking a mile above sea level. Its summit is often obscured by clouds.

oil painting by Martha K. Moore of a view of Mt. Katahdin in Maine
“Mt. Katahdin, Maine, 2024”
14 x 11″ oil on canvas board ~ in black, wooden frame, ready to hang